How to preview your iOS app with Apple's TestFlight app

In order to preview your app prior to submission to Apple for review, you will need to use Apple's TestFlight app. Users will need to be added to your App Store Connect account before they can preview the app using TestFlight. This article will cover how to invite a user's Apple ID to your App Store Connect account, add them to an Internal Testing group, and how to redeem a code in order to preview the app. 

  • Prior to inviting users to App Store Connect, advise them they will need to download the TestFlight app from the App Store.

Invite a user to App Store Connect

  1. Log into your App Store Connect, click the Users and Access icon.
  2. Click  blue_cross-2 to add a new user.

  3. The "New User" pop-up will open. Enter the user's information:
    • First name
    • Last Name
    • Email (Apple ID)
  4. Roles: Choose a role for the user. Roles that can use TestFlight are Admin, App Manager, Developer, or Marketing. The roles each have different account permissions. If you are unsure which role to give your tester, use the Marketing role as this role has the least amount of permissions. More about Program Roles can be found here:  https://developer.apple.com/support/roles/
  5. Additional Resources: If the user is being added just for the use of TestFlight then no other resources are required.
  6. Click Invite.

The user will receive an email with a link to accept the invitation shortly.

Add a user to the Internal Testing group

  1. Log into your App Store Connect, click the My Apps icon.
  2. Click on your app name or icon.
  3. Click on TestFlight from the menu at the top of he page.
  4. Click on App Store Connect Users in the Internal Testing section.
    • If there is no App Store Connect Users group, click  blue_cross-2 to the right of Internal Testing to create a testing group.
  5. To add an App Store Connect user, click  blue_cross-2  next to Testers.Screen_Shot_2022-06-21_at_12.30.31-1
  6. Select the users that you wish to test the app from the list in the pop-up, click the Add button.
  7. An invitation email will be sent to the user. 

 

Redeeming the code

  1. Click on the View in TestFlight link in the invitation you received via email. This will open a webpage with the code for TestFlight.
  2. Open the TestFlight app on your iOS device.
  3. Click on Redeem in the upper right corner of the app.
  4. Enter the code in the pop-up window, and click Redeem. Click OK in the next pop-up window.
  5. The app will be displayed in TestFlight and can now be installed on your device.
  6. After you have installed the app close TestFlight, you can now find/open your app to start testing.

Build validity/Making changes

  1. Builds remain active in App Store Connect for 90 days after upload; afterwards a new build will need to be uploaded to App Store Connect. 
  2. Changes made to your icon or loading screen will require a new build be uploaded.
  3. Changes made to the background of the app, i.e. adding an extension, changing the logo, or changing the color scheme, do not require a new build.
  4. To have a new build uploaded for TestFlight please contact App Management at support@shopgate.com.

If you have any questions please send an email to our App Management team at support@shopgate.com