Itms-services Action Download _hot_-manifest Amp-url Https -

For external testers, Apple now offers public TestFlight links. These are cleaner but require testers to have the TestFlight app installed.

When generating the link dynamically (e.g., with JavaScript or a CMS), always encode the entire href. Use encodeURIComponent() on the parameter values, but the ampersand separator must be & inside HTML.

itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://example.com/manifest.plist

Before Apple acquired TestFlight, this was the standard for over-the-air (OTA) beta distribution. Even today, many CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, Fastlane) generate manifest .plist and .ipa pairs, then email or SMS the itms-services link to testers. Itms-services Action Download-manifest Amp-url Https

While OTA distribution via itms-services remains a powerful tool, Apple has introduced more streamlined methods over the years. Knowing when to use each helps you make the right choice.

: The mandatory parameter directing the operating system to fetch an XML-formatted property list ( .plist ) rather than an immediate application binary.

: Upload both files to a secure web server. Experts at 219 Design emphasize that your OTA deployment link must use a valid SSL certificate to avoid installation errors. For external testers, Apple now offers public TestFlight

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>items</key> <array> <dict> <key>assets</key> <array> <dict> <key>kind</key> <string>software-package</string> <key>url</key> <string>https://your-server.com/MyApp.ipa</string> </dict> </array> <key>metadata</key> <dict> <key>bundle-identifier</key> <string>com.company.myapp</string> <key>bundle-version</key> <string>1.2.3</string> <key>kind</key> <string>software</string> <key>title</key> <string>My Enterprise App</string> </dict> </dict> </array> </dict> </plist>

Since , Apple enforces that all manifest URLs and .ipa download URLs must use HTTPS . If you use http:// , the installation will fail silently or show a cryptic “Cannot connect to server” error.

itms-services is a proprietary URL scheme used by Apple to communicate with the iOS App Store and to facilitate the installation of applications over the air (OTA). Use encodeURIComponent() on the parameter values, but the

itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://...

The URL of the actual .ipa file (which can be HTTP or HTTPS). The Bundle Identifier. The Bundle Version. The App Title. C. Enterprise or Ad Hoc Provisioning