Review and Deploy
3 min read
Review and Deploy
Deploying an iOS app is fundamentally different from pushing to Vercel. Apple reviews every submission — plan for 1-3 business days. This doc walks you through the full process from Archive to App Store.
What you need before starting
- Apple Developer Program membership ($149/year) — required for App Store + TestFlight
- App icon at 1024×1024px (PNG, no transparency, no rounded corners — Apple applies those)
- App Store screenshots for required device sizes
- Privacy policy URL (required for any app)
- Age rating completed
Step 1: Configure signing
Automatic signing handles most of this for you:
- In Xcode, select your project in the navigator
- Select the target (your app name)
- Go to Signing & Capabilities
- Check Automatically manage signing
- Select your Team (your Apple Developer account)
- Xcode will create provisioning profiles automatically
Step 2: Set the build version
Every submission needs a unique build number. Version is what users see (1.0, 1.1, 2.0). Build is internal and must increment with every upload.
# In your project Info.plist or Xcode build settings:# CFBundleShortVersionString = 1.0.0 (user-visible version)# CFBundleVersion = 1 (build number, increment each upload)Step 3: Archive the build
- In Xcode, select Any iOS Device (arm64) as the destination — not a Simulator
- Choose Product → Archive
- Xcode builds and archives the app — this takes 2-5 minutes
- The Organizer window opens automatically when complete
Step 4: Upload to TestFlight
- In Organizer, select your archive and click Distribute App
- Choose App Store Connect
- Choose Upload (not Export)
- Click through the distribution options (defaults are fine)
- Click Upload
Processing takes 15-30 minutes. You'll get an email from Apple when the build is ready.
Step 5: TestFlight internal testing
Test with internal testers (up to 100 team members — no review required) before going public:
- Go to App Store Connect → Your App → TestFlight
- Under Internal Testing, create a group
- Add testers by Apple ID email
- They'll get an email to install via the TestFlight app
Step 6: App Store Connect metadata
While testers are testing, prepare your App Store page:
- App name (30 characters max)
- Subtitle (30 characters) — appears under the name
- Description (4000 characters) — first few lines are most important
- Keywords (100 characters) — comma-separated, no spaces around commas
- Screenshots — required: 6.9" iPhone (iPhone 16 Pro Max), optional but recommended: 5.5" iPhone
- App preview video — optional but increases conversion
- Category — choose carefully, affects discoverability
- Privacy policy URL — required, no exceptions
Step 7: Submit for review
- In App Store Connect, go to your app's App Store tab
- Select the build you want to submit
- Complete the App Review Information (demo account if needed, notes for reviewer)
- Answer the Advertising Identifier and Export Compliance questions
- Click Submit for Review
Apple's review team will check your app against the App Store Review Guidelines. Common reasons for rejection are in the Troubleshooting doc. First-time review typically takes 1-2 business days.
When it's approved
You'll get an email. Your app will either go live automatically or wait for you to release it manually — configure this in App Store Connect under App Store → Version Release.
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