Apple's upcoming iOS 26 update introduces new privacy features that will strip ad network click IDs like Facebook's fbclid and Google's gclid from ad links in certain situations.

Many advertisers are concerned because these click IDs are used by ad platforms to track and attribute conversions. But if you're using ClickMagick, there's no need to worry – these changes won't hurt your tracking or ad optimization.

Here's why ...


What Click IDs Actually Do

Click IDs like fbclid or gclid are simple tracking parameters added to ad links. When a user clicks your ad, the click ID:

1. Lets the ad platform know exactly which ad click led to a visit or conversion.
2. Is used to attribute conversions inside the ad platform’s own reporting dashboard.

So when iOS 26 removes these click IDs in some cases, the ad platforms will lose some direct click-level attribution and their stats and reporting will simply become even more inaccurate than they are now.


Why That Doesn't Matter with ClickMagick

ClickMagick gives you bulletproof, first-party tracking that doesn't rely on ad platform click IDs for attribution.

1. We record every click and conversion ourselves, so you always have accurate, real-world data.
2. When conversions happen, ClickMagick sends the ad platforms the customer information they actually use for ad optimization (hashed email, phone, IP, etc.) via CAPI and similar integrations.

This is important:

1. Ad platforms optimize ads based on who converted, not the click ID.
2. As long as they know which users became customers, they can keep finding more people like them and building your audiences — even if some click IDs never make it back to them.

Accurate Attribution Without Relying on Ad Platform Stats

Facebook's and Google's own numbers are already modeled (that’s just a fancy word for guessing) and inaccurate. They’ve never been accurate – that’s why ClickMagick exists – and iOS 26 just makes it worse for them.

ClickMagick solves this by giving you:

1. Full-funnel attribution across all your traffic sources
2. Independent tracking that doesn't break when click IDs disappear
3. Reliable conversion data sent to ad platforms so their algorithms keep learning

So your ad optimization continues — and you get the real numbers, not modeled guesses.


The Bottom Line

Click IDs mainly help ad platforms show you reporting details inside their own dashboards.

But for:

1. Accurate attribution – ClickMagick is infinitely more accurate than what you see in your ad network dashboard.
2. Ad optimization – ClickMagick sends ad platforms the customer data they need via CAPI in real-time.

That's why iOS 26 stripping click IDs is a non-issue for ClickMagick users.

You'll still get:

1. Bulletproof tracking and reporting in ClickMagick
2. Accurate data sent to ad platforms for smarter targeting
3. Zero disruption when iOS 26 rolls out in mid-September.

Article 1037 Last updated: 09/16/2025 8:27:29 AM
https://www.clickmagick.com/kb/?article=1037