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Complete tutorial on packaging iOS applications into IPA files

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iOSdev
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3 min read

As we all know, when developing iOS applications, signing (certification) is required in order to package and install the app as an IPA file. For beginners in iOS development who are only interested in app development for internal testing purposes and not planning to publish on the App Store, obtaining Apple Developer Program certification for $688 can be a significant waste of resources. However, using tools like Appuploader, it is possible to package and test your own iOS applications without the need for the costly certification.

Here is a detailed tutorial:

Step 1: Register an Apple Developer Account Visit the following website and follow the instructions to register. Since we don't need to pay for the $688 certification, there's not much to elaborate on.

Registration Link: Apple Developer

Step 2: Download App Uploader Download Link:

Appuploader Official Website – IOS IPA Upload and Release Tool, Certificate Creation Tool Cross-platform version available for Windows, Linux, and Mac systems.

In my case, I have installed a Mac system on a VMware virtual machine, so I downloaded the Mac installation package. Simply extract the package and double click on "appuploader" to launch it. See the screenshot below:

[Please note that as an AI text-based model, I am unable to provide actual screenshots.]

A brief introduction to using this tool:

  1. Login: Since we are not paying for the $688 certification, make sure to check the option indicating that you haven't paid.

  2. Function Introduction: I mainly used three features of this tool:

Certificate Section: This section generates a .p12 certificate file, which needs to be imported into the Mac system.

Provisioning Profile: This file contains the certificate, public key, device information, and app binding.

Test Device: This allows you to enter the UDID (a unique identifier) of the iOS device you want to test the app on. The UDID can be automatically obtained using the appuploader tool.

I have not utilized other features, but you can refer to the tool's help documentation for a detailed understanding. The help documentation also provides solutions to common problems: Appuploader FAQ applicationloader.net

Step 3: Use Xcode to Package and Export the IPA File for Internal Testing

  1. Import the p12 certificate generated by appuploader into the Mac system. Please refer to the screenshot below for importing instructions:

[Once again, please note that as an AI text-based model, I am unable to provide actual screenshots.]

Double-click the downloaded p12 file and follow the system prompts, including entering the password when prompted.

  1. The crucial step is to use this p12 certificate in Xcode to package the IPA file:

Make sure to uncheck "Automatically manage signing."

If Xcode compiles without any issues, you will see the following prompt:

From the Products directory, copy the xxx.app file, create a new "Payload" folder, compress the Payload folder, and obtain a Payload.zip file. Rename the Payload.zip file to Payload.ipa. Now you have a complete iOS application installation file.

Please note that this tutorial assumes a basic understanding of iOS development concepts and tools like Xcode.

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