Installing IPAs over-the-air

[MurrayHamilton]

The lightning port on my iPhone 13 has broken so I can't connect it to my PC any more. Is there any way to install IPAs over-the-air? Can AIR do it itself? I've got access to a Mac if that helps. Thanks!

P.S. I've cleared out the fluff from the port and tried about 5 different cables (that all used to work). It used to work at a certain angle but that's not the case anymore 😢

[itlancer]

You can try this service https://www.diawi.com/

[MurrayHamilton]

Thanks for the link, but I'd rather not upload the IPA to a 3rd party service. Something that works locally would be preferable (sorry, should have said that in my original post).

[ajwfrost]

If you put the mac and the phone on the same wifi network, then you should be able to access the phone from Xcode -> Window menu -> Devices and Simulators.
The "+" button in the "Installed Apps" can be used to browse for an IPA file..

[ajwfrost]

I'm wondering whether there's an issue with macOS security - given the macOS version you have there... could you try putting the IPA file into your "Documents" or "Downloads" folder and then trying from there?

thanks

[MurrayHamilton]

Tried both of those folders, no luck I'm afraid!

[ajwfrost]

Hmmm... sounds like it really may not be a valid bundle format .. are you able to open it within a zip program (or on the terminal command-line with something like "unzip -l file.ipa") to check the contents? Should be a folder "Payload" within which is your "appname.app" folder, and in there an "Info.plist" file plus your executable, plus lots of other files!

[MurrayHamilton]

Yeah I can unzip via terminal and get everything you described

[MurrayHamilton]

So I manged to get this working by using this method:

1. Changing the ".ipa" file extension to ".zip"
2. Open/unzip
3. Install the .app file located in resulting "Payload" folder instead

From here: https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/738233?answerId=767215022#767215022

[jeuxdaily]

what about Bluetooth??

[MurrayHamilton]

Thanks - I've sent an IPA over AirDrop from my Mac, both a dev and ad-hoc build, but I can't install it on my phone (it's just sitting in Files with no option to do anything). So I'd assume sending it via Bluetooth would give a similar result...?

I read around a bit on AirDropping it, and it might be that you need an Enterprise developer account (which I don't have) to be able to install IPAs in this way.