Deploying an iOS app for external testing

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. If you do not want to use Testflight, then you can do this by exporting an IPA file with the ad-hoc export method.

Using Testflight

If you wish to invite external testers using Testflight, you CANNOT use the ad-hoc export method. You need an IPA with the app-store export method.

1. Generate an IPA file on your own machine at least once.

2. Upload all necessary code signing files to Bitrise.

   For the ad-hoc export method, you need a Distribution type certificate and an Ad Hoc type provisioning profile. Only upload a provisioning profile if you use manual provisioning: Managing iOS code signing files - manual provisioning.

3. Make sure the Xcode Archive & Export for iOS Step is in your Workflow.

4. Set the Distribution method input of the Step to ad-hoc.

5. Set theAutomatic code signing method input to the Apple service connection you want to use for code signing. The available options are:

   • off if you don’t do automatic code signing.
   • api-key if you use API key authorization.
   • apple-id if you use Apple ID authorization.

6. Make sure you have the Deploy to Bitrise.io Step in your Workflow.

7. Start a build.

8. When the build is finished, go to the app’s Builds page and click the latest build.

9. Click the Artifacts tab to find your IPA file that you can distribute.