> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://doc.sysdevmobile.com/kalipso/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://doc.sysdevmobile.com/kalipso/documentation/deploy/create-ipa/ipa-with-a-mac.md).
# IPA with a Mac
{% hint style="info" %}
Kalipso 6.1 also introduces a new way to build and publish iOS apps **without a Mac** — see [IPA Without a Mac](/kalipso/documentation/deploy/create-ipa/ipa-no-mac.md).
{% endhint %}
## Requirements
* A Macintosh or an online Mac VM (e.g. [MacinCloud](https://www.macincloud.com))
* Apple Developer account (paid)
* Xcode and Transporter installed on the Mac
## Process Overview
1. **Mac** — generate a Distribution Certificate in Xcode
2. **developer.apple.com** — register an App ID
3. **developer.apple.com** — create a Mobile Provisioning Profile
4. **Kalipso** — generate the IPA scripts
5. **Mac** — re-sign the IPA by running `Compile.sh`
6. **Mac** — upload the IPA to App Store Connect with Transporter
## Step 1 — Generate the Distribution Certificate (Mac)
Open Xcode and press **⌘ ;** to open Preferences. On the **Apple Accounts** tab, sign in with your Apple Developer account.
Once signed in your team is shown on the right side of the panel.
Click **Manage Certificates…**, then click the **+** button at the bottom-left and choose **Apple Distribution**.
The new Apple Distribution certificate appears in the list.
To confirm the certificate is installed correctly, open Terminal and run:
```bash
security find-identity -v -p codesigning
```
You should see `1 valid identities found` followed by the Apple Distribution certificate name and your Team ID.
{% hint style="info" %}
If no valid identity is listed, return to Xcode → **Apple Accounts** and click **Download Manual Profiles**, then run the command again.
{% endhint %}
## Step 2 — Register the App ID (developer.apple.com)
Go to [developer.apple.com → Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles → Identifiers](https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/identifiers/list) and click the **+** button.
Choose **App IDs** and click **Continue**.
Select **App** on the next screen, then fill in:
* **Description** — a friendly name for the identifier (e.g. `BarcodeScanner`).
* **Bundle ID** — leave **Explicit** selected and use a reverse-domain identifier such as `com.sysdev.BarcodeScanner`.
Click **Continue**, then **Register**.
{% hint style="warning" %}
The Bundle ID **must match exactly** the Package shown on Kalipso's General tab. A mismatch will cause signing to fail.
{% endhint %}
## Step 3 — Create the Mobile Provisioning Profile (developer.apple.com)
Still on developer.apple.com, go to **Profiles** and click **+** to start a new profile. Under **Distribution** pick **App Store Connect** and click **Continue**.
Select the **App ID** you just registered.
Pick the **Distribution** certificate generated in Step 1.
Give the profile a name (e.g. `BarcodeScanner AppStore`) and click **Generate**.
Download the `.mobileprovision` file to the PC where Kalipso is installed.
## Step 4 — Generate the IPA Scripts in Kalipso
In Kalipso open **Deploy → Create IPA**. Make sure **Use GitHub for IPA signing** is **OFF** — that switch enables the [Mac-less flow](/kalipso/documentation/deploy/create-ipa/ipa-no-mac.md).
On the **General** tab fill in the IPA details (Domain, Company, Package Name, App Title, Version, Deploy Type, Deploy Folder). The **Package** field is auto-built from the first three fields and **must match the Bundle ID** registered in Step 2.
On the **Options** tab pick the target devices (iPhone / iPad), background location, file sharing, loading image and the GoogleService-info.plist file if the project uses Firebase push notifications.
On the **Signing** tab:
* **Certificate Name** — exactly the name shown by `security find-identity` in Step 1, e.g. `Apple Distribution: Sysdev, Lda (8E226PU2P9)`.
* **Mobile Provisioning Profile** — the `.mobileprovision` file downloaded in Step 3.
Fill the **Sideloading** section, the **Store** section, or both, depending on the deploy types ticked on the General tab.
On the **Localization** tab toggle **Set Languages** on and tick the languages your app supports — these are advertised on the App Store listing.
On the **Usage Description** tab provide a short sentence for every system capability the app uses (Camera, Location, Microphone, Motion Sensor, Photo Library, Bluetooth, Speech Recognition). Apple rejects builds that request a permission without a usage description.
Click **Generate**. Kalipso writes a folder containing the unsigned IPA payload, the provisioning profile and the `Compile.sh` / `Compile.command` scripts. Copy this folder to your Mac.
## Step 5 — Re-sign the IPA on the Mac
On the Mac, open **Terminal** in the folder you just copied (right-click the folder in Finder → **New Terminal at Folder**, or `cd` into it manually). A quick `ls -laG` confirms the build artefacts and the two compile scripts are in place:
Make `Compile.sh` executable and run it:
```bash
chmod +x Compile.sh
./Compile.sh
```
{% hint style="info" %}
During the process you may be asked for your **Mac user password** — the password you use to log into the Mac, **not** your Apple Developer account password. The script needs Keychain access to use the signing identity.
{% endhint %}
When the script finishes you have a fully signed `.ipa` file ready to upload to the App Store.
## Step 6 — Upload to the App Store with Transporter
Open **Transporter** on the Mac and drag the signed `.ipa` onto the window (or use the **+** button to browse for it). Click **DELIVER** to upload the build to App Store Connect.
After a few minutes the build appears in **App Store Connect → TestFlight** with status **Complete**, ready for internal testing or submission for review.
