How can I download a .ipa file of my app from Thunkable?
I need to test it on different devices using simulators and emulators for iOS.
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Hi @The_Gaming_Tech,
You can find a full explanation here:
https://docs.thunkable.com/ios/download.html
And you can see the process for yourself at the end of this video:
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I do know that but I want to download the .ipa file on my laptop for emulating on different devices on this website: appetize.io
Hi
Nice Video
I iphone does not have the Device Management and Rapidly Inc in General settings. On that screen, I only have VPN and iTunes. Must that be installed too? Looks like this changes is made when I click the link in email from THunakble (Steve) received after I select the download command.
@steve_zanotti1 I’m using iOS 11, I can’t remember if that option was there on iOS 10 - it might be in a different menu?
At the moment you can only download via email and test on your own phone,
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Thanks!
@thunkable Please add this feature as soon as possible. Can you tell when this feature will be available? I need this urgently 
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Exclusively for information purposes, I will only say that there are programs that allow to receive ipa from the iPhone.
If am not wrong what you are trying to ask, then would you mind breifing the way you followed after that, as one of my freind have similar issue, so asking on behalf of him.
With Regards,
Smith
I think this should be the number one priority in terms of features to be added. I personally feel we should have the same amount of control irrespective of the platform we want to publish on. Can’t update the android code ourselves anyway, so i don’t really think I even own the app I am publishing, you guys do. Honestly, I dont think this is worth it. You guys are running a real hoax. I hate it when that happens. Your marketing is misleading. Least you could do is tell us upfront we always need your platform to do anything and everything. Besides, we can not individually edit in app permissions and have to tell apple about them not knowing what anything means. So yeah, be honest man, It may cost you customers, but at least you will have ones sticking around knowing exactly what they are getting into.
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Hi @shlokjoshi, thanks for your feedback,
The blocks in your project are your source. Every time you add or remove blocks you are updating your code. The reason you can’t edit Android specific code is because there isn’t any, you’re not just using Android Studio or XCode with blocks on top. Thunkable’s main innovation is that it allows one project to be published to iPhone or Android with just a web browser. There’s no need for high powered computers and IDEs that take up gigabytes of space.
In our marketing, we say that anyone can make an app for iPhone or Android without any coding experience. We have never claimed that you can export to an intermediate, make further changes and then install your app. If you have a specific instance where you feel you were misled please give an example, rather than this unsupported statement.
This is constructive. It would be useful to have control over this and I will pass your request on to our development team.
Finally, as is so often the case, I feel it’s necessary to point out again that Thunkable is free to use. It doesn’t cost you anything.
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Any news on downloading an ipa file? We have clients that we will develop apps for internal use and there is no need to go through the Google Play or Apple App stores. This is a perfect platform for “enterprise apps” and am still not clear the reasoning behind why I can get an .apk package and not a .ipa package from my app? I have read your docs and searched the community but there is no direct answer to why this the way it is. Is this an apple issue? Are they forcing you to use the app store?
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Yep.
Other than TestFlight, the only way to distribute iOS apps is through the App Store.
How will your iPhone/iPad users access their apps if you don’t go through the App Store @ajohnsbyfcqf?
Have you considered publishing your app as a web app? 🎉 New Thunkable ✕ PRO Feature: Publish your Project as a Web App 2020-03-11
Would that be an option in your particular use case?
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Thank you for the reply. Web app is our only option but could be hindered for some users because of bandwidth/strength of service. That was our biggest concern. I am new to the rules of apps and the phone platforms so finding the correct info was not easy. I still think this is a great platform and helps small businesses like ours save a chunk of money when making a great app!
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There is a way to distribute beta versions through Firebase (google). (https://firebase.google.com/docs/app-distribution/ios/distribute-console) To use it you’d need a iOS bundle ID (which we already have) and a .ipa file.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let us download .ipa files for free on thunkable with our app as an option. I am trying to make an app and I want my friends to test it and it’s a pain to get 7 different emails and forward them with each update, and I dont have $99 usd (apple) + $? (thunkable pro) to pay for testflight and the ability to publish there.
TL:DR - You can use google Firebase to distribute beta versions of ios and android apps with a bundle id & a .ipa file = let use get our .ipa files WITHOUT PRO/PREMIUM!
(here’s a video from google firebase explaining this service : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiPOaV-5j9o&feature=emb_logo
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Hi @cabel_apps
Just to clarify, PRO users do not get access to their .ipa files either - this is not something that we charge for.
Apple are very strict in relation to this and expressly prohibit distribution of production .ipa files outside of the App Store.
The distribution method you are referring to is test distribution and the profile for this will be limited to maybe 5 or 10 downloads. Enterprise licence holders will be able to distribute to anyone in their organisation, but again this is specifically for the purposes of testing an app and is not to be used for distribution.
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks.
Domhnall
Hi, how can I download the app for iOS? Trying out of a cell phone only makes me download the apk. I need the .ipa version (ios)
You can’t
Hi
How to get the ipa file from the x tuhnkable app?