Export an IPA From Xcode Without an Apple Developer Account

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YOU WILL NEED TO REPEAT STEPS 1–3 EVERY TIME XCODE UPDATES

If you run into any problems during this process, that means you either skipped a step or didn’t exactly follow through properly.

Things You’ll Need

• Xcode.
• Cydia Impactor (if you want to install the .ipa on your device afterwards)

Step 1: Navigating to SDKSettings.plist.

1. Find Xcode.app in Finder
2. Secondary Click (i.e. right click, two finger tap, etc.) on Xcode.app and select “Show Package Contents.”

This is a simple series of folders to click through, just follow the list below in order and you’ll make it there.

1. Contents
2. Developer
3. Platforms
4. iPhoneOS.platform
5. Developer
6. SDKs
7. The alias folder labeled iPhoneOS(OS Version).sdk (while writing this I had iPhoneOS10.3.sdk)
8. Now you should see SDKSettings.plist

Step 2: Edit SDKSettings.plist.

1. Copy SDKSettings.plist (⌘+C).
2. Go to the Desktop.
3. Paste it to the desktop (⌘+V).
4. Open it with a plist editor, Xcode will be your default.
5. If your using Xcode’s plist editor, expand “DefaultProperties.”
6. Edit “CODE_SIGNING_REQUIRED” from “YES” to “NO.”
7. Edit “AD_HOC_CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED” from “NO” to “YES.”
8. Save SDKSettings.plist
9. Quit out of Xcode

Step 3: Replace Xcode’s SDKSettings.plist.

Now that we have our copied SDKSettings.plist file edited, we can drag it back into the iPhoneOS.sdk folder.

When you drag the modified file back into the iPhoneOS.sdk folder, you’ll be propmted to authenticate. Press the “Authenticate” button. Then Press “Replace.” Enter your password, and hit OK.

Step 4: Export your App.

1. Open your app.
2. Go to “Build Settings.”
3. Change from “Basic” to “All.”
4. Scroll down to “Signing.”
5. Change “Any iOS SDK” from “iOS Developer” to “Ad Hoc Code Sign,” for both “Debug” and “Release.”
6. Change the device, in the tool bar, to “Generic iOS Device.”
7. Go to the Menu Bar, and click on “Product.”
8. In the drop down, click on Archive.
9. In the window that appears, secondary click on the latest build of your app, and click on “Show in Finder.”
10. Secondary click on the highlighted .xcarchive in Finder, and click on “Show Package Contents.”
11. Go to Products Applications.
12. You’ll find your .app file.
13. Create a folder called Payload on the desktop or something.
14. Place the .app inside of the Payload folder
15. Compress the Payload folder.
16. Rename the .zip extension to a .ipa extension

You’re Done!

In order to install this IPA, you’ll have to use a program like Cydia Impactor.