Creating a signed .ipa for Xcode projects

You can easily create a signed IPA for your Xcode project with Bitrise. All you need to do is set the relevant inputs of our Xcode Archive & Export for iOS step!

Before setting up IPA export, make sure that:

your code signing files have been collected: we recommend using our codesigndoc tool.
you have the required steps in your workflow to manage code your signing files:
Certificate and profile installer if you uploaded your Provisioning Profiles manually.
iOS Auto Provisioning if you connected your Bitrise account to your Apple Developer account for automatic provisioning.

Development profile and certificate

You always need to upload at least a Developer certificate and a Development type Provisioning Profile! That is necessary for our Xcode Steps to be able to test and build your apps properly.

If you’re all set, proceed to setting up IPA export in your workflow:

Make sure you have the Xcode Archive & Export for iOS step in the app’s Workflow Editor, depending on your project type. Select your step.
Set the Select method for export input of the step to the type of code signing you want to use.

If you use automatic provisioning, make sure it matches the value of the Distribution type input of the iOS Auto Provisioning step. The options are:
- auto-detect - please note that this option is deprecated and will be removed. We do not recommend using it.
- app-store
- ad-hoc
- enterprise
- development.
Save the Workflow, and start a new build.

That’s all. Xcode will auto select the right signing files based on your project’s Bundle ID and Team ID settings, and the Export Method you set.

If you want to sign the IPA with a different team’s code signing files (e.g. if you use your company’s code signing for internal builds, but your client’s code signing files for App Store distribution), all you have to do is to set the The Developer Portal team to use for this export option as well (in addition to the Select method for export).

Before deploying your app to the App Store, you might want to release it to external testers who can test it on their devices outside the development environment.

You can deploy an app to iTunes Connect (rebranded as App Store Connect) to invite testers on Testflight or to release your app on the App Store.

You can upload, update, list, and delete iOS code signing files with the relevant Bitrise API. In this guide we show you how and in what order to use those...

Manage iOS code signing on Bitrise: collect and upload your code signing files using our tools, and export your app with the export method you specify.