Submitting your Flutter App to the Apple Store

Submitting your Flutter App to the Apple Store

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6 min read

Submitting an app to the Apple App Store can be a daunting task, but with the right information and preparation, it can be a smooth process. In this article, I will guide you through the steps to submit your app to the Apple App Store.

Step 1: Ensure your app meets Apple's guidelines

Before you submit your app to the App Store, it's important to ensure that it meets Apple's guidelines. Apple has strict guidelines on what types of apps are allowed on the App Store, so it's important to make sure that your app doesn't violate any of them. Some of the guidelines include:

  • Your app must be fully functional and free of bugs.

  • Your app must not contain any explicit content.

  • Your app must not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks.

  • Your app must not contain any malicious code or viruses.

  • Your app doesn’t use payment systems outside Apple's In-App-Purchase

To ensure that your app meets Apple's guidelines, you can review the App Store Review Guidelines.

Step 2: Prepare your app for submission

Before you submit your app, you'll need to prepare it for submission. This includes creating a distribution provisioning profile, creating an App Store listing, and preparing the app for review.

  • To create a distribution provisioning profile, you'll need to log in to your Apple Developer account and follow the instructions to create a profile. Once you've created the profile, you'll need to download it and add it to your Xcode project.

  • To create an App Store listing, you'll need to log in to App Store Connect and provide information about your app, including its name, description, screenshots, and pricing.

  • To prepare your app for review, you'll need to make sure that it meets all of Apple's guidelines and that it's ready for public distribution. This includes testing your app on multiple devices and making sure that it works as expected.

Since I already addressed the part of preparing your app in my previous article on Preparing your Flutter App for the Apple Store I will not dwell on that in this article.

Step 3: Submit your app for review

Once you've prepared your app for submission, you can submit it to the App Store for review.

  1. Archive your app: In Xcode, select "Product" from the menu, then choose "Archive." This will build your app and create an archive of the binary and associated files.

  2. Validate your app: Once your app has been archived, you can validate it to make sure it meets Apple's guidelines. To do this, select "Validate..." from the Organizer window.

There are several methods to submit an app build to the Apple App Store. Here are the most common ones:

  1. Using Xcode: If you're developing your app using Xcode, you can submit your app build directly from Xcode. To do this, you need to create a distribution provisioning profile, validate your app, and then use the "Submit" option to upload your app build to App Store Connect.

  2. Using Transporter: Apple's Transporter app is a tool that allows you to upload your app build to App Store Connect from your macOS computer. This method is recommended for developers who are not using Xcode to develop their app or who are submitting app builds on behalf of other developers.

  3. Using a third-party app distribution service: There are several third-party app distribution services available that can help you submit your app build to the App Store. Some popular services include Firebase App Distribution, TestFlight, and HockeyApp. These services allow you to distribute your app build to testers and stakeholders for testing and feedback before submitting to the App Store.

Step 4: Wait for approval

Once your app has been submitted for review, you'll need to wait for approval from Apple. If your app is approved, it will be listed on the App Store and available for download. If your app is rejected, Apple will provide you with feedback on why it was rejected and what changes you need to make to meet their guidelines.

During the review process, Apple will test your app to ensure that it meets their guidelines. This can take several days or even weeks, depending on the complexity of your app and the number of apps being reviewed at the time.

The process of app review on the Apple App Store consists of several stages from submission to being ready for sale. Here is a brief overview of each stage:

  1. Submission: Once you have prepared your app for submission and created an App Store listing, you can submit it for review to the App Store. This involves uploading the app binary, screenshots, and other required information to App Store Connect.

  2. Initial Review: After submission, your app will go through an initial review by Apple. This review ensures that your app meets Apple's guidelines, including content guidelines, functionality, and design guidelines.

  3. In-Depth Review: If your app passes the initial review, it may still be subject to an in-depth review. This review involves testing your app on multiple devices and in different environments to ensure it functions as expected.

  4. Metadata Review: Once your app has passed the initial and in-depth reviews, Apple will review your app's metadata, such as its name, description, keywords, and screenshots, to ensure it meets the App Store's guidelines.

  5. Release: Once your app has passed all the above reviews, it will be approved for release on the App Store. At this stage, you can choose to release your app immediately or set a future release date.

  6. Post-Release Review: After your app has been released, it may still be subject to review by Apple. If Apple receives reports of any issues with your app, they may review it again to ensure it still meets their guidelines.

  7. Updates: If you release updates to your app, each update will go through a similar review process as the initial release. However, updates may be subject to a faster review process than the initial release.

All this time you will be getting email updates from App Store Connect on the review process and how any related information will posted in your email so that you don't have to scratch your head much like we do on Google Play Store where we are used to getting blanket communication.

If your app has not met a guideline be sure to do what you are asked by the reviewer. First of all you will get a generic email like this which you need to follow to get more details on what it is that you need to fix.

In the AppleStoreConnect you will need to scroll down to app review to see for your self what it is that they found to be an issue in your app.

Conclusion

Submitting an app to the Apple App Store can be a complex process, but by following these steps, you can ensure that your app is ready for public distribution. Remember to carefully review Apple's guidelines and prepare your app for review before submitting it to the App Store. Good luck with your app submission!