Charged for Sandbox Test Download

Question

Created Aug ’15

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I set up a Sandbox Test account. I attempt to test my app with the Sandbox Test account. The App Store, through my iPad, says the account I'm trying to use hasn't been verified. Takes me through several screens, the last of which wants Credit Card information. I know this is wrong, because I've been through it before, but like all the other 999,000 bits of information we have to keep in our heads to navigate this insane environment, I've either misplaced it or (more likely), Apple has changed something that has rendered it obsolete.

After trying to find a different strategy to get the Sandbox Account to work, I finally decided maybe this is the way it actually goes: maybe I'm supposed to put my credit card info in there as a normal account, and then when I'm making the purchase, at the last minute the App Store will give me the normal "You won't be charged..." notice. Tried that. Got charged. Had to go through the process of submitting a request for a refund (16.95... worth it...).

Does Apple not know, after giving me the place to set up the Sandbox Test Account, that it's a Sandbox Test Account, and that I'm not supposed to be charged? Is there no end to this kind of labyrinthine nonsense stripping every last trace of enjoyment out of this work, wasting hours and hours of time?

Would someone please be kind enough tell me the magic trick to getting a Sandbox Test Account to download an in-app without demanding payment for it?

Thanks.

Cayce

Boost

Answer 1

PBK OP

Aug ’15

You need to get StoreKit to direct your log-in to the sandbox environment not the production environment. You see, you have not yet logged in with a test user so how does your app know whether to go to sandbox to get a test user or to production to get a real user? It decides based on how the app is 'signed'. And a twist to this story is that when you reinstall an app over a previous build of an app you may not be changing how the app is 'signed'. So, delete all old builds of the app and log out of the App Store before reinstalling a new build of the app from Xcode. Then do not log in until asked by StoreKit to log in. That should direct you to the sandbox environment.

And that test user for which you entered credit card infomration...that test user is most likely dead meat since it tried to log in to the production environment. You may need to create and use a new test user.

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Answer 2

JohannVI OP

Sep ’15

If I remember correctly, you log out of your iTunes account.

Open app

hit purchase button

log in throught that following prompt

enter credentials

profit

And yes, some prerequisites:

1. app should be signed with adhoc profile and connected distribution certificate

2. don't touch the sandbox account after creating it (verification, credit card etc should all not be neccessary)

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