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Distribute your app

In this topic

  1. Creation of installation files
  2. Publish to Google Play
  3. Publish to the App Store
  4. Publish to the Microsoft Store

You can distribute apps signed with your developer certificate in the following ways:

  • Publish to a public store. Stores ensure that distribution requirements such as code signing are met. Stores include the following:
    • Google Play
    • App Store
    • Microsoft Store
    • Ubuntu Apps Directory
  • Publish via an enterprise store. These stores ensure that distribution requirements such as code signing are met and include the following:
    • iTunes Connect
  • Host on your own website or file server.
    • This method is suitable for all operating systems.
    • Devices must be able to connect to the network location where installation files are stored.
    • As the distributor, you are wholly responsible for complying with distribution requirements for each operating system.
  • Physically copy installation files to devices using USB drives or SD cards.
    • This is ideal for Windows, macOS, Android, and Ubuntu operating systems.
    • iOS requires additional software, such as iTunes, to install an .ipa file.

Creation of installation files

The cloud Make process generates installation files for all platforms. A default installation wizard is generated for you. To supply your own EULA for inclusion in the installation wizard, complete the following steps:

  1. Include your own EULA as a text file called license.txt in your project folder. This text file is embedded and displayed in the installation wizard for your app. If you want your users to be able to browse to a license file on disk after the install, include a second file type, such as PDF.
    Note:

    AppStudio apps are partially built with open source tools, which your app must acknowledge in your EULA.

    OpenSSL Toolkit is used to support secure network communication in AppStudio built for Windows and Android. See the OpenSSL Toolkit license for details on acknowledgement.

    The Android Beacon Library is used to support Bluetooth beacon interaction. This library is copyright 2014–2018 Radius Networks and is licensed under Apache Licensing. See Apache License 2.0 for details on acknowledgement.

  2. Open the project's appinfo.json file, and manually add the license file properties. By default, the license file is not displayed in the installation wizard. To show the license file, ensure that make.showLicense is set to true and that the path to the file is defined. See the following example: 
    "make": {
      "license": {
             "showLicense": true,
             "path": "assets/licenses"
      }
},

You can include multiple license text files for different languages; however, a naming convention including the language's locale code is required for them to appear embedded. For example, a Spanish license file requires the filename license_ES.txt.

To customize the installation wizard that is to be generated (for example, to define which pages display or to customize the images that are used), you must use the local Make tool.

Publish to Google Play

To publish to Google Play, you must have a Google developer account. This account incurs an annual subscription fee. To sign up, go to https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/.

This account is required to create a keystore file. For additional details, see Sign your Android app.

Once you're signed in with this developer account, you can create a listing. Tips for creating a listing include the following:

  • Create good screen captures for phones, 7-inch tablets, and 10-inch tablets.
  • Your app will be live in approximately 2 hours.
  • Each time you want to update your app, you must use the same keystore file. Keep your keystore file safe.
  • Consider translating your store item. This includes providing translated descriptions and screen captures.

Publish to the App Store

To publish to the App Store, you must have an Apple developer account. This account incurs an annual subscription fee. To sign up, go to developer.apple.com.

This account is required to create a developer certificate. For additional details, see Sign your iOS app.

Once you're signed in with this developer account, you can create a listing. To create a listing, go to itunesconnect.apple.com. Tips for creating a listing include the following:

  • You must add usage description keys for all permissions that your app requires. Your app will be rejected otherwise.
  • The upload of an .ipa file must be done from a Mac. To upload your .ipa, use the Transporter app downloaded from the App Store.
  • Create good screen captures for iPhone and iPad. Review Apple's screenshot specifications for up-to-date information on screenshot sizes.
    Note:

    To generate screen captures for specific iPhone and iPad without having the hardware, use an iOS simulator when running AppStudio on macOS.

  • Consider translating your store item. This includes providing translated descriptions and screen captures.
  • Be aware that your app will take one to two weeks for approval.
  • Many apps created with AppStudio have already been submitted to the App Store. Although these successful apps can give you confidence that your app will be accepted, rejected apps are common and often require minor changes before resubmission.
  • If you require a .xcarchive package of your app to upload it to App Store Connect or export it for distribution outside of the App Store, build your app with local Make. You can find the .xcarchive file in the output folder/Intermediate/iOS/Release-iphoneos folder.

Publish to the Microsoft Store

To publish to the Microsoft Store, you must have a Microsoft developer account. This account incurs an annual subscription fee. To sign up, go to https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/store/register/.

Once you're signed in with this developer account, you can create a listing. Tips for creating a listing include the following:

  • You must convert your .exe files created by AppStudio to .msix files for upload. See Create an MSIX package for more information.
    Note:

    The resulting package inherits the architecture of the environment used to create it. It is advisable to run the MSIX packaging tool on a clean virtual machine environment. Separate machines are required if both x86 and x64 packages are required.

  • Create good screen captures for desktop and mobile. Review Microsoft's screenshot sizes for current information on screenshot sizes.
  • Consider translating your store item. This includes providing translated descriptions and screen captures.

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In this topic
  1. Creation of installation files
  2. Publish to Google Play
  3. Publish to the App Store
  4. Publish to the Microsoft Store