Demystify code signing and its importance in app development. Get help troubleshooting code signing issues and ensure your app is properly signed for distribution.

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Cosign issue
I am a new macOS developer, and the codesign issue is persistent. I've been trying to resolve it for days. There are two issues: 1.) When downloading and installing frameworks, they are not showing up in Xcode templates. 2.) Regarding codesigning, even though I've installed it on my external drive and placed it in various locations (Library, Templates, Frameworks, Application Contents, macOS Templates and Frameworks) and added through General Libraries in Xcode, persistently encountering issues. I'm experiencing a codesign problem. I've cleaned the build, cleared derived data, downloaded certificates, added them to the access key, and linked the binary. However, the issue persists. Please help me, as this is making the process much more difficult. I've been stuck on this for weeks.
Topic: Code Signing SubTopic: General
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365
Feb ’25
The specified iOS provisioning profile '' could not be found.
I have developed multiple applications in the past using windows Visual studio 2022 and have never had any issues during development. However this time I am receiving the same error The specified iOS provisioning profile '{profile}' could not be found. Please enable Automatic Provisioning from the iOS Bundle Signing page. Everytime I try to deploy even though I can see that all the appropriate entries are in my apple developer portal, and I can see the profiles have been automatically downloaded to my computer. (The App identifier also matches the one establisehd in the apple developer portal and is linked to the profile). The only thing I can think of, is that my renewal of my developer account got rejected by my bank at first, but on another attempt (about 2 weeks ago) it all went through fine.
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258
Aug ’25
JIT entitlement for command line tool
My command line tool with a JIT entitlement is failing to run on Sequoia. 2025-05-26 14:17:09.758 E taskgated-helper[91764:3ab7036] [com.apple.ManagedClient:ProvisioningProfiles] Disallowing DecisionRuleTool because no eligible provisioning profiles found 2025-05-26 14:17:09.758 Df amfid[576:3ab6d6b] /Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool not valid: Error Domain=AppleMobileFileIntegrityError Code=-413 "No matching profile found" UserInfo={NSURL=file:///Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool, NSLocalizedDescription=No matching profile found} 2025-05-26 14:17:09.759 Df kernel[0:3ab7031] (AppleMobileFileIntegrity) AMFI: When validating /Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool: 2025-05-26 14:17:09.759 Df kernel[0:3ab7031] mac_vnode_check_signature: /Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool: code signature validation failed fatally: When validating /Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool: 2025-05-26 14:17:09.759 Df kernel[0:3ab7031] proc 91763: load code signature error 4 for file "DecisionRuleTool" 2025-05-26 14:17:09.759 Df kernel[0:3ab7032] (AppleSystemPolicy) ASP: Security policy would not allow process: 91763, /Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool Codesign isn't giving me any clues as to why. It validates. Asking it what the entitlements are on the binary: % codesign --display --entitlements - /Users/joconnor/MACEP-9852-2/tools/detection/DecisionRuleTool Executable=/Users/jim/DecisionRuleTool [Dict] [Key] com.apple.application-identifier [Value] [String] XXXXXXXXX.com.mycompany.drt [Key] com.apple.developer.team-identifier [Value] [String] XXXXXXXXX [Key] com.apple.security.cs.allow-jit [Value] [Bool] true https://developer.apple.com/documentation/Xcode/signing-a-daemon-with-a-restricted-entitlement This makes it look like this may be hopeless, that I can't create a command line took with proper entitlements.
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122
May ’25
Screen Time API, DeviceActivity, Family Controls, Entitlements, Provisioning Profile
Hello everyone, I'm hoping to find a solution for a critical issue that is blocking my app's submission to the App Store. My app uses the Screen Time API and therefore has a main app and a DeviceActivityMonitor extension. The main app has been successfully granted the Family Controls (Distribution) entitlement. However, the DeviceActivityMonitor extension is stuck with only the Family Controls (Development) entitlement. This mismatch causes my build to fail during the archive/distribution process with the error: "Provisioning profile failed qualification. Profile doesn't support Family Controls (Development)." This is a hard blocker, as the extension is a mandatory part of the API. I have already filled out the entitlement request form and also contacted Developer Support (Case #102666581576), who confirmed they could not assist and directed me here. My question is: What is the correct procedure to escalate or resolve the issue of a required extension not receiving the distribution-level Family Controls entitlement after the main app has already been approved? Has anyone else encountered this specific "Development" vs. "Distribution" mismatch and found a definitive way to resolve it? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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290
Aug ’25
Constructing a filesystem sandbox, how to disable file events
I'm working on a build system similar to Bazel where each build action runs in a sandbox. The sandbox contains only the files that the user defined as input to ensure that the build action doesn't have any implicit dependencies. Bazel achieves this by creating a "symlink forest" to the original source files. This works, but I have observed fseventsd using significant CPU during a Bazel build, presumably because of all the symlinks that get created. Is there a way to disable file events for a directory or a volume? The "File System Events Programming Guide" in the Documentation Archive mentions placing an empty file named no_log in the .fseventsd directory at the root of the volume, but when testing on macOS 15.5 with APFS that appears to no longer work. Related, is a "symlink forest" the best way to create a sandbox like this? Or is there a different method one can use to provide a view of a subset of the files in a directory tree? I read up on the App Sandbox but that seems too coarse grained. Something like Linux's overlayfs would work well, and maybe one can achieve a similar functionality with firmlinks? Curious about folks thoughts here. Thanks in advance!
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245
May ’25
Creating codesigned AppleScript apps
In the past it was relatively easy to download from the developer portal both the app signing and installer signing certs so that I could sign AppleScripts from Script Editor when exporting them and when building packages in Jamf Composer. I went to set that up today and it seems things have changed in the last few years since I've had to set this up. I've been unable to sort this out and would love some help. I'm looking for a tutorial on doing this that walks someone step-by-step through the process for obtaining the certs (yes, I have dev account) and setting them up in keychain and then making use of them. Thanks!
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154
Jun ’25
How to obtain the certificate used to sign a CSR to then generate an MDM Push Certificate.
Hi All, I am building my own MDM server. It seems that in order for the MDM commands to function an MDM Push Certificate for the APNS framework. And in order to get the MDM Push Certificate from the Apple Push Certificates Portal (https://identity.apple.com/pushcert/) you need to upload your CSR usually provided and sign by the MDM Vendor of your choosing. I am familiar with this process. But now that I am the MDM Vendor, I am not sure where to get this MDM Vendor CSR Signing Certificate. I've already submitted a formal request via the "contact us" form. Apple's response pointed me to the documentation on Setting Up Push Notifications and the MDM Vendor CSR Signing Certificate help page (which I had already reviewed): https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/setting-up-push-notifications-for-your-mdm-customers https://developer.apple.com/help/account/certificates/mdm-vendor-csr-signing-certificate/ The issue is that these documents describe using the signing certificate, but not the process for obtaining it as a new, independent vendor. So does anyone know of a portal or method of generating this “MDM Vendor Certificate”? or maybe I'm going about this all wrong and there is a simpler way… the again, its apple, so I’m probably on the right path just beed a little direction please. (I am not sure where to get this MDM Vendor CSR Signing Certificate.)
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193
Dec ’25
macos app won't run
I created a distribution certificate for my app release build and have manually loaded this cert (link to xcode image at the bottom of this paragraph). All things look good until I build the app and I get the following error. I'm first pasting the image of my project and then the error information. [https://madshot.net/10c6e510875e.png) Could not launch “Madshot360” Domain: IDELaunchErrorDomain Code: 20 Recovery Suggestion: Runningboard has returned error 5. Please check the system logs for the underlying cause of the error. User Info: { DVTErrorCreationDateKey = "2025-06-10 19:58:02 +0000"; DVTRadarComponentKey = 968756; IDERunOperationFailingWorker = IDELaunchServicesLauncher; } The operation couldn’t be completed. Launch failed. Domain: RBSRequestErrorDomain Code: 5 Failure Reason: Launch failed. Launchd job spawn failed Domain: NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code: 153 Event Metadata: com.apple.dt.IDERunOperationWorkerFinished : { "device_identifier" = "00008112-0004052C22D8A01E"; "device_model" = "Mac14,15"; "device_osBuild" = "15.5 (24F74)"; "device_platform" = "com.apple.platform.macosx"; "device_thinningType" = "Mac14,15"; "dvt_coredevice_version" = "443.19"; "dvt_coresimulator_version" = "1010.10"; "dvt_mobiledevice_version" = "1784.120.3"; "launchSession_schemeCommand" = Run; "launchSession_state" = 1; "launchSession_targetArch" = arm64; "operation_duration_ms" = 235; "operation_errorCode" = 20; "operation_errorDomain" = IDELaunchErrorDomain; "operation_errorWorker" = IDELaunchServicesLauncher; "operation_name" = IDERunOperationWorkerGroup; "param_debugger_attachToExtensions" = 0; "param_debugger_attachToXPC" = 1; "param_debugger_type" = 3; "param_destination_isProxy" = 0; "param_destination_platform" = "com.apple.platform.macosx"; "param_diag_113575882_enable" = 0; "param_diag_MainThreadChecker_stopOnIssue" = 0; "param_diag_MallocStackLogging_enableDuringAttach" = 0; "param_diag_MallocStackLogging_enableForXPC" = 1; "param_diag_allowLocationSimulation" = 1; "param_diag_checker_tpc_enable" = 1; "param_diag_gpu_frameCapture_enable" = 0; "param_diag_gpu_shaderValidation_enable" = 0; "param_diag_gpu_validation_enable" = 0; "param_diag_guardMalloc_enable" = 0; "param_diag_memoryGraphOnResourceException" = 0; "param_diag_mtc_enable" = 1; "param_diag_queueDebugging_enable" = 1; "param_diag_runtimeProfile_generate" = 0; "param_diag_sanitizer_asan_enable" = 0; "param_diag_sanitizer_tsan_enable" = 0; "param_diag_sanitizer_tsan_stopOnIssue" = 0; "param_diag_sanitizer_ubsan_enable" = 0; "param_diag_sanitizer_ubsan_stopOnIssue" = 0; "param_diag_showNonLocalizedStrings" = 0; "param_diag_viewDebugging_enabled" = 1; "param_diag_viewDebugging_insertDylibOnLaunch" = 1; "param_install_style" = 2; "param_launcher_UID" = 2; "param_launcher_allowDeviceSensorReplayData" = 0; "param_launcher_kind" = 0; "param_launcher_style" = 99; "param_launcher_substyle" = 0; "param_runnable_appExtensionHostRunMode" = 0; "param_runnable_productType" = "com.apple.product-type.application"; "param_structuredConsoleMode" = 1; "param_testing_launchedForTesting" = 0; "param_testing_suppressSimulatorApp" = 0; "param_testing_usingCLI" = 0; "sdk_canonicalName" = "macosx15.4"; "sdk_osVersion" = "15.4"; "sdk_variant" = macos; } System Information macOS Version 15.5 (Build 24F74) Xcode 16.3 (23785) (Build 16E140) Timestamp: 2025-06-10T12:58:02-07:00
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78
Jun ’25
Invalid code signing entitlements
Hello, I'm currently trying to upload a new version of an existing application. But each time I try to validate the archive of the application, I got the following error in Xcode (v16.2) : Invalid code signing entitlements. Your application bundle’s signature contains code signing entitlements that aren’t supported on macOS. Specifically, the “37CG5MY799.com.example.app” value for the com.apple.application-identifier key in “com.example.app.pkg/Payload/app.app/Contents/MacOS/app” isn’t supported. This value should be a string that starts with your Team ID, followed by a dot (“.”), followed by the bundle ID. I suspect that there is a problem with the App ID Prefix (that is 37CG5MY799 for the app) when our team ID is E4R7RJ7LA3 but I cannot find a solution. I asked the Apple Developer Support for help and I have read the documentation they sent but it couldn't solve this problem so they redirected me to the forums. https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/qa/qa1879/_index.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2318/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40013777-CH1-OVERVIEW https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2318/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40013777-CH1-TNTAG33 There isn't any obvious App ID Prefix mismatch in the entitlement between the Application's signature entitlement and the Embedded provisioning profile entitlement . Application's signature entitlement : <dict> <key>com.apple.application-identifier</key> <string>37CG5MY799.com.example.app</string> <key>com.apple.developer.team-identifier</key> <string>E4R7RJ7LA3</string> <key>com.apple.security.app-sandbox</key> <true/> <key>com.apple.security.application-groups</key> <array> <string>group.com.example.app</string> </array> <key>com.apple.security.files.user-selected.read-only</key> <true/> </dict> Embedded provisioning profile entitlement : <dict> <key>com.apple.security.application-groups</key> <array> <string>group.com.example.app</string> <string>E4R7RJ7LA3.*</string> </array> <key>com.apple.application-identifier</key> <string>37CG5MY799.com.example.app</string> <key>keychain-access-groups</key> <array> <string>37CG5MY799.*</string> </array> <key>com.apple.developer.team-identifier</key> <string>E4R7RJ7LA3</string> </dict> The app also have a browser extension that correctly use the Team ID. How to solve this problem ? Thanks for your time, Qeg
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202
Aug ’25
Codesign in a CI environment (Sequoia)
Can someone please describe what is necessary to perform signing using codesign in a system that runs as LaunchDaemon. All workarounds like placing the codesigning cert + private key a custom keychain and unlock it in the session of the LaunchDaemon doesn't work anymore on Sequoia. Or are there alternatives for signing MachO binaries without codesign?
Topic: Code Signing SubTopic: General
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434
Feb ’25
Export archive for app-store distribution command: 'xcodebuild -exportArchive -archivePath ...' exited with non-zero exit-code: 70
Hi, I have a project that integrates the Firebase SDK via SPM as a dependency of an internal Swift Package: My app ⟶ My Library ⟶ Firebase SDK The project builds successfully and can be archived locally ✅. The uploaded .ipa is valid and gets published 🚀. However, we are now trying to automate the release process using Xcode Cloud, but the iOS Archive action is failing ❌ on Xcode Cloud. The logs show the following error ⬇️: error: exportArchive codesign command failed (/Volumes/workspace/tmp/XcodeDistPipeline/XcodeDistPipeline.~~~oomCvM/Root/Payload/base-ios.app/Frameworks/FirebaseAnalytics.framework: replacing existing signature /Volumes/workspace/tmp/XcodeDistPipeline/XcodeDistPipeline.~~~oomCvM/Root/Payload/base-ios.app/Frameworks/FirebaseAnalytics.framework: invalid or corrupted code requirement(s) Requirement syntax error(s): line 1:178: unexpected token: <COMPANY_NAME> ) ** EXPORT FAILED ** I have been researching this issue for a while and have tried several solutions to fix it, but with no luck. Even though the error points to a specific library—the Firebase SDK—I don’t believe Firebase is the root cause. There were related issues in the past, but those were already fixed by the Firebase team, and as I mentioned, the project archives correctly when built locally. On the other hand, the error states: line 1:178: unexpected token: <COMPANY_ACRONYM> This makes me wonder if there’s an issue parsing our Team Name during the re-signing process, as it contains special characters ": "name": "Apple Distribution: Company Full Name "COMPANY_ACRONYM""
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714
Feb ’25
Provisioning Profile Missing In-App Purchase Entitlement (Despite Capability Enabled)
I'm facing a persistent issue with provisioning profiles not including the com.apple.developer.in-app-purchase entitlement, even though the In-App Purchase capability is clearly enabled in the Developer Portal for my app. What I’ve already done: Confirmed that the In-App Purchase capability is enabled in the App ID configuration Deleted all provisioning profiles locally (~/Library/MobileDevice/Provisioning Profiles) Regenerated both Development and App Store provisioning profiles from scratch Tried Xcode's automatic signing (after properly registering the device) Verified the provisioning profiles via Terminal (security cms -D -i ...) — the IAP entitlement is missing every time Recreated valid distribution and development certificates Cleaned the Xcode project and settings The result: Every attempt to build or archive the app in Xcode returns: Missing entitlement: com.apple.developer.in-app-purchase I've also opened a support case with Apple, but so far I’ve only been redirected to general documentation. Has anyone encountered this recently? Is there a known delay or sync issue on Apple’s side when enabling capabilities? Can the provisioning profile or entitlement data be manually refreshed by Apple? Is there any workaround that worked for you in this situation?
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182
Jun ’25
What is the difference between applying "hardened runtime" to an executable and adding the `-o library` flag to codesign?
Hey, Just recently I realized something I have been overlooking in my build pipelines. I thought that by adding the the "hardened runtime", I disable 3rd-party library injection (I do not have the disable-library-validation entitlement added). However, I was using some checks on my code and I noticed that the "library validation" code signature check fails on my applications (e.g. adding the .libraryValidation requirement via the LightweightCodeRequirements framework) - with codesign -dvvvv /path/to/app I can check it doesn't have the CS_REQUIRE_LV flag: [...] CodeDirectory v=20500 size=937 flags=0x10000(runtime) hashes=18+7 location=embedded [...] then I used in Xcode the "Other Code Signing Flags" setting and added the -o library option, which added the flag: [...] CodeDirectory v=20500 size=937 flags=0x12000(library-validation,runtime) hashes=18+7 location=embedded [...] Is this flag something I should be explicitly setting? Because I was under the impression enabling hardened runtime would be enough. Popular Developer ID distributed applications (e.g. Google Chrome, Parallels Desktop, Slack) all have this flag set.
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300
Sep ’25
Developer ID Installer certificate location
I want to export Mac OS application out side App Store and I need to have Developer Id installer certificate to do the same. When I go to certificate section in developer portal - I only see option of Mac App Distribution Mac Installer Distribution Developer ID Application Does anyone know where I can check the Developer ID installer part. Developer ID application doesn't work for signing the app manually.
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190
Sep ’25
Unable to provision target
I have added an in-app purchase function into my app, and have enabled in-app purchase profile in developer portal(it's on by default and is marked gray in developer portal, I don't know if that's how it supposed to look like). I have issued the agreements and tried signing the app both manually and automatically, but neither of that worked. App can be built successfully in simulator but does not show the simulation window, but cannot build on real device or archive. Errors: Missing com.apple.developer.in-app-purchase, com.apple.developer.in-app-purchase.non-consumable, and com.apple.developer.in-app-purchase.subscription entitlements. Automatic signing failed Xcode failed to provision this target.
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179
Oct ’25