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🍎 iOS IPA file

What is an IPA file?

An IPA is an iOS app archive used in Apple distribution workflows. Wrapply supports iOS builds on request because IPA generation requires Apple certificates, provisioning profiles, Xcode and Apple Developer account configuration.

What is an IPA file?

An IPA file is an iOS app archive used in Apple distribution workflows. In the Wrapply ecosystem, IPA generation is handled on request because iOS builds require Apple-specific signing, certificates, provisioning profiles and App Store Connect configuration.

iOS app archive
IPA is used for Apple app distribution workflows.
Requires Apple signing
iOS builds depend on certificates, provisioning profiles and Bundle ID.
Requires macOS and Xcode
Flutter iOS builds need Xcode, which runs on macOS.
Wrapply support on request
Wrapply can assist with iOS build preparation and publishing.
iOS is more complex than Android because Apple controls signing and distribution. This is why Wrapply handles IPA builds manually or through assisted publishing.

What you need for iOS builds

If you want to build iOS from the Flutter source code, prepare the following environment.

Mac computer
Required because Xcode only runs on macOS.
Xcode
Required to configure signing, Bundle ID and archive iOS builds.
Apple Developer account
Required for TestFlight and App Store distribution.
Flutter source code
Required if you want to build and customize iOS from the generated project.

Basic iOS build commands

These commands are used after opening the Flutter source code on macOS.

flutter pub get
flutter doctor
cd ios
pod install
cd ..
flutter build ios --release
flutter build ipa --release

FAQ

Can I build an IPA on Windows?

No. iOS builds require macOS and Xcode.

Does Wrapply create IPA automatically online?

iOS IPA generation is handled on request because Apple signing requires account-specific setup.

Can Wrapply publish on the App Store?

Wrapply can provide managed publishing support for clients who need help with iOS publishing.