An app signed with a codesign version provided on an older macOS, like Catalina (10.15) will not run on iOS 15 because the lastest version you can install is Xcode 12.4.
Xcode 12.5 seems to change the behavior of codesigning. When installing you get the error message:
The code signature version is no longer supported
Is there a workaround?
15
Answers
Notice
This answer is mostly for people using older versions of Xcode. My build farm was for a time stuck at Xcode 12.4 because some Mac minis couldn't be upgraded past Catalina. If you are using a recent Xcode 13+ this is not your issue. Probably cruft of some kind in your project.
If you're still using an Xcode 12 release it is time to let go. The only reason to use 12.4 would be because you're stuck on Catalina and new problems are cropping up that will not be worked around so easily.
codesign --generate-entitlement-der
Apple has changed the codesign signature to include DER encoded entitlements in addition to the plist encoded entitlements. This additional DER encoded entitlements section is required in iOS 15 and becomes the default behavior of codesign in the latest Xcode. To use codesign on an older machines with an older version of Xcode add the
--generate-entitlement-der
flag to your call to codesign.If signing through Xcode, you can add this flag to the
OTHER_CODE_SIGN_FLAGS
setting in the Build Settings tab.If codesigning at the command-line:
The source of this information was the Apple Forum thread and the answer from Matt Eaton in DTS at Apple.
In the Xcode 12.5 Release Notes there is also a reference to the new signature format. However, it seems the information is not entirely correct.
General advice
If you have a non-trivial setup like CocoaPods, you should probably de-integrate and re-integrate and of course do a project clean. These sorts of 'me too' answers really just add noise to the signal and anyone doing this sort of development should have already tried this.
I want to share my solution. This worked for me using XCode 12.3, macOS Catalina, and tested using Adhoc distribution.
Build, archive, export ipa as usual using XCode.
Now you have the IPA file, then rename it to zip extension. (make a backup if needed)
Extract it. There should be a
Payload
folder.Open terminal, cd to your IPA directory, then run command:
codesign -s "CERTIFICATE_NAME" -f --preserve-metadata --generate-entitlement-der ./Payload/YOUR_APP.app
CERTIFICATE_NAME
is your certificate name located in keychain. It maybe looks like this:Apple Distribution: XCompany (XXXXXX)
YOUR_APP
is your .app file name located inPayload
folder.This warning showed up, I ignored it.
Warning: default usage of --preserve-metadata implies "resource-rules" (deprecated in Mac OS X >= 10.10)!
Then run zip command:
zip -ru myapp_resigned.ipa Payload
Done. You can redistribute the new IPA.
You will need to add the
--generate-entitlement-der
to yourOTHER_CODE_SIGN_FLAGS
under Build Settings.My issue was I was using custom framework, and when I embed it in my app. it showing me error
The code signature version is no longer supported.
i spend whole day to struggle with it. Finally resolved it by adding user-defined settings. In new Xcode 13 which supports arm 64
Project target->Build Settings-> + sign to add user define setting and add a setting. then add VALID_ARCHS as a field under this add the value $(ARCHS_STANDARD). Automatically it will convert it arm64 arm 7.
see the attached image for more reference.
Just my two cents.
As pointed out in other responses, now to sign ios app (compatible with ios and ipados 15) with
codesign
command on MacOS prior to Big Sur add the--generate-entitlement-der
flag. I can sign my app with Xcode 10.3 using this python 2.7 (tried both on MacOS Mojave 10.14 and MacOS Catalina 10.15) snippet code:Output example log:
Some additional tips…
MacOS keychain should contains the Apple certificate used to create the mobile provisioning profile, which is also utilized to distribute the app we’re signing. You can check it using the command
security find-identity -p codesigning
:After the
ipa
zip archive creation, you can use the Gemipa_analyzer
(https://github.com/bitrise-io/ipa_analyzer) to verify if the app is correctly signed:Here a complete output example.
As additional references about this issue, you can read also this Apple documentation page and this Apple forum post.
EDIT: this procedure it’s working also with MacOS Monterey (version 12.6.1) and Xcode Version 14.1 (14B47b).
Embedded
field to "Do not Embed"After testing all solutions, Only one worked for me. Because XCode adds sign signature automatically when you add Framework, Any Framework that needs to
Embed & Sign
should remove, and add again. Xcode will add the new sign signature automatically.Embed & Sign
, except CocoaPods.Embed & Sign
.pods
framework set onDo Not Embed
Now clean and run your app on your device.
Here are some visual directions to @CameronLowellPalmer’s answer.
I got the steps from
@WayneHenderson’s comment underneath the accepted answer.
Follow the red arrows steps 1 – 11 (there is no 8, I made a mistake and went from 7 straight to 9).
The most important thing is step 4, make sure to select
All
or you won’t find theOther Code Signing Flags
options.For step 5 just enter
Other Code Signing Flags
into the search container.Steps 9 – 11 is where you enter
--generate-entitlement-der
I have spent 2 days to find this issue, Finally i got the solution here from the person Lance Samaria. I would like to share it.
Target-> Build Settings -> Other Code Signing Flags
Add this code –generate-entitlement-der to both Debug and Release
After that Go to Target-> General->Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Contents -> Change to "Do not Embed"
Also I renewed Provisioning Profile and IOS Distribution Certificates.
Now Clean Build Folder and Run Your Project.
Thank you so Much for Lance Samaria
For people who use Xcode13 like me, the problem may not be because of the code signature of our apps (To check the code signature of apps, see https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/using-the-latest-code-signature-format), but due to the code signature of one of the dependencies, and removing the dependency solves the problem.
In my case, I remove the dependencies one by one, and eventually found that the culprit is
FirebaseAnalyticsOnDeviceConversion
. remove dependenciesWhat helped in my case was
pod deintegrate
andpod install
. That’s all.I had this problem with the newest Xcode version (13.4.1). As the installation on an iOS device actually stoped working out of nowhere (it did install successfully 10 min ago before I downgraded one dependency), I doubted the proposed solutions relate to my problem.
When nothing else works, try turning your device off and back on again. Strangely this finally fixed it for me.
My issue was I was using custom static framework target, and I embed it in my app, Finally resolved it by don’t embed it or change static to dynamic framework target
The following changes solved my problem
Project Target
and selectGeneral
Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content
Embed & Sign
toDo Not Embed
Maybe it will help somebody one day, but the solution for me was connected with the pods and their framework.
When I switched settings to Do not embed everything worked.