When you first distribute an app using
the
Firebase console
or
a CLI tool (
Firebase CLI
,
fastlane
),
App Distribution emails the tester an invitation with instructions on how to
install and test the build.
This guide describes how to install and test a new app
distributed through App Distribution from a tester's point of view. For answers to
frequently asked questions or help with troubleshooting, read the
troubleshooting guide
.
Step 1
: Sign in with Google to accept the invitation
On an iOS device, open the email invitation in Safari.
You must open the email invitation to properly install the Firebase
profile and register your device in
Step 2
.
When prompted, sign in with Google and accept the invitation to
test the app.
Once you accept an invitation, you're given access to install the test app.
You also receive build notification emails from
Firebase when the app's developer distributes a new build and includes
you as a tester.
Step 2
: Install the Firebase profile
Ad Hoc distributions
- In the test app's page, tap
Register device
.
- When prompted, download the Firebase profile, then install the profile
in the
Settings
app.
Installing the profile gives Firebase permission to:
- Register the test device by collecting the device's unique device ID
(UDID). If you're testing an Ad Hoc distribution, Firebase sends all Owners and
Editors of the Firebase project an email that includes the test device's UDID
, along with instructions on how to include the device in the app's
provisioning profile so that the build can be tested on your device.
- Install a Firebase App Distribution web clip to the test device's home
screen. The web clip allows you to install and access all of your test apps.
Enterprise distributions
This step is optional but recommended for testing Enterprise-signed
distributions. The profile installation adds the Firebase App Distribution
web clip to your device's home screen, so you can install and access all
your test apps. To manually install the profile:
Under
Test apps
, select the app you want to test.
In the top right of the app's page, tap
mobile_screen_share
.
Follow the instructions displayed to install the Firebase profile.
Step 3
: Install and test the build
Ad Hoc distributions
After you register your device, the developer must update their
provisioning profile with your device's UDID and redistribute a build
that's configured to run on your device. Firebase emails you a notification
when the build is available for you to install.
In the
Test apps
section of the Firebase App Distribution web clip,
select the app for which you want to install a new
build, then tap
Download
. The build is downloaded to your device's home
screen so you can start testing right away.
Enterprise distributions
- In the
Test apps
section of the Firebase App Distribution web clip,
select the app for which you want to install a new
build, then tap
Download
. The build is downloaded to your device's home
screen so you can start testing right away.
In the
Settings
app >
Profiles & Device Management
screen, select
the app's developer name and trust it.
If you do not have the Firebase App Distribution web clip, you can install
a new build for your test app by tapping
Download the latest build
in
the new build notification email from Firebase.
Finally, return to your device's home screen and open the test app.
Step 4
: (Optional) Enable new build alerts
If the Firebase App Distribution SDK has been added to your test app, you
can optionally enable in-app alerts that appear when new builds are available
to test. For more information about the SDK, including how to add it to a test
app, refer to the Get Started guide.
From your device's home screen, open the test app.
When the
Enable alerts
dialogue appears, tap
Yes
.
Sign in with the Google account you previously used in
Step 1
(the account you used to accept the app's invitation).
In-app alerts are turned on automatically.
If you have trouble signing in to your Google account, visit the
troubleshooting guide
.
Return to the test app. Now, you receive in-app alerts when new app versions
are available for testing.
To download a new app version directly from an alert, tap
Update
in the
alert dialogue. The new app version is downloaded and added to your device's
home screen.
Delete your tester account
To delete your App Distribution tester account and its
data, see the
App Distribution troubleshooting & FAQ
.