App store release

App Store Release

Instructions

Apple's release path is: Archive → Upload → Process → TestFlight → Submit for Review → Phased Release. Automate each step with pilot and deliver; never click through the Connect UI on release day.

1. Build the IPA

# Flutter
flutter build ipa --release \
  --export-options-plist=ios/ExportOptions.plist \
  --build-name=1.4.2 --build-number=$GITHUB_RUN_NUMBER

# Native
xcodebuild -workspace MyApp.xcworkspace -scheme MyApp \
  -configuration Release -archivePath build/MyApp.xcarchive archive
xcodebuild -exportArchive -archivePath build/MyApp.xcarchive \
  -exportPath build/ipa -exportOptionsPlist ios/ExportOptions.plist

Minimal ExportOptions.plist:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>method</key><string>app-store</string>
  <key>signingStyle</key><string>manual</string>
  <key>teamID</key><string>ABCDE12345</string>
  <key>uploadBitcode</key><false/>
  <key>uploadSymbols</key><true/>
  <key>provisioningProfiles</key>
  <dict>
    <key>com.acme.app</key>
    <string>match AppStore com.acme.app</string>
  </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

2. Upload with pilot (TestFlight)

lane :beta do
  api_key = app_store_connect_api_key(
    key_id: ENV["APP_STORE_CONNECT_KEY_ID"],
    issuer_id: ENV["APP_STORE_CONNECT_ISSUER_ID"],
    key_content: ENV["APP_STORE_CONNECT_KEY_CONTENT"],
    is_key_content_base64: true,
  )
  setup_ci
  match(type: "appstore", readonly: true, api_key: api_key)
  build_app(workspace: "MyApp.xcworkspace", scheme: "MyApp",
            export_options: "ios/ExportOptions.plist")
  upload_to_testflight(
    api_key: api_key,
    skip_waiting_for_build_processing: true,
    changelog: File.read("../CHANGELOG_CURRENT.txt"),
    distribute_external: true,
    groups: ["External Beta"],
  )
end

Alternative: xcrun altool --upload-app -f MyApp.ipa --apiKey ... --apiIssuer ....

3. TestFlight Groups

• Internal testers (App Store Connect users with roles) — no review, immediate access, up to 100.
• External testers — require Beta App Review (first build only, minor updates often auto-approved). Up to 10,000.

Automate group membership with pilot:

bundle exec fastlane pilot add [email protected] --groups "External Beta"

4. Metadata with deliver

ios/fastlane/metadata/en-US/ tree:

metadata/
  en-US/
    name.txt                 # ≤ 30 chars
    subtitle.txt             # ≤ 30 chars
    description.txt          # ≤ 4000 chars
    keywords.txt             # comma-separated, ≤ 100 chars
    release_notes.txt        # ≤ 4000 chars, this version
    support_url.txt
    marketing_url.txt
    privacy_url.txt

Submit:

lane :release do
  api_key = app_store_connect_api_key(...)
  deliver(
    api_key: api_key,
    submit_for_review: true,
    automatic_release: false,
    phased_release: true,
    force: true,               # skip HTML preview
    precheck_include_in_app_purchases: false,
    submission_information: {
      add_id_info_uses_idfa: false,
      export_compliance_uses_encryption: false,
    },
  )
end

5. Screenshots

Required sizes (as of Xcode 15): 6.7" iPhone, 6.1" iPhone (optional fallback), 12.9" iPad Pro, 13" iPad Pro. Generate with fastlane snapshot:

bundle exec fastlane snapshot init
# Configure Snapfile with devices + languages
bundle exec fastlane snapshot

Place results under ios/fastlane/screenshots/<locale>/.

6. Export Compliance

Apps using only HTTPS qualify for the simplified compliance path. Set in Info.plist to skip the per-build question:

<key>ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption</key>
<false/>

If you use custom crypto, you need annual self-classification and possibly an ERN/CCATS.

7. Phased Release

Enable via deliver(phased_release: true). Apple's 7-day ramp delivers updates to 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, 100% of devices set to auto-update. See the dedicated phased-release-ios skill for pausing/resuming.

8. Build Processing Gotchas

• Processing can take 15–60 minutes; plan accordingly.
• missing_compliance email on first upload of a version — open the build in TestFlight and answer export compliance.
• Invalid Bundle: missing required device capabilities, unsupported architectures, or Info.plist missing CFBundleIconName. Check the email details.
• dSYMs: upload with upload_symbols_to_crashlytics or sentry-cli debug-files upload right after build_app.

9. Expedited Review

For critical bugs affecting users, request expedited review (App Store Connect → Contact Us → App Review → Request Expedited Review). Use sparingly; Apple tracks abuse.

10. App Privacy "Nutrition Labels"

Separate from PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy. Fill under App Store Connect → App Privacy. Must match actual data practices across the app and all embedded SDKs (ads, analytics, crash reporters).

11. Checklist

• IPA built with manual signing and match-managed profiles.
• Uploaded via pilot with App Store Connect API key; no password login.
• TestFlight external group distribution enabled; changelog attached.
• Metadata, screenshots, and privacy URL kept in git under ios/fastlane/metadata.
• phased_release: true on production submissions.
• dSYMs uploaded to the crash reporter.
• App Privacy labels match actual SDK behaviour.