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I have not renewed my developer account since I am just developing an app for a school project. I want to distribute my app to a few folks to get some test-feedback (I think there will be lots of bugs, crashes and other issues detected even if 5-10 friends/family use it and provide feedback).

Since I don't plan to publish this on the app store but use it just to improve my app development skills, I want to distribute the app using appaloosa instead of paying the $99 developer account fee to use TestFlight.

This requires uploading an ipa file. I tried following steps in other posts but I am stuck at the step where they ask to "select the archived app and hit 'Share'". I don see any Share button when I select the archived app.

Is it possible to create the ipa file without a developer account? if yes, how is this done? Also, after creating the ipa file and uploading it to appaloosa, will things just work or are there any other gotchas?

Can someone share a screenshot of how creating the .ipa from the archived file would look like? Maybe I'm overlooking the share button?

Smart Home
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    For the life of me I cannot understand why people downvote a question like this. The OP is trying to understand a fairly confusing area about iOS development. Just lay off; if you don't want to answer then don't answer. There is nothing wrong with this question. – RegularExpression Jan 02 '16 at 18:15

2 Answers2

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No, you can only test on your own device for free. Any other distribution requires a Developer Account.

chedabob
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  • Well, he could make the other devices developer devices too, though. – Akaino Jan 02 '16 at 13:06
  • @Akaino how will that work? Will I need physical access to the other devices? Ever since my account expired, looks like apple developer page won't even let me add more devices. – Smart Home Jan 02 '16 at 18:05
  • @chedabob will it be possible to attach a screenshot showing where the "Share button" appears when you have an archived file. I want to make sure I am not overlooking the button. – Smart Home Jan 02 '16 at 18:07
  • It's `Export` in Xcode 7 and it's in Organiser in the right hand pane: http://i.imgur.com/303mFbX.png – chedabob Jan 02 '16 at 20:28
  • Yes. Physical access will be needed without a valid developer license. – Akaino Jan 03 '16 at 14:13
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It is indeed possible. You can create the .ipa by using the method shown in How to create ipa in xcode 6 without Apple Developer account?. The second method (of creating empty Payload folder") is what worked for me. I then renamed the compressed file to .ipa instead of Payload.zip and uploaded to appaloosa. I just successfully installed it on multiple devices and they work! Now I'm ready to get some real user feedback. How awesome is that!

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Smart Home
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  • That will generate the IPA, but its provisioning profile won't have any devices in it other than OP's devices that have been connected through Xcode. This is what the profile looks like for one of my test apps: http://i.imgur.com/HOHJX79.png – chedabob Jan 02 '16 at 20:25
  • I just installed it on a device that has not been connected through Xcode. I will ask a few more folks to install it and will keep update the post. – Smart Home Jan 03 '16 at 01:26