Sent public URL to a user, and he reported TestFlight does not show the app, but asked for a redeem code? Where can I or he find this code?
The redeem code is sent by mail when you add an external or internal new tester in TestFlight.
When you open your app in App Store Connect, go to "My Apps" and select your app. Then go to the "TestFlight" section, complete the "Information" section, and then add external testers as needed and the build to test.
After this Apple sends emails to all testers with the invitation.
A good tutorial on TestFlight can be found on raywenderlich.com.
This issue is happening to me also. Some customers are saying they are asked to enter the redeem code while using the public link for downloading the app from TestFlight, so they are unable to download the app.
Workaround was to add the user's email id to the test group so it will send email invites with redeem code.
But I still do not understand why the public URL for downloading the app is asking for a redeem code? And what will be the redeem code for people using the public link? Another interesting thing is it's happening only to some users.
[tl;dr user is doing it wrong + Apple designed this flow poorly.]
Presumably what is happening is some users who haven't previously installed TestFlight (or who opened the link in an app other than Safari, which won't automatically open TestFlight for them) are clicking on the public link, which if opened on an iOS device shows: "Step 1 Get TestFlight".
(notice that on many devices some portion of "Step 2" will be covered up, such as the critical "Start Testing" button in the screenshot above.)
And then instead of returning to the webpage after installing TestFlight and scrolling down and clicking the "Start Testing" button under "Step 2 Join the Beta", some users are mistakenly staying in the TestFlight app and either tapping the "Redeem" button as it is the only interactable element on the mostly empty default TestFlight screen or reading the subtitle that says to "contact the developer for an invitation code."
(Note the big title text would be confusing to users who thought this was how they start testing and they would naturally think at this point something has gone wrong.)
Unfortunately this is a natural consequence of the way this workflow is designed, and I don't see a simple way around it besides educating your users.
Certainly one workaround is to invite the user via email, so they will get a code they can enter into the "Redeem" alert text field, but this should not be necessary.
It may seem obvious to technically-savvy people, but one can clearly see some people not understanding that they need to switch back and forth like that. Until this design flaw is fixed, a certain percentage will make this mistake. I suggest sending Apple some feedback about this.
My rep is too low to comment, but something you can also do is ask your testers to do a "long press" on the link. This will allow them to open the link in either Safari or TestFlight. Opening in TestFlight will sometimes resolve this issue.
For public links, when you click the link, it'll open a page with two steps to follow. The first step is to download the TestFlight app. The second step is to install your app. After you install TestFlight, go back to the link and press the install button on the second step. There is no need to redeem codes for public links.
Struggling with the same issue here.
I found a couple of things.
If you're trying to renew a previously added a user, go to the same version you initially issued the code on. If you don't see reissue as an option, try deleting / then add new external tester. If you try to reissue the redeem code on a different (newer?) TestFlight version that option is unavailable. First time-adds should also show the reissue button after you send the first invite.
TestFlight "redeem" button is the top of the left panel.
If you are working on an app-managed computer. You need to have rights to run TestFlight and access the AppleStore.
I have one last hurtle and I think it's a security feature of the managing application (JAMF ?).
It typically happens when the user is not registered to the App Store and/or iTunes with the given email address. In my case it turned out that my tester gave me his iCloud email which was why he experienced the same issue.
Related
I have a new iOS device and want to install one of my applications on it to test it. The problem is that I used the redemption code on another device long ago and I don't find the email I received from the App Store Connect.
So, I removed my email from my tester's group and added it again. I received a new email from App Store Connect and the link to download the app. However, I received the following message when I tap on the link:
The invitation has already been redeemed. Please request a new invite
from the developer
Any idea how to revoke my previous redemption code and generate a new one? The problem is that the TestFlight app does not have any sort of login button to let me log in and it shows the list of my projects under this account. Am I doing anything wrong?
I just found the solution. There is a painful fact that I had to sign out of my personal account (Apple ID) and then Sign in with my Company email address. Doing this way, Testflight pulled the list of my pass automatically and I am able to install them.
Isn't there any way, like Android, to have both accounts together? I am happy to approve your answer if you tell me a simpler way than what I have done. Thank you.
I added around 50 new testers to my external testing via TestFlight in iTunes Connect tonight, but a few hours later none of them have received an email, and the "status"/iOS column in the users list has nothing in it, while some users in previous additions have "Notified" or "Installed".
Do I have to push out a new build or something? Or is it just a matter of time until they get an email and change status to "Notified"?
in my usage, i add new external users to testflight, then click 'save' and within minutes the new external testers receive email from apple. first time i did this it did not work because i added new users, but did not click 'save' button in upper right. see screenshot, need to do both '1' and '2'. my issue is some folks get notified and others do not, and i am going to post this question to stackoverflow.
itunes connect screen shot
No you don't.
If you have a Testflight active and add some tester, iTunes Connect will ask for confirmation and the added users will be notified.
Nicolas
I am trying to add new users to my Users and Roles in iTune Connect. I go through the steps, assigning them as Technical/Admin, and hit the Add button.
I get the confirmation on the dashboard that they have been sent a verification email... but it seems nothing is being sent!! And as a result I cannot add them to the Internal testers list.
Is there a reason why verification emails are not being sent to new users being added?
Cheer
AF
iTC TestFlight has been notorious for dropping emails. Apple has also been having outages recently related to iTC (as well as other systems). The only thing you can do is remove the user and later re-add them - that will trigger the invite email again, and if iTC is working properly at the time they'll get the email.
You might also want to reach out to support so they can see if there is anything going on with your account. I had to do this for an iTC issue last week...and I heard back a week later that the issue was resolved.
Good luck!
I have installed an app successfully as an internal tester. Now the app is ready for external testing, and has passed Apple review. In the email received from Apple, I clicked the Open in TestFlight button, which opened the TestFlight app and displayed the app details.
Clicking the INSTALL button fails with the following alert:
Couldn't accept the invite
You've already accepted the invite for this app.
OK
The message does identify the problem. Any ideas how to resolve it?
Also make sure that you're not trying to install as internal tester while being added as an external tester in a previous build because this will for sure result in the same error. To resolve this problem simply log in to iTunes Connect and remove this account from the external testers list - then you should be able to install as internal tester without problem.
I fixed this by unsubscribing to the old version of the app and then accepting the invite.
I got the same message. In the TestFlight app I had the previous version of the same app with the 'Expired' status. I clicked on that expired version and on the detail view scrolled to the bottom and tapped on "Stop testing". After this, I was able to accept the most recent invitation.
You can only be associated with an app as either an internal or external tester. You cannot be both at the same time.
You will need to unsubscribe from one of them, if you wish to be part of another.
Same thing applies if you need to send out another email invite. Remove from beta testing, then add to beta testing.
Old question, new answer.
It is possible for an invitation to be sent to an email address and accepted with a different email address. This is only likely to happen if you use two different Apple IDs
An invitation was sent to my work email not associated with my Apple ID. I opened the email from my iPhone and accepted the invitation with my personal Apple ID. Months later, I received another invitation. I opened the invitation on an iPad where I was signed in using my work email address. The error message above was displayed.
Fix the problem by signing into the device with the same Apple ID you used to originally accept the invite.
I tried removing the user from the External testing, All Testers, and Internal Testing and re-doing everything but still had the issue. I then realized that I had public links enabled way back and I think I used one of them with that Apple ID, after proceeding to remove all public links from All Testers" I was able to re-accept the invite from the Internal Testing group.
I have a website which offers (FREE) account based services. Iam working on a iphone app for the site. Can somebody help me with these questions?
1) Registration: In my case, the app is meaningless without an account/registration (all free). There is a lot of chatter in the internet that apps that do not offer a "registration-free" experience will be rejected. (example : http://readitlaterlist.com/blog/2010/08/version-2-2-rejected-new-rejection-reason-from-apple-may-have-major-implications/) Thoughts?
2) Email Verification: On my website, a user has to "Verify his email" before he can login.
Basically, can I do this one time only thing in my app: (a) ask email -> register (b) ask user to copy verification token in email & paste in the app (c) Hit verify & let them inside the app upon success. Is this alright?
3) Is it against Apple's rules if the iphone app only supports existing users(who already signed up via website & have a user name password)? This way I need not worry about 1 & 2 for now & still have a full fledged app.
Please note that I have read the guidelines but still cannot come to a conclusion.
I am aware that "will Apple reject my app" - is a question nobody can answer
All I am looking for is your opinion based on your prior experiance & your interpretation of guidelines. Thanks much.
UPDATE: To all users who land here: Apple approved my app few weeks ago. All I did is explain(in review notes) that my app is truly account based & would be meaningless without an email. On my home screen, I have 2 buttons, "I have an account" & "Create an account". There is no registration free experience other than a series of graphics focused on "what is " & indirectly emphasizes that it is an account based appln. Apple seem to be convinced & approved the app the first go. Hope it helps.
I made an app that sounds very similar to yours. I host some websites that are basically forums (they require registration). So my app is an app that allows the user (once they have logged in) to read, post, edit profile etc. Without logging in they get nothing, they see a login screen/Signup button. Which takes them to a form to sign up, it then sends out an email and they approve it via the link it then allows them to login. So as you pointed out No one can really tell you if your app will be rejected or by apple, but my app was very similar to yours and made it through just fine. Also think about a service like Spotify, gmail, or facebook. They require the user to login/register before the app works at all. I believe these rejections dont come from the fact that they are requiring users to login, but they are making it difficult for them to login in or they did not have a website that this was tied to, they just want the user to login to use the app. Its a very fine line, and again apple will be the judge of this in the end.
*Apple very well could have changed this since I submitted my app, but this is just my experience.
In general this sounds fine. The most important piece of advice I can give you is to make sure that you create an account for the reviewers to use - use the 'review notes' box to give them a login and password so they can type it straight into the app. You'll probably get rejected if you don't do this (reviewers dont' have time to check out your site, sign up, wait for the email, click .. etc).
EDIT: Also you should ensure there's a link to the registration page on the web from the front-page of your app (or at least somewhere very obvious).
If your submitted iOS app requires email verification from within the app for the app to function, this sounds it could very likely be a strong reason for a rejection by Apple (apps are not allowed to require personal identifying information.)
If your app requires a pre-existing login/password, and you give Apple a pre-existing fully functional working login for review purposes, what any user has to do to get this login outside and before running your app may be outside Apple's purview (for instance, joining some club or professional organization, opening a bank account, etc.).
But the only way to know for sure is to submit an app for review by Apple.
Our empirical knowledge is that we had submitted a fully featured app with more then one reasen to get rejected. One of them was, of course, that we enclose a way to get balnce in the app without using the IAP (https://developer.apple.com/in-app-purchase/) from apple. That thing was a killer. I think, because of this feature, the reviewers told us even more reasons to get rejected. One was the signup button in the login screen. After we disabled the topup and the signup feature, the review was fine and we're happy and online. Since that rejection, over a year ago, we had never tried to enable signup and upload it again. Now, we'll do that and I will report here what is happaning...
Update #Ravi Jul 31 at 16:18
It's like what I said! We're now online with a singup button at the start screen of the app. Apple does not disallow it. FYI