How to install an IPA into an iOS device, e.g. for Ad Hoc distribution

Question

I have been trying to install an .ipa file into my physical iOS device using Ad Hoc distribution (without having to upload to App Store or TestFlight) but unfortunately I have been stuck with a few errors, for example: This app could not be installed because its integrity could not be verified.

Answer 1

Took me a while to find this out. There were a lot of references to using iTunes, which is no longer available, and no references to using Finder, or alternatively Apple Configurator 2.

Prerequisites:

• Your device is added to your provisioning profile. This is automatically done by Xcode when you select the device and build the app onto the device.
• Plug your device in
• Archive the application (create the .xcarchive): Select the target device (e.g. arm64/ a physical iPhone 12) and archive the app: Product > Archive
• In the Organizers window, click Distribute App, and select Ad Hoc. Continue with the defaults options or customise to your liking. This should create a folder containing a .ipa file.
• As of iOS 16, you might need to enable Developer Mode in settings.

Main steps:

As Paulw11 said in the comments, you can do this in Finder. Select the device in Finder and drag the .ipa file onto the device details.

More complicated alternative:

• Install Apple Configurator 2. Drag the .ipa file found in the exported directory in finder (exported from Xcode) onto the iOS screen inside the Apple Configurator 2 window, and the iOS app will be installed:

Finally, you should see this step, and the application will be available on your home screen.

Command line: As How to install an ipa/app file into iPhone with command line? states, if you have Apple Configuration 2 installed, you can open it and click "Apple Configurator 2" on Menu Bar, and install Automation tools. Then, cfgutil is available to you,

• so you can run: cfgutil install-app ipa-file.ipa