Deliver to TestFlight and the App Store

On this page you turn on uploads to App Store Connect, so every build of the iOS pipeline reaches your testers through TestFlight. Then you send a build to the App Store.

The runner uploads from your Mac over outbound HTTPS, so this works in Local Only. Nothing needs to reach your Mac from the internet.

What you need

• The signed iOS pipeline from Sign the iOS build for TestFlight.
• Testers who are users of your App Store Connect team, for an internal TestFlight group.
• The TestFlight app on each tester’s iPhone.

1. Create a TestFlight group

1. In App Store Connect, open your app and its TestFlight tab.
2. Under Internal Testing, create a group, such as Internal QA.
3. Add your testers to the group.

2. Turn on uploads

1. In Oore, open the iOS pipeline and its Publishing tab.
2. Under App Store Connect, check the readiness list. App Store distribution and App Store Connect API key both show as ready.
3. Turn on Upload to App Store Connect after each successful build.
4. For Destination, choose TestFlight.
5. In TestFlight groups, enter Internal QA.
6. Optional: under Release notes, enter what testers should check in What to Test.
7. Under Export compliance, leave Uses non-exempt encryption off if the app uses only encryption built into iOS, such as HTTPS.
8. Select Turn on App Store publishing.

3. Run a build

Select Run build, keep the iOS pipeline and branch, and select Run build again.

After the build, sign, and artifact steps, the runner adds a publish-app-store step. It uploads the IPA to App Store Connect. Oore then waits while Apple processes the build, answers the export compliance question, and adds the build to Internal QA.

Check the result

• The build ends as Succeeded, with a succeeded publish-app-store step.
• On the build page, the Release tab first shows Processing. When Apple finishes, it shows Complete, because internal groups need no review.
• App Store Connect lists the build under TestFlight in Internal QA.
• Testers see the new build in the TestFlight app and can install it.

Apple’s processing usually takes several minutes, and sometimes longer.

4. Send a build to the App Store

When testers are happy with a build, send that same build to the App Store. First, fill in the app’s App Store listing in App Store Connect, such as screenshots, description, and privacy details. Apple rejects a submission without them.

Then choose one way:

• Promote the tested build. Add environments to the project and promote the TestFlight build into the App Store, with an approval if you want one. Nothing is rebuilt. See Promote builds between environments.
• Upload straight to the App Store. On the Publishing tab, change Destination to App Store and turn on Submit for review. Turn on Phased release to release over seven days. The next build is attached to the App Store version and submitted.

The release shows In review while Apple reviews it. Once the version is live, a phased release shows Rolling out until it is Complete.

Troubleshooting

The release fails with “has no app with bundle ID”

Create the app in App Store Connect with the same bundle ID, then run a new build.

The upload fails with a bundle version error

Each upload needs a higher build number. Check that iOS build args contains --build-number=$OORE_VERSION_CODE. If the app had builds before Oore, set Build number offset above the highest one.

publish-app-store fails after you fixed the cause

Select Retry App Store upload on the failed build. Oore uploads the stored IPA again without rebuilding or signing again. See Retry a store upload.

Testers need to install builds straight from Oore instead

That needs an Ad hoc distribution, registered devices, and an HTTPS address that the iPhone can reach, which Local Only does not provide. See Register an iOS test device and Install an iOS build.

Next step

Your iOS app now reaches testers on every build. From here:

• Build on every push: turn on External Access, then connect GitHub or GitLab.
• Move the pipeline into .oore.yaml so it is reviewed with your code.
• Let your team sign in from their own devices.

For every App Store Connect setting, see Publish to TestFlight and the App Store.