Xcode 16.2 cannot sign developer app (AppKit) after upgraded to macOS 15.3

After I upgraded to macOS 15.3, all of my current Xcode project have the signing issue, I spent half day and I didn't make any progress, I tried two projects, one is Swift AppKit App calling one C++ dylib, another one is a pure Swift AppKit app, when I build, there will be error:

Warning: unable to build chain to self-signed root for signer "Apple Development: Steven Tang (XXXXX)" /Volumes/TwoTSSD/steventang/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/ImageEnhancement-ddbilgyraofrdyfeljyuknusunza/Build/Products/Release/ImageEnhancement.app: errSecInternalComponent

I tried remove account, add account back in Xcode, none of it worked, also tried ChatGPT's WWDR updating and it won't help.

Answered by stang2021 in 823927022

I installed both 2030 and 2036 Apple Worldwide Developer Relations Certification Authority, evaluate the Apple Development certificate, restarted the system, the problem finally got fixed🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I talk about this in Resolving errSecInternalComponent errors during code signing, and specifically in the Fixing an untrusted code signing certificate post that it links to.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

Unfortunately, it won't fix my issue, in my case, all items in Key Chain certificates are green, and the code sign is valid

steventang@Mac-mini ~ % security find-identity -p codesigning

Policy: Code Signing Matching identities

  1. DC4B46A359AF226XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXD "Apple Development: Steven Tang (XXXXXXX)" 1 identities found

Valid identities only

  1. DC4B46A359AF226XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXD "Apple Development: Steven Tang (XXXXXXX)" 1 valid identities found

========================== But when I build project, still get

unable to build chain to self-signed root for signer "Apple Development: Steven Tang (XXXXXXX)" /Volumes/TwoTSSD/steventang/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/XXXX-ddbilgyraofrdyfeljyuknusunza/Build/Products/Release/XXXX.app: errSecInternalComponent

I signed out and signed in again, remove account and add again, the problem is still happening.

BTW, this problem happened only after I upgraded macOS to 15.3, before upgrading(15.2), I don't have this issue, I supposed there would be an Xcode 16.3 but it is not there, aka, 16.2 is the latest.

The error:

Automatic signing failed Xcode failed to provision this target. Please file a bug report at <https://feedbackassistant.apple.com> and include the Update Signing report from the Report navigator.

I’m confused by your latest posts, in that that they suggest two different errors:

  • unable to build chain to self-signed root for signer

  • Automatic signing failed Xcode failed to provision this target

Are you getting both of these errors?

Regardless, I recommend that you run a quick test with codesign:

% cp /usr/bin/true MyTrue
% codesign -s "Apple Development: Quinn Quinn (EW7W773AA7)" -f MyTrue 
MyTrue: replacing existing signature

replacing Apple Development: Quinn Quinn (EW7W773AA7) with the code-signing identity from your example. Does that work?

IMPORTANT After you sign this code it won’t run; we’re just testing the signing here.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

I got

steventang@Mac-mini ~ % codesign -s "Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXXX4)" -f MyTrue Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXX4): ambiguous (matches "Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXX4)" and "Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXXX4)" in /Volumes/TwoTSSD/steventang/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db)

I removed all existing Apple Development keys, added a new one 2/5/25 via ManageCertificates from Accounts in Xcode, the keyChain still tell me the newly pulled Apple Development certificate is not trusted, my system time is fine the expire time of the certificate is 2026, Is it possible the develop certificate issues server has bug?

Issued by: Apple Worldwide Developer Relations Certification Authority Expires: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 8:11:07 AM Mountain Standard Time

=========================== steventang@Mac-mini ~ % codesign -s "Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXX4)" -f MyTrue MyTrue: replacing existing signature Warning: unable to build chain to self-signed root for signer "Apple Development: Steven Tang (4XXXXXXX4)" MyTrue: errSecInternalComponent

Accepted Answer

I installed both 2030 and 2036 Apple Worldwide Developer Relations Certification Authority, evaluate the Apple Development certificate, restarted the system, the problem finally got fixed🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Xcode 16.2 cannot sign developer app (AppKit) after upgraded to macOS 15.3
 
 
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