• From within Xcode 7.x or higher (Mac only), navigate to “Xcode—->Preferences—->Accounts.” Hit the '+' icon below left to add your Apple ID*. After you add your account, it will show within the main account window on the right.
• Select your account, hit the “View Details” button and wait for them to load.
• Now create the 'signing identity' used to create a provisioning profile used for device testing - Hit the “Create” button next to the 'iOS development' label. When completed, hit ‘Done’.
• Connect your device and select it as build destination via the 'active scheme' dropdown to the right of the play and stop icons.
• a. Set app identifier you want for your free profile
• b. Set team id as your apple id
• c. Hit 'Fix Issue' button below the provisioning profile warning
- You may have to ‘Fix Issue' more than once - keep at it so Xcode can step thru them as needed.
• Run your app with your device selected.**
Free provisioning notes/secrets/things you’ll want to know:
- The profile will be valid for 1 week, after which time you will need to recreate a new one (
repeat the same process).
- There is a limit to how many apps you can build and test to your device.
- Maximum number of devices limit is reported as 3.
- What you can/can't do w/free provisioning is listed here:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/IDEs/Conceptual/AppDistributionGuide/SupportedCapabilities/SupportedCapabilities.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40012582-CH38-SW1
- If this is about creating an .ipa to manually hand off, select Build For Archiving under the project menu, not ‘Run’.
- *If you have, or plan to have, a paid developer account, be sure to use a unique/different apple ID for each account.
- **Free accounts may experience issues launching apps on the watch for the first time.
Workaround: Launch the app manually on the device and click “Trust” when the security sheet appears. You should then be able to launch the app from Xcode.
Apple developer account is free. But you have to sign-up for a $99 USD/yearly membership. If you want to distribute your app to the app store. Sadly, you have to pay $99 USD every year. It would be nice if it was a one-time fee.