Create a Simulator Build for App Review

As part of the App Review process, you have to submit a simulator binary package of your app. This article shows you how to create a simulator build of your app to submit to App Review.

Before you Begin

Download and install the Command-line App Launcher for Simulator. You will need this utility to verify your simulator build.

Step 1: Run your app in the simulator

Run your app in the Xcode iPhone simulator to generate a simulator build. The build will be in the ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData folder.

To find this folder in Xcode:

  1. Go to Xcode > Preferences.
  2. In the dialog box, click Locations.

Step 2: Compress the simulator build to a ZIP archive file

In the DerivedData folder in Finder, right click the folder with your build and click Compress.

Step 3: Verify the simulator build

Run the following command:

ios-sim launch /path/to/your-app.app

Step 4: Submit the ZIP archive

Submit the ZIP archive through the app dashboard

We delete the simulator build three weeks after your build has been reviewed.