Skip to main content

iOS

Easiest Way to Publish Using Xcode​

The simplest method for publishing your ios app is directly through Xcode. Here are the steps:

  1. Open Your Project: Launch Xcode and open your project.
  2. Select the Target: Make sure you select the correct target for your app.
  3. Archive Your App:
    • Go to Product > Archive.
    • Wait for the archive process to complete, and the Organizer window will appear.
  4. Upload to App Store Connect:
    • In the Organizer window, select the archive you just created.
    • Click on Distribute App and follow the prompts to upload your app to TestFlight or the App Store.

App Store Publishing with GitHub Actions​

If you prefer to automate the process with GitHub Actions, follow these steps:

1. Create Certificates​

To sign your application, you will need two certificates: Apple Development for development and Apple Distribution for distribution. Follow these steps:

  1. Request a Certificate:

    • Open the Keychain app on macOS.
    • Navigate to Keychain Access > Certificate Assistant > Request a Certificate From a Certificate Authority.
    • Fill out the form by entering your email address and selecting Save to disk.

  2. Create Certificates:

    • Go to the Apple Developer Certificates page: Apple Certificates.
    • Create the two certificates by uploading above saved file:
      • Apple Development (development.cer)
      • Apple Distribution (distribution.cer)

  3. Generate the p12 File: After downloading the certificates, use the Keychain app to export them to p12 format:

    • In Keychain Access, File > Import, and import both certificates.
    • After importing choose both certificates from My Certificates section, Right-click and choose Export 2 Items.
    • Select the p12 format and provide a password to secure the file. (Certificates.p12).

2. Create Provisioning Profiles​

Provisioning profiles are necessary for running your app on physical devices and for submitting to the App Store. Follow these steps:

  1. Create Provisioning Profiles:

    • Go to the Apple Developer Account page: Apple Developer Account.
    • Select Profiles from the sidebar and click the + button to create a new provisioning profile.
    • Choose the type of provisioning profile you need:
      • iOS App Development: For testing on devices (for emulator testing you will not need this).
      • App Store Connect: For App Store submission.
    • Follow the prompts to select the appropriate app ID, certificates, and devices (for development profiles).
    • Download the created provisioning profile to your macOS system.

  2. Install the Provisioning Profile:

    • Double-click the downloaded provisioning profile file to install it in Xcode.
    • Verify that the provisioning profile is listed under Xcode > Preferences > Accounts > Your Apple ID > Manage Certificates.

  3. Update Your Xcode Project:

    • Open your Xcode project.
    • Go to the Signing & Capabilities tab.
    • Ensure that the correct provisioning profile is selected for both Debug (development) and Release (distribution) configurations.

3. Set Up GitHub Secrets for App Store Publishing​

To automate the publishing process using GitHub Actions, follow these steps:

  1. Generate API Key:

    • Go to App Store Connect and log in.
    • Navigate to Users and Access and select API Keys.
    • Create a new API key with access to App Manager, and download the private key.

    Note: When you create the API key, you will also see the Issuer ID and Key ID. Make sure to save these, as you will need them when adding secrets to GitHub.

  2. Add Secrets to GitHub:

    • Go to your GitHub repository, click on Settings, then Secrets and Variables, and select Actions.
    • Add the following secrets:
      • IOS_APP_CERTIFICATE_P12_BASE64: Run base64 -i Certificates.p12 | pbcopy to get the base64 encoded version of your p12 file.
      • IOS_APP_CERTIFICATE_P12_PASSWORD: Enter the password you used to secure the Certificates.p12 file.
      • APPSTORE_KEY_ID: Your API Key ID from App Store Connect.
      • APPSTORE_ISSUER_ID: Your Issuer ID from App Store Connect.
      • APPSTORE_PRIVATE_KEY: The content of the downloaded private key file.
      • APPSTORE_TEAM_ID: Your App Store Connect team ID .
      • IOS_APP_DEVELOPMENT_PROVISION_UUID: The UUID of your development provisioning profile (Open the file in a text editor and search for UUID).
      • IOS_APP_DISTRIBUTION_PROVISION_UUID: The UUID of your distribution provisioning profile (Open the file in a text editor and search for UUID).