Hey everyone, I'm developing an iOS only app and want to make sure it can not be installed on iPads.
Using Xcode 26, Targets/Appname/General/Supported Destination - I have iPhone only as destination and in the Info.plist I have this:
<key>UIDeviceFamily</key> <array> <integer>1</integer> </array>
<key>UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities</key> <array> <string>telephony</string> </array>
Is there anything else need to do to make sure it can't be installed on iPads? Thanks in advance
Thank you for your post. It is intriguing that you are considering restricting device installations. I would be more interested in understanding the specific reasons behind your desire to avoid iPad installations.
Supported Destinations: iPhone / UIDeviceFamily: 1 : By itself, this does not prevent iPad installation. It simply tells the App Store: “this app is designed for iPhone." The App Store will still allow iPad users to download it, and it will run in "compatibility mode" (the letterboxed, zoomed-in iPhone screen on an iPad).
However the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities: telephony iPads (even cellular models) do not have the telephony capability (the ability to make standard cellular phone calls). By adding this to your Info.plist, you are telling the App Store that your app physically cannot function without a phone dialer. I believe that means the App Store will completely hide your app from iPads and iPod Touches. Then again, apps that run on an iPhone should be allowed to run on an iPad in compatibility mode.
According to documentation for UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities:
"Include keys only for the features that your app absolutely requires. If your app can accommodate a missing feature by avoiding the code paths that use it, don't include the corresponding key."
Now the important part that you have to be careful is, if your app does not actually use telephony features (e.g., it doesn't make phone calls, verify SMS via carrier, etc.), App Store Review will reject your app.
Technically, no, you do not need to do anything else to block iPads. The telephony key does exactly what you want. Just the app needs to use the telephony capability on the app to be submitted with that key. I would recommend to allow the app to be installed on as many device types as possible. Preventing the installation will just restrict the distribution.
Albert Pascual Worldwide Developer Relations.
