I would like to create an app but don’t want to sell it. I just want to use it. I’m not a developer and not looking to make money with apps. Is it possible to create an app and install it without going through iTunes?
Hello,
What you want to do is possible however you will still have to use itunes, but you don’t need to publish your app to the app store and gave it vetted by Apple.
EDIT: Infact if I remember correctly you might not even have to use itunes. There is some research to do here but this is easily found by using google.
@Mark_Rudolphi Welcome to the community!
I have over a dozen apps on my phone that I created for my use, Xcode will happily install them on a personal iPhone or iPad. If you want to distribute them to others you will need to go through the app store.
Keep in mind that iCloud will not back up app you install from Xcode so when you change to a new phone, etc. you will need to reinstall and you will loose that data unless you have it in a separate back-up.
Blessings,
—Mark
Thanks so much - that is good to hear. I have heard Chris mention that you can load it on your phone for testing but it gets deleted after 7 days. Maybe that has changed.
No that’s still accurate.
You could develop the app and put it in private beta testing through TestFlight.
With this you’re allowed to have the app downloaded for 90 days before it expires
Maybe is it because I have a paid developer account, but I have had apps I have created and not published on my phone for more that 7 days and even more than 90 days. So I am not sure about the direct install, but I do now that Test flight apps needs to be renewed every 90 days.
good luck.
Blessings,
—Mark
I’m hoping to do a similar thing. I wish to create a bespoke Jingle app for a local radio station which I just want to give to a couple of the DJ’s. So I would need an Apple Developers account (ie $99) to do this? And even then they will loose the App in 90 days?
Yes for making an Apple developer account for $90 to if you want deploy it to the App Store where anyone can use it (and you won’t lose it in 90 days)
You could pay the fee, deploy it to the App Store but have people log in. And only give the log in to those DJs. So really if anyone else tries to download it, it’ll be pointless cause they don’t have a login.
Not sure how feasible this is and if Apple accepts stuff like this 
Does that make sense though? For deploying it but only allowing people you want to use it
if you have a free developer account you can install to up to 3 physical devices (not through app store) and it will last up to 7 days
however, if you have a developer account your app will last up to 1 year (depending on the duration of your developer account) and you can install to up to 100 physical devices
also as a developer you can also go the testflight option but it will only last up to 90 days (easier to install to multiple people because they can use the appstore), they can also easily reinstall the app to reset the 90 days
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