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TestFlight Submission Guide

This guide walks you through submitting your MAS build to TestFlight for testing.

Prerequisites

  1. Apple Developer Account with Mac App Store access
  2. App Store Connect access (https://appstoreconnect.apple.com)
  3. Transporter app (download from Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/transporter/id1450874784)

Step 1: Create App Record in App Store Connect (if needed)

  1. Go to https://appstoreconnect.apple.com
  2. Click "My Apps"
  3. Click the "+" button to create a new app
  4. Fill in:
    • Platform: macOS
    • Name: Visual Timer
    • Primary Language: English
    • Bundle ID: com.iandmiller.visualtimer (must match your app)
    • SKU: Any unique identifier (e.g., visual-timer-001)
  5. Click "Create"

Step 2: Prepare Your PKG File

Your PKG is already built and ready:

  • Location: dist/mas-universal/Visual Timer-1.6.2-universal.pkg
  • Size: ~199 MB
  • Version: 1.6.2

Step 3: Upload Using Transporter

Option A: Using Transporter App (Recommended)

  1. Open Transporter (download from Mac App Store if needed)
  2. Click "Deliver Your App" or drag your PKG file into Transporter
  3. Select: dist/mas-universal/Visual Timer-1.6.2-universal.pkg
  4. Click "Deliver"
  5. Sign in with your Apple ID (the one associated with your developer account)
  6. Wait for upload to complete (may take 10-30 minutes for 199MB)

Option B: Using Command Line (xcrun altool - deprecated but may work)

xcrun altool --upload-app \
  --type macos \
  --file "dist/mas-universal/Visual Timer-1.6.2-universal.pkg" \
  --username "your-apple-id@example.com" \
  --password "@keychain:Application Loader" \
  --asc-provider "4MSL3T2696"

Note: altool is deprecated. Use Transporter app instead.

Step 4: Process in App Store Connect

After upload completes:

  1. Go to App Store Connect → My Apps → Visual Timer
  2. Go to TestFlight tab
  3. Wait for processing (usually 10-30 minutes)
  4. You'll see the build appear under "macOS Builds"

Step 5: Set Up TestFlight Testing

  1. In the TestFlight tab, click "Internal Testing" or "External Testing"
  2. For Internal Testing:
    • Add yourself as an internal tester
    • Click "Start Testing"
  3. For External Testing:
    • Create a test group
    • Add testers (up to 10,000)
    • Submit for Beta App Review (required for external testing)

Step 6: Install and Test

  1. Testers will receive an email invitation
  2. They can install TestFlight from the Mac App Store
  3. Open TestFlight and accept the invitation
  4. Install and test your app

Troubleshooting

Upload Fails

  • Check your Apple ID has App Store Connect access
  • Verify your developer account is active
  • Ensure PKG is properly signed (it is - we verified this)

Build Processing Fails

  • Check email notifications from App Store Connect
  • Review build details for specific errors
  • Common issues: missing entitlements, code signing problems

App Won't Launch in TestFlight

  • This is normal - MAS apps only run after App Store download
  • TestFlight builds should work once downloaded through TestFlight

Next Steps After Testing

Once TestFlight testing is successful:

  1. Go to App Store tab in App Store Connect
  2. Fill in app metadata, screenshots, description
  3. Submit for App Review
  4. Wait for approval (typically 1-3 days)

Quick Command Reference

# Open the PKG location
open dist/mas-universal/

# Verify PKG signature
pkgutil --check-signature "dist/mas-universal/Visual Timer-1.6.2-universal.pkg"

# Check app bundle inside (if you extract it)
codesign -dv --verbose=4 "dist/mas-universal/Visual Timer.app"