How to code sign & publish an App to the App Store

Prerequisites

• Xcode compatible project(Using React-Native Project in this tutorial and Xcode 13.1).
• App Developer Account, Enroll for one if you dont have it.
• Before you submit your app for review make sure you check the App Store Review Guidelines.

Steps

The App submission process includes

1. Register a new bundle identifier
2. Create a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
3. Create an App Store Production Certificate
4. Create a Production Provisioning Profile (To read more about code signing click here)
5. Create an app onto the App Store Connect (For more info)
6. Upload the app binary with any Upload tools. (Click Here to learn more)
7. Fill in the app’s metadata, version information and submit the app for review

1. Register a new bundle identifier

1.1 You’d need a bundle ID to create an app. Only an account holder can create one. (Read more about roles here)

• To create a Bundle Id, goto developer portal, check services the app needs. (In this app I’m enabling services for Push Notifications and Sign In with Apple) and click Save

2. Create a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)

• Open Keychain Access
• Select Keychain Access > Certificate Assistant > Request a Certificate From a Certificate Authority… from the menu.
• Enter email address, Common Name, check the Saved to disk radio button and click continue.
• Save CSR - A dialog would appear once you click continue

3. Create an App Store Production Certificate

• Goto Developer Portal
• Click Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles
• Create a New Certificate
• Select iOS Distribution (App Store and Ad Hoc)
• Click on Choose File to upload the CSR file that was created using Keychain’s Certificate Assistant` and Click Continue
• Now, you can Download the generated iOS Distribution Certificate

4. Create a Production Provisioning Profile

• Goto Developer Portal
• Click on Profiles and generate a new one
• Check App Store radio button and click Continue
• Select the App Id from the dropdown list and click Continue
• Select the Distribution Certificate and click Continue
• Enter a name for the Provising Profile and click Generate
• Now, you can Download the generated Provising Profile

5. Create an app onto the App Store Connect

5.1 Click on ‘+’ Icon and create a new app, Fill in all the fields and click Create

6. Upload the app binary with any Upload tools.

I’m using Xcode to upload the binary in this tutorial

• Select Any iOS device from the Device drop-down list
• Click Product > Archive from the menu
• Once it is succefully archived click on Distribute App

  Note to Self: Tried uploading binary directly to App Store Connect but it was taking so long to upload. So I exported IPA and uploaded using Transporter.

7. Fill in the app’s metadata, version information and submit the app for review

Under the “App Store” tab in App Store Connect, in the “App Information” page you can add additional languages, categories, description your app’s Privacy Policy URL and select the build. Now you’re ready to Submit for Review.

Voila!! App is submitted now and the status changed to Waiting for Review (Check the build status under the Version History section)