Create an iPhone, iPod or iPad app – Part 4 – Deploy the app to an Apple device

In the prior parts of the series we have created a simple iOS application and tested it in the iOS Simulator. The real gratification comes when we can see our own app on a real device, an iPhone, iPod or iPad. In this article we will deploy the app to an Apple device.

Get an Apple Developer account

You have to apply for a developer account to be able to deploy your app to an Apple device. The subscription fee is $99 + tax per year.

To open a developer account go to developer.apple.com

Once you receive the iOS Developer Program activation code via email you are ready to deploy the app to a real device.

The email contains an activation code, that is also a link to activate your account. Once you activated the account wait 5 minutes before trying to set up your device in Xcode. The Apple system needs some time to recognize the account activation.

Set up your Apple device

  • Start Xcode
  • Unlock your Apple device with the pass code
  • Connect the Apple device to the Macintosh computer
  • Open the Device organizer by clicking the Organizer button in the upper right corner of the Xcode screen
  • Select the device on the left side
  • Click the Use for Development button in the middle of the screen
    If the button is not visible click the Add to Portal button at the bottom of the screen

xcode registerdevice before

  • Enter your Apple Id and password that you used to register as an Apple developer
  • Xcode will offer you to generate security certificates, allow the application to do that
  • At the end of the certification generation process save the certificates on your computer, so you will be able to carry them to another Mac to develop on that machine too.
  • Close Xcode to force the application to get the latest certificate information from the Apple Developer web site

Deploy the application on the Apple device

  • Unlock your Apple device with the pass code
  • Connect the Apple device to the Macintosh computer
  • Start Xcode and open the project you want to deploy to the device
  • In the Product menu select Scheme -> Edit Scheme… to open the scheme editor
  • Select your device in the Destination pop-up menu

xcode launch app on device

  • Click OK to close the schema editor
  • Click the Run button in the upper right corner of the screen

You may get the following error message:

Code Signing Error. A valid provisioning profile matching the application’s Identifier … could not be found

Follow the steps in the answer at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16155613/a-valid-provisioning-profile-matching-the-applications-identifier-could-not-be

  • A new icon appears on the screen of your Apple device. Tap it, now you can run your brand new application on your own device!

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