Could not change executable permissions on the application

Question

Just updated to iOS 6 sdk and latest Xcode and get this when trying to build to my 3gs. I 've added armv6 under valid architectures?

"Could not change executable permissions on the application"

The same happens on my iPhone 5. I tried deleting Xcode and reinstalling. I think some components are lingering around. — Cocoa Dev, Sep 23 '12 at 21:13
I just unplugged the phone and uninstalled the app. Ba-da-bingo! — Quintin Balsdon, Oct 10 '13 at 20:23

score 344 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 24 '12 at 04:59

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I could solve it erasing an application that I had previously uploaded using the same Bundle Identifier (xcode get's confused doing the chmod). Try checking the log from xCode Organizer (Your device's Name -> Console) you should get information from that log. Good luck!

answered Sep 24 '12 at 04:59

Ignacio Oroná

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yes this was reason I managed to work out what I was doing wrong your answer is correct. Thank you! – Alex McPherson Sep 24 '12 at 21:37
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But will my users be able to upgrade ??? I have an app that is selling. Created new version, and if I try to run on iPhone with App Store version I get this error. So what happens if I release new version in the app store?? Help. – Fraggle Sep 30 '12 at 14:33
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@Ignacio - No, I can't advise them to do that !!! Exactly what I want to avoid. I don't even know who my users are. The upgrade has not been released (approved but not released). – Fraggle Sep 30 '12 at 19:35
@Fraggle - I've changed the name of three of my apps in this way prior to iOS6 without problem. I'm now getting your issue with the current app I'm trying to rename... This is either a) a bug in XCode 4.5 (asking the device to do something it can't) or b) a policy change which states that you can't change the app name after an app is released... It should in theory be fixed if you change your app name 'back' to what it was with your previous version. That's what I'll be doing for now! – Red Nightingale Oct 02 '12 at 01:37
To change the app name 'back' go into the app Build Settings and find Product Name. Change it to whatever the home screen icon text is for your current version. Hopefully this will work! – Red Nightingale Oct 02 '12 at 01:43
@RedNightingale This has nothing to do with app name for me. I did not change app name or bundle identifier. I'm updating an existing app, so definitely not changing anything except some code. – Fraggle Oct 02 '12 at 11:21
What does the device's console output look like when you try and run the app? – Red Nightingale Oct 02 '12 at 22:33
I used the same BundleIdentifier for two different projects on one device. Changing the BundleID did the trick. – DAS Nov 14 '12 at 22:59
yeah guess it was cause of having 2 apps with the same bundle identifier :) – darkmystel Jan 01 '13 at 17:06
This works, but it would be nice if there was a way to do this without losing app data. – ThomasW Jan 15 '13 at 09:46
I think the below response http://stackoverflow.com/a/12668605/102133 is more appropriate – Ben Jan 22 '13 at 14:02
Friday afternoon with a deadline in about 5 minutes, this was the first thing I wanted to read. You legend. – Adam Waite Apr 26 '13 at 16:22
@Fraggle - if you go to `Build Settings` -> `Packing` -> `Product Name`. Change the value with the same product name you can see on the iTunes Connect portal. Go to Binary Details and then copy the Entitlements app name. In that way you can make updates on the App Store ;) – javienegas Apr 29 '13 at 10:06

score 116 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 01 '12 at 06:45

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folks, i get this resolved - because i already have the same app using the same bundle identifier installed on the phone. - what you need to do is to delete all those apps on your iphone which is using the same bundle identifier name. - you'll make it!!

answered Oct 01 '12 at 06:45

TK-Li

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yes. I delete the app in the device .and try again, It work well. – Xubing in China. Developer Dec 13 '12 at 15:02
That is perfect, Just what I needed – Stephen Jan 23 '13 at 23:56
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Thanks. But when I will upload to appstore, users must be erase the old version befor to dowload the new version? or the upgrade is possible without erase the old version one? – doxsi Apr 09 '13 at 18:39
Perfect - this was precisely the problem in my case. Thanks. – Brian Cline Apr 10 '13 at 03:01
Doesn't help much when you're trying to test migration… ;) – Ash Apr 25 '14 at 08:40

score 13 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 08 '12 at 16:56

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You probably have a different target name. You can start the app from scratch, but you'll need the same target name and the same bundle identifier.

answered Oct 08 '12 at 16:56

gabriel_rinaldi

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yes I just encountered this problem. target name and bundle identifier must be same. After setting this, the error disappears. – LetBulletFlies Oct 24 '12 at 01:25
I found this to be the correct answer, it's not necessary to delete the app, at least in my case. – deepwinter Mar 09 '13 at 03:43
Yes. This is right. Since I need to keep some config of the existing and then overwrite with the debug ap with different target, then I got this error. (I installed an ad hoc app to debug push message). – karim Apr 16 '13 at 12:28
target name and bundle identifier need not be same. I have a working example working in front of me. – Varun Bhatia Apr 18 '13 at 05:30
Keeping the same bundle identifier and target name worked. Thanks!! – ArdenDev Aug 13 '13 at 14:21

score 13 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 31 '12 at 07:30

Delete the apps that were already installed on iphone/ipad with the same Bundle identifier.iphone/ipad gets confused with the apps with same bundle identifier. so change change the Bundle identifier of the current app or delete the app that was already installed.

score 7 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 01 '12 at 09:02

It can happen when you launch the app from Xcode and you have the appstore version installed in the phone with the same bundle-id but a different name. In my case I'm using App_Beta when in the appstore is App. If the two versions does not have the same product name you wont be able to test the upgrade from the old to the new version. To solve make the names match.

score 4 · Answer 6 · answered May 23 '13 at 14:06

I went into the Organizer and selected the Applications underneath my test device. Even though I had deleted the application on my device itself, it still showed up in my list of applications. I deleted it there, and this took care of the issue for me.

score 3 · Answer 7 · edited Feb 19 '13 at 07:09

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You need to delete all the app's using the same bundle identifier. I did the same, but still the same error persisted on my iPod, i cleaned the (cmd + shift + k) the build and restarted the iPod and i was able to run the app on the iPod.

edited Feb 19 '13 at 07:09

sgarizvi

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answered Feb 19 '13 at 06:47

MaheshShanbhag

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score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jun 26 '13 at 16:31

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You just delete the apps that were already installed on your device with the same identifier.

answered Jun 26 '13 at 16:31

user2380132

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score 3 · Answer 9 · answered Jul 22 '13 at 18:00

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I ran into the same problem, but I needed to keep the current installed App in the device for debug purposes. My solution was to use the same:

Target Name
Bundle identifier
Product Name

answered Jul 22 '13 at 18:00

LuisEspinoza

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score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Oct 30 '12 at 22:29

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I had this error, and what fixed it for me was Product Name under Build Settings. I had changed it to something else, and started getting this error. I changed it back and it fixed it.

answered Oct 30 '12 at 22:29

Mark

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Changed it back to what? More details please – kolossus Oct 30 '12 at 22:49
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Presumably changed it back to what he called it beforehand. – Carlos P Feb 04 '13 at 14:21

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Jun 11 '14 at 14:31

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Just delete all the previous versions of the application. Due to mismatch/confusion about bundle identifier it happens. I removed all the existing application with the similar identifier and was able to install.

answered Jun 11 '14 at 14:31

Nirav

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score 0 · Answer 12 · answered May 29 '13 at 04:02

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I was able to resolve this error message simply by unplugging the USB cable, and plugging it in again after a few seconds. YMMV!

answered May 29 '13 at 04:02

William Denniss

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score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Nov 11 '13 at 17:55

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You need to make sure that your device is not set to two applications with the same Bundle ID.

answered Nov 11 '13 at 17:55

alexmorhun

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score -1 · Answer 14 · answered Jul 31 '13 at 15:37

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I had this error when I tried copying and pasting one xcode project to build another app. What I had to do was change the bundle identifier name to something different than my previous app.

enter image description here

answered Jul 31 '13 at 15:37

Casper

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jww · Answer 15 · 2015-05-13T21:41:05.927

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Could not change executable permissions on the application

Cause: I had icons in the files system named 29x29.png, 58x58.png, 72x72.png, etc. I had soft links (ln -s) with the required names per App Icons on iPad and iPhone. For example, Icon-Small.png was a link to the real file 29x29.png.

I did this because my program runs on different platforms, from mobile phones to desktops. Android, Apple and Microsoft all have similar requirements. So "one set of icons" and "different links for different OS" made the most sense to me.

Fix: Don't use links. Apple does not tell you that. And their error message of "Could not change executable permissions on the application" is useless.

Looking at all the different answers (and causes), it looks like lots fo things can cause it.

edited May 13 '15 at 21:41

answered Dec 07 '12 at 23:34

jww

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Out of curiosity, why all the down votes? I explained how to duplicate the problem, and how to fix the problem in the example case. Note well: Apple does *not* prohibit links to sanely named files (29x29.png for example). Review the documentation for the linked article. – jww Dec 29 '12 at 04:09
@William - the question was about the error *"Could not change executable permissions on the application"*. Links using required names pointing o the PNGs will cause it. The fix is to *not* use links. Apple does not tell you that. – jww May 13 '15 at 21:29

Could not change executable permissions on the application

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