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My certificate will expire in 4 days, and I've uploaded for submission new app version with the new certificate. What happens if the old certificate expires? Will users be available do download my app with old certificate, or will Apple remove my app until the new certificate is provided?

mfaani
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Timur Mustafaev
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2 Answers2

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What happens if my certificate expires or has been revoked?

Apple Push Notification Service Certificate

You can no longer send push notifications to your app.

Pass Type ID Certificate (Passbook)

If your certificate expires, passes that are already installed on users' devices will continue to function normally. However, you will no longer be able to sign new passes or send updates to existing passes. If your certificate has been revoked, your passes will no longer function properly.

iOS Distribution Certificate (App Store)

If your iOS Developer Program membership is valid, your existing apps on the App Store will not be affected. However, you will no longer be able to submit new apps or updates to the App Store.

iOS Distribution Certificate (In-house, Internal Use Apps)

Users will no longer be able to run apps that have been signed with this certificate. You must distribute a new version of your app that is signed with a new certificate.

Mac App Distribution Certificate and Mac Installer Distribution Certificate (Mac App Store)

If your Mac Developer Program membership is valid, your existing apps on the Mac App Store will not be affected. However, you will no longer be able to submit new apps or updates to the Mac App Store.

Developer ID Application Certificate and Developer ID Installer Certificate (Mac Applications)

If your certificate expires, users can still download, install, and run versions of your Mac applications that were signed with this certificate. However, you will need a new certificate to sign updates and new applications. If your certificate has been revoked, users will no longer be able to install applications that have been signed with this certificate.

Original Source Apple Doc

rdurand
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9to5ios
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  • So, I'll have to make a new build for all the apps I had distributed in-house with the expired certificated? – fabregas88 Jul 28 '14 at 13:25
  • Hi, so to renew a distribution certificate (mine is expiring in 10 days) i need to revoke it. But if i revoke and request for a new one, will i be able to send updates with this new distribution certificate(it is saying i wont be able to send updates)? – Anish Oct 09 '14 at 12:14
  • @anish you need to update your build too...as an app in App Store works with related bundle identifier. But if you renew your membership plan then the app in App Store keep in working. – 9to5ios Oct 10 '14 at 05:34
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    To clarify, **iOS Distribution Certificate (App Store)** and **iOS Distribution Certificate (In-house, Internal Use Apps)** is one and the same certificate, created when selecting the **Production -> App Store and Ad Hoc** option on *developer.apple.com*, correct? The difference is that the former is used on the App Store while the latter - with Ad Hoc distribution. So am I correct to understand that any Ad Hoc app will have to be re-distributed at least once a year to continue working due to certificate expiring? – SaltyNuts Jan 27 '15 at 14:44
  • @SaltyNuts the difference is that in adhoc certificate you can add devices for testing purpose while for Appstore the distribution certificate dont include any devices. – 9to5ios Feb 09 '15 at 04:43
  • So hold on, you're saying that I won't be able to update my app??? Obviously I'd have to at some point (soon, actually.) – Eddy Mar 21 '15 at 12:55
  • you need to renew the certificate:-- follow this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12974900/renewing-provisioning-profile-and-certificates – 9to5ios Mar 27 '15 at 05:32
  • @iphonemaclover I had installed an application from xCode with my **"Developer certificate"**. If this certificate get expired then does my installed app affect? I know that if I want to update the app I need to update the certificate as well, but if I don't want to update or reinstall, I just want to continue using the installed app then is it possible? Thanks in advance. – Er. Vihar Dec 09 '16 at 13:08
  • What will happen if my VoIP service certificate is expired? Will i need to submit new app with new certificate or existing users can download and use the app from appstore? – Ebin James May 09 '17 at 07:00
  • And what happens when FairPlay Streaming certificate expires? – sabiland Jul 10 '18 at 07:38
  • @rdurand, if distribution certificate expires and the app is on live on the app store, will receive a push notification or not? Please answer? – Kiran Jadhav May 19 '20 at 12:56
  • you need to update push certificate as well – 9to5ios Jan 31 '21 at 08:18
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When distribution certificate expires, you can't submit new apps to AppStore. On the other hand the old live apps will work fine, ie: Nothing will happen to your live app in AppStore.

Consider check these Apple's thread and doc.

Tarek Hallak
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    Also the push notifications won't be affected? – Nathan B Jul 04 '17 at 18:18
  • @Tarek Hallak, if distribution certificate expires and the app is on live on app store, will receive a push notification or not? Please answer? – Kiran Jadhav May 19 '20 at 12:55
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    Only if APNS certificate expired, it wont work, otherwise you can send/receive notification, plus you can renew the APNS certificate without updating your app on AppStore. – Tarek Hallak May 19 '20 at 18:52