Certificates - Support - Apple Developer (2024)

Apple Developer Program membership is required to request, download, and use signing certificates issued by Apple.

Using certificates

In most cases, Xcode is the preferred method to request and install digital certificates. However, to request certificates for services such as ApplePay, the Apple Push Notification service, AppleWallet, and Mobile Device Management, you’ll need to request and download them from in your developer account. Distribution certificates can be requested only by Account Holders and Admins.

For more information on how to use signing certificates, review XcodeHelp.

Protecting your account and certificates

Your AppleID, authentication credentials, and related account information and materials (such as Apple Certificates used for distribution or submission to the AppStore) are sensitive assets that confirm your identity.

  • Keep your AppleID and authentication credentials secure and do not share them with anyone. To learn more, see Security and your AppleID.
  • Do not share Apple Certificates outside of your organization. To learn how to securely share them with trusted team members within your organization, see Maintain Signing Assets in Xcode Help.

Expired or revoked certificates

  • App License Delivery (ALD) certificates
    If your certificate expires or is revoked, the ALD certificates won’t be able to generate or encrypt valid App License request. App License requests that were requested and created while the certificate was active are not affected by certificate expiration or revocation.
  • Apple Push Notification Service Certificate
    You can no longer send push notifications to your app.
  • ApplePay Payment Processing Certificate
    ApplePay transactions in your apps and on your websites will fail.
  • ApplePay Merchant Identity Certificate
    ApplePay transactions on your websites will fail.
  • Pass Type ID Certificate (Wallet)
    If your certificate expires, passes that are already installed on users’ devices will continue to function normally. However, you’ll no longer be able to sign new passes or send updates to existing passes. If your certificate is revoked, your passes will no longer function properly.
  • iOS Distribution Certificate (AppStore)
    If your AppleDeveloperProgram membership is valid, your existing apps on the AppStore won’t be affected. However, you’ll no longer be able to upload new apps or updates signed with the expired or revoked certificate to the AppStore.
  • iOS Distribution Certificate (in-house, internal-use apps)
    Users will no longer be able to run apps that have been signed with this certificate. You must distribute a new version of your app that is signed with a new certificate.
  • Mac App Distribution Certificate and Mac Installer Distribution Certificate (MacAppStore)
    If your AppleDeveloperProgram membership is valid, your existing apps on the MacAppStore won’t be affected. However, you’ll no longer be able to upload new apps or updates signed with the expired or revoked certificate to the MacAppStore.
  • Developer ID Application Certificate (Mac applications)
    If your certificate expires, users can still download, install, and run versions of your Mac applications that were signed with this certificate. However, you’ll need a new certificate to sign updates and new applications. If your certificate is revoked, users will no longer be able to install applications that have been signed with this certificate. If your Mac application utilizes a DeveloperID provisioning profile to take advantage of advanced capabilities such as CloudKit and push notifications, you must ensure your DeveloperID provisioning profile is valid in order for installed versions of your application to run. Read more.
  • DeveloperID Installer Certificate (Mac applications)
    If your certificate expires, users can still install packages that were signed with this certificate as long as the package includes a trusted timestamp. Previously installed apps will continue to run. However, new installations won’t be possible until you have re-signed your installer package with a valid DeveloperID Installer certificate. If your certificate is revoked, users will no longer be able to install applications that have been signed with this certificate.
  • Apple Worldwide Developer Relations Certification Intermediate Certificate
    The Apple Worldwide Developer Relations Certificate Authority issues certificates used by developers for signing third-party apps and Safari Extensions, and for using AppleWallet and Apple Push Notification services.

    Starting January 28, 2021, the digital certificates you use to sign your software for installation on Apple devices, submit apps to the AppStore, and connect to certain Apple services will be issued from the new intermediate Apple Worldwide Developer Relations certificate that expires on February 20, 2030. Read more.

Note: Apple can revoke digital certificates at any time at its sole discretion. For more information, read the AppleDeveloperProgram License Agreement in your developer account.

Compromised certificates

If you suspect that your Pass Type ID certificate or DeveloperID certificate and private key have been compromised, and would like to request revocation of the certificate, send an email to product-security@apple.com. You can continue to develop and distribute passes by requesting an additional certificate in your developer account.

I received an error message saying, "Xcode could not find a valid private-key/certificate pair for this profile in your keychain."

This error message indicates that your system’s keychain is missing either the public or private key for the certificate you’re using to sign your application.

This often happens when you’re trying to sign and build your application from a different system than the one you originally used to request your code signing certificate. It can also happen if your certificate has expired or has been revoked. Ensure that your app’s provisioning profile contains a valid code signing certificate, and that your system’s Keychain contains that certificate, the private key originally used to generate that certificate, and the WWDR Intermediate Certificate.

For instructions on how to resolve this error, review the Code Signing support page.

What happens to my applications signed with DeveloperID if my AppleDeveloperProgram membership expires?

If your membership expires, users can still download, install, and run your applications that are signed with DeveloperID. However, once your DeveloperID certificate expires, you must be an AppleDeveloperProgram member to get new DeveloperID certificates to sign updates and new applications.

Certificates - Support - Apple Developer (2024)
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