iOS Tutorial (Local Mac) - Upload ipa to Apple Connect without Application Loader

Hi,

In the past I used Application Loader to upload my .ipa file to Apple Connect. Looks like since Xcode 11, Apple decided to remove it.

Application Loader is no longer included with Xcode. (29008875)
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode_release_notes/xcode_11_release_notes?language=objc

This tutorial is for people who have a local Mac and upload the .ipa file themselves without using the hosted builder.

First you need to have your app ready to upload. Follow the following tutorial first: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/publishing-your-app-to-the-app-store.57528/

Once you have followed the above tutorial (and used your store certificate and not your development certificate) you then need to do the following:

The easy way to upload the app (.ipa) is to use Apple's Transporter app:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/transporter/id1450874784?mt=12

Or you can do the following..

1. Make sure you have the latest Xcode installed on your Mac.

2. Open the terminal window on your MAC (not Windows PC).

3. Enter in the following:
(don't press enter yet)

B4X:
xcrun altool --upload-app --type ios --file "path/to/application.ipa" --username "YOUR_ITMC_USER" --password "YOUR_APP_PASSWORD"

4. Replace the /parth/to/application.ipa with the location to your .ipa file on your MAC.
I put my ipa file on my desktop and the name of the file was app.ipa so I would change it to desktop/app.ipa

5. Change YOUR_ITMC_USER with the username you sign into Apple Connect with (most likely your Apple ID username).

6. Change YOUR_APP_PASSWORD with the App password.
This is the password assigned to your app in Apple Connect. Also known as app-specific password.
(This is not the password you sign into Apple Connect with or your Apple ID Password.)

7. Once the above values have been changed, press enter.

It may look like it's doing nothing and just sitting there, but it's actually uploading the app to Apple Connect. I let it sit there for a good 5-10 minutes (don't close the window even knowing it looks like it's doing nothing)

Once it finishes uploading it will display in the terminal window (providing it was successful):
No errors uploading 'desktop/app.ipa'

Then in Apple Connect you can see the file being processed once it's finished uploading.
 
Last edited:

ilan

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Eko Kurniawan Ridwanna

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I found an error when uploading with a description "ERROR ITMS-90017: "This bundle is invalid. The IPA format requires a top-level directory named Payload, containing only a .app bundle and optional plugins in a Plugins directory." please guide
Thanks
 

aaronk

Well-Known Member
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I found an error when uploading with a description "ERROR ITMS-90017: "This bundle is invalid. The IPA format requires a top-level directory named Payload, containing only a .app bundle and optional plugins in a Plugins directory." please guide
Thanks
Post your question in the questions forum, and also show an example on what you are doing that caused your issue.
 

AllanH

Member
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Longtime User
Transporter is dead easy, although the small "+" button to add a new app is a bit small (up at the top right). It will tell you if successful and gives you a link to the AppStore. NB it does seem to take 5-10 minutes for the build to appear on the AppStore as available to submit or link to a TestFlight group, so go make a coffee after submitting.
 
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