Apple signing & installation
Resolve Apple login, signing, profile expiry, device trust, and Companion installation errors on Windows.
Use this guide when Companion for Windows detects your iPhone but cannot sign, install, or open the app. Keep Companion running and the phone unlocked and connected over USB.
Find the failing step
Check the progress and error message. Build, Apple authentication, signing, installation, and launch are different steps. A build error needs a project fix; an Apple signing error needs an account or provisioning fix. An installed app may still need developer trust before it can launch.
| Error or symptom | Action |
|---|---|
| Apple login or verification fails | Check the Apple account and current six-digit code. Complete outstanding Apple account prompts, then sign in again in Companion. Never enter the password or verification code in project chat. |
| Developer agreement or team unavailable | Sign in to the Apple developer account, accept any required agreement, and check team access. Then reconnect the Apple account in Companion. |
| Certificate, identity, or provisioning failure | Read the exact error and reconnect the Apple account. Keep the project bundle identifier consistent and check whether the requested capability is supported by your team. Do not delete or revoke certificates used by other projects as a routine retry. |
| Free account has too many apps | Choose an existing test app to remove from the iPhone, understanding that its local data may be deleted. Then retry. |
| Too many App IDs | Reuse the existing project identifier and wait for expired App IDs if necessary. This limit is separate from the number of installed apps. |
| Profile expired or app no longer opens | Reconnect USB, rebuild, sign, and install again. Free profiles expire after seven days. |
| Developer Mode disabled | Enable Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode, finish the restart confirmation, and reconnect the phone. |
| Installed but launch failed or developer untrusted | Open Settings → General → VPN & Device Management, select the developer entry, and complete trust. Keep the phone online for verification, then open the app from the Home Screen. |
| Phone missing during installation | Unlock it, accept Trust This Computer, check the data cable, and confirm the phone appears in Apple Devices on Windows. |
| Build fails before signing | Open Preview logs, send the relevant compilation error to chat, and install after a successful build. |
Retry and contact support
Wait for the current job to finish before starting another installation. If it failed, correct the reported cause and retry from the project's device menu.
Send [email protected] the failed step, exact error, Companion version, Windows version, and iOS version. Remove passwords, verification codes, account tokens, certificates, and private keys from screenshots and logs.