How to Publish your iPhone app

How to submit an iPhone App to the App Store


Abhinav Girdhar
By Abhinav Girdhar | January 27, 2025 8:39 am

You have now completed your first iOS application with Appy Pie, and you are ready to submit your iPhone app to Apple’s App Store. However, the question that looms large is how to submit your iPhone app to the Apple App Store. Where to begin and how to go about getting your app live on Apple App Store.


The first time you submit a mobile application to the App Store is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. Even for experienced iOS developers, submitting a mobile application to the App Store is often a stressful undertaking because it is something that most developers don’t do on a daily basis.

First things first! Before you go and start the process of submitting an iOS application to the App Store, you need to create an Apple Developer account.

How to create an Apple Developer account?

The process to create an Apple Developer account may be unfamiliar to a first-time app publisher. Don’t worry, we have a detailed Step-by-Step guide to register for Apple Developer account right here.

Step 1: Create your own unique Apple ID



  1. Go to the Apple Developer Portal
  2. Click on the “Accounts” tab

  3. Accounts” tab
  4. Next, click on the “Create Apple ID” button

  5. Next, click on the “Create Apple ID” button
  6. At this point, you need to enter all the required information before clicking on “Create Apple ID”
  7. You would then receive an email with a verification link. Click on the link to verify your email address.

Step 2: Register your developer account with Apple


  1. Go to the Apple Developer Portal
  2. Enter your App Developer account credentials including your Apple ID and password, then Sign In

  3. “Create Apple ID”
  4. Study the Apple Developer Agreement, review it, check the box against the confirmation and then click on the “Submit” button

  5. Apple Developer Agreement
  6. On the next screen, click on “Join the Apple Developer Program”

  7. Join the Apple Developer Program”
  8. Next, click on the “Enroll” button

  9. Enroll” button
  10. Now click on the “Start your Enrolment” button

  11. Start your Enrolment
  12. On the next page, you need to select the “Entity Type” like individual, company/organization, government etc., then click on the “Continue” button.

  13. Entity Type
  14. Enter your contact information in detail on the next screen

  15. contact information
  16. Next, look into the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, check the box to confirm your agreement and then click on the “Continue” button

  17. Apple Developer Program License Agreement
  18. Click on the “Purchase” button to complete your purchase which includes an annual fee of $99
  19. Next, enter all your payment information and click on the “Continue” button to make the payment

  20. payment information

How to publish an iPhone app to Apple App Store?

Once you have enrolled for Apple Developer Program, it is time to publish your iPhone app to the Apple App Store.

Step 1: Download your .CSR file



  1. Go through the following Steps to download .CSR file
  2. My Apps >> Go Live >> iphone_Publish >>Publish Yourself>>Next>> Download .CSR file
  3. Download Certificate Signing Request (.CSR)
  4. To download your .ipa file, you need to follow the Steps listed below.

Step 2: Create a Distribution Certificate



  1. Go to Apple Developer platform
  2. Click on the “Account” tab

  3. Click on the “Account” tab
  4. Sign in to your Apple Developer account by entering your credentials or create an account by clicking on the “Create yours now” link

  5. Sign in to your Apple Developer account
  6. On the dashboard, you can click on the “Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles” option

  7. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles
  8. Click on the “+” icon next to “Certificates”

  9. Certificates
  10. On the “Create a New Certificate” screen under the “Software” section, select the option “iOS Distribution (App Store and Ad Hoc)

  11. Create a New Certificate
  12. Now click on “Continue”

  13. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate
  14. Upload the .CSR certificate by clicking on “Choose File”

  15. Choose File” link to upload .CSR file
  16. Click on the “Continue” button to finish creating Distribution Certificate

  17. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Description and Bundle ID Continue
  18. Click on the “Download” button

  19. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles Download

Step 3: Create a Bundle ID



  1. Go to the “Identifiers” tab

  2. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles Identifiers
  3. Click on the “+” icon right next to “Identifiers” on the screen

  4. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Identifiers” on the screen
  5. On the “Register a New Identifier” screen, choose the “App IDs” option and click on the “Continue” button

  6. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Register a New Identifier
  7. Fill in the details like Description and Bundle ID.

  8. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Description and Bundle ID
  9. Now, click on the “Continue” button

  10. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Description and Bundle ID Continue
  11. Click on the “Register” button

  12. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles certificate Description and Bundle ID Register

Step 4: Insert APNs certificate



  1. In the identifiers section, choose the App ID that you plan to submit

  2. identifiers section, choose the App ID that you plan to submit
  3. Next, click on the “Configure” button right next to “Push Notifications”

  4. Push Notifications
  5. The next Step is to create Development and Production SSL Certificate. On the pop up, click on the “Create Certificate” button

  6. Development and Production SSL Certificate
  7. Now, click on the “Choose File” link to upload .CSR file

  8. Choose File” link to upload .CSR file
  9. After the file is uploaded, click on the “Continue” button

  10. After the file is uploaded, click on the “Continue” button
  11. Next, click on the “Download” button

  12. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles Download

Step 5: Create your distribution provisioning profile



  1. Go to the “Profiles” tab

  2. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles Download
  3. Next, click on “All Types” for a dropdown menu to appear

  4. Next, click on “All Types” for a dropdown menu to appear
  5. From the dropdown menu, click on “Distribution”

  6. From the dropdown menu, click on “Distribution”
  7. Now, click on the “+” icon right next to “Profiles”

  8. Now, click on the “+” icon right next to “Profiles”
  9. In the new menu, under the “Distribution” section, select “App Store” option

  10. In the new menu, under the “Distribution” section, select “App Store” option
  11. Now, click on the “Continue” button

  12. Now, click on the “Continue” button
  13. Now click on the little down arrow next to “App ID” for a dropdown menu

  14. Now click on the little down arrow next to “App ID” for a dropdown menu
  15. From the dropdown, select the App ID for the app that you want to publish on the app store

  16. select the App ID for the app that you want to publish on the app store
  17. Once you have selected the correct app, click on the “Continue” button

  18. Once you have selected the correct app, click on the “Continue” button
  19. Next, you need to select the certificate

  20. Next, you need to select the certificate
  21. Next, click on the “Continue” button

  22. Next, click on the “Continue” button
  23. Here, you need to enter the provisioning Profile Name in the appropriate field

  24. provisioning Profile Name
  25. Now, click on the “Generate” button

  26. Now, click on the “Generate” button
  27. Click on the “Download” button to Generate the Provisioning Profile

  28. Click on the “Download” button to Generate the Provisioning Profile

Step 6: Entering your app on iTunes Connect



  1. Go to iTunes Connect

  2. Entering your app on iTunes Connect
  3. Click on the “My Apps” icon

  4. Click on the “My Apps” icon
  5. Click on the “+” sign for a dropdown and click on the “New App” button

  6. dropdown and click on the “New App”
  7. Choose between iOS and tvOS depending on where you want your app to be used and fill in all the other important details like the name of your app, the primary language you would be creating your app content in, the Bundle ID from your certificates, and SKU. Once you are done with this, you can click on the “Create” button

  8. Choose between iOS and tvOS
  9. On the “App Information” tab, choose the correct category for your app

  10. App Information” tab, choose the correct category for your app
  11. Under the “Pricing and Availability” tab, choose the appropriate pricing tier

  12. Pricing and Availability
  13. Upload the app screenshots now

  14. Upload the app screenshots now
  15. In the “1.0 Prepare for Submission Now” section fill in the relevant details

  16. 1.0 Prepare for Submission Now
  17. Now, add further details like app icons, app version, rating, copyright, and more!

  18. Now, add further details like app icons, app version, rating, copyright, and more!
  19. Next, add all your contact information

  20. add all your contact information

Step 7: Upload your app from Transporter app



  1. On your Mac, open the Transporter app, if you have one. If, however, you do not have one, you can download it from Build, under the Prepare for Submission section and click on the link “See supported versions”

  2. See supported versions
  3. Next, click on the “Upload tools” link

  4. Upload tools
  5. Click on the section marked “Upload your app binary files with the Transporter app”

  6. Upload your app binary files with the Transporter app
  7. Next, click on the link “download the Transporter app”

  8. download the Transporter app
  9. The next Step would be to click on the “View in Mac App Store”

  10. View in Mac App Store
  11. Now click on the download icon to get the Transporter app

  12. download icon to get the Transporter app
  13. Now, click on the “Open” button

  14. click on the “Open” button
  15. Click on the “+” icon

  16. Click on the “+” icon transporter
  17. Choose the app that you would like to submit, and then click “Open”

  18. Choose the app that you would like to submit, and then click “Open”
  19. On the next screen, click on the “Next” button

  20. On the next screen, click on the “Next” button transporter app
  21. At this point, you would have to wait for the application loader to load your file. After your file is successfully uploaded, there will be a green check to signify that your mobile app has been submitted to Apple App Store.
  22. Please Note that in case you receive an error message of any kind, only then should you click on “Send” and re-add your application
    application loader
  23. Now that you have successfully added your mobile app to the Apple App Store, you can click on the “Done” button

  24. Now that you have successfully added your mobile app to the Apple App Store, you can click on the “Done” button

Step 8: Submitting your app for review



  1. Login to your iTunes Connect account
  2. Click on the “My Apps” icon before clicking on the app you want to submit for review

  3. “My Apps” icon before clicking on the app you want to submit for review
  4. Go to the tab marked “1.0 Prepare for Submission Now” and click on the “+” right next to “Build”
  5. Please note that it may take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 hour for the app to reflect in the Build section
    1.0 Prepare for Submission Now build
  6. Once the build appears, choose the most recent one, and then click on the “Done” button

  7. Once the build appears, choose the most recent one, and then click on the “Done” button
  8. Now, click on the “Save” button.

  9. Now, click on the “Save” button.
  10. After it is saved, you can click on “Submit for Review”

  11. Submit for Review
  12. If your app will display ads, then choose Yes, for all other options, please select No

  13. If your app will display ads, then choose Yes, for all other options, please select No

This brings us to the end of the process of submitting an app. If you did everything right, the status of your application will change to “Waiting for Review”. From that moment on, it may take 2-4 days for Apple to review your app. However, the time does fluctuate, and it may happen sooner or later than you expect.

Are you planning to create an iOS app? What are the challenges you faced while submitting your app on Apple App Store? Let us know in the comments section and we would love to help you out!

Abhinav Girdhar

Founder at Appy Pie | Angel Investor at Abhinav Girdhar Ventures | PhD Candidate in Generative AI at Golden Gate University | Disrupting Tech with No-Code & AI Solutions | Tech Visionary | Global Business Leader

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