Welcome to Part 2 of How to Submit an App to the App Store. You can find Part 1 here. As you can figure, this is a step by step tutorial on how to submit your created app to the Apple App Store. Something to remember is that you must be using a Mac computer in order to submit an App to the Apple App Store. PCs won’t cut it. After you’ve read the first part of this tutorial, come back here and to keep the process moving.
Ready? Let’s go.
After renaming to Distribution, be sure to only have Debug, Release, and Distribution listed under names and configurations.
Move to Targets and select your Application, then to the Build Settings tab and scroll down to near the bottom where it says Code Signing. Under Code Signing Identity, change all listed to the certificate name, the same one created previously. Just under these is Provisioning Profile. Switch all these to the profile created earlier in the tutorial.
Go back and select your application under Project, then move to Build Settings and repeat the above process again under the Project listing. Be sure to select each of the Identity listings and profile selections.
Now, at the very top of Xcode, switch your simulator over to iOS Device. On the Menu bar at the top, select product and then archive. Xcode will begin to archive your project, which could take a short amount of time depending on your particular machine. Be patient and it will finish. Do not close Xcode during this process.
Once the archival process is finished in Xcode, jump back to the Developer page and select Member Center at the top of the page. In the middle of the page will be a section called App Store Distribution. Choose the option labeled iTunes Connect. You will be prompted to sign in with the Developer’s Account. Go ahead and do that to move on to the next part.
Once in iTunes Connect, select Manage Your Apps in the right-hand column.
Once in the app management section, at the top left corner of the page is Add New App. Select this button.
A new screen will appear asking for you to fill in basic information for your App. Choose your default language, name your App, choose the Bundle ID at the bottom that you created already previously in the process. The SKU number can be anything you want, as long as it starts with a number or letter. Once this information is filled in to your liking, select continue to move on.
The next screen prompts you for more information, this time requesting the Availability Date, which can be selected for the day that you are submitting your app. This does not mean that the app will be available immediately, just that there will be no waiting period after approval. Underneath the availability date is the Price Tier option with a variety of tier options. If you are unsure as to what the tiers themselves mean, you can view the Pricing Matrix directly underneath the drop-down box that lets you select the tiers.
On the next page, you will be asked to fill in the Version Information. Your Version Number can be any number you wish, though it is suggested that you select 1.0 as it is easier for your potential customers to follow updates in the future if starting at the bottom. The Copyright can be what you want it to be, though again the suggestion is to use your name or the name of your company for which you may be developing the app. Below this you can choose your Primary Category that you will be able to find your app in and, if you want, a secondary category to further define your application in the store itself.
Next you will need to select any descriptive choices that pertain to your app so that it may be rated by Apple. Keep in mind, you need to be as truthful as possible here as Apple’s stringent policies regarding their rating system could lead to your app being pulled from the market if improperly labeled.
Next you need to fill-out the section concerning the app’s Metadata, such as a description of the app and any pertaining keywords that will help the search algorithm locate your app in the store. If you have any websites associated with your application or Development Company, you may link those here as well. Next, fill in your Contact information, then upload your images that will allow your customers to see what your app looks like. Each image has specific pixel dimensions required. If you are unsure of what they are, click the question mark beside each button to find out. Finally, click Save to continue.
Back on the App Management screen, click your new app, then View Details underneath the icon display. At the top right, you need to click Ready to Upload Binary. You will be asked if your product incorporates cryptography. This tutorial assumes you are selecting no, so select No and hit Save.
On the next screen, select Continue.
In Organizer, find your Archived Application that you archived earlier and select it. At the top, select Distribute and in the drop-down menu, select Submit to the iOS App Store. Make sure your login information is correct and the Application and Provisioning Profile information is correct as well. Then finally, hit Submit.
That’s it! You’ve submitted your application to the Apple iTunes App Store and, usually, in short time you will hear if your application is accepted to the store itself. Once accepted, your app will be ready for anyone with an iOS device to download. The process can be long and a bit tedious, but as with most things following the steps through once or twice can cement it for future submissions. Simply be careful, double check all information you enter, and stay on track.
Good luck and here’s hoping your app does well!
