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Move from InstallOnAir

Moving test builds from InstallOnAir takes an afternoon: upload the builds still in testing, decide how long links should last, give testers one link for later builds and help iPhone testers check their device. This guide covers each step and what it needs.

1. Step 1, Every plan

   What changes

   The idea is the same: upload an .ipa or .apk, get a link and a QR code, testers install from the phone browser. On AppForShare you can also add a password to a build, upload an .aab, and every install page tells testers why a build will not install. Install pages carry no third party ads. On Pro and Team links stay live while you subscribe.

2. Step 2, Every plan

   Upload the builds still in testing

   InstallOnAir links stay on InstallOnAir until they run out, so upload each build your testers still need again: from the web page, or with the CLI when there are many (Pro and Team, with an API token). Set a password if the old link was shared widely. Files up to 50 MB work without an account and up to 150 MB on Free; bigger builds need Pro (2 GB) or Team (4 GB).

   export APPFORSHARE_TOKEN=afs_your_token
   npx appforshare upload app.ipa --password "$LINK_PASSWORD" --comment "Login fix for the client review"

   All CLI commands

3. Step 3, Free, or Pro and Team

   Keep one link longer, or all of them

   A Free link lasts 7 days. To keep one build longer, pay $2 once from its build page and the link stays live for 60 days; paying again adds 60 more, up to 120 days ahead. One link per account can be kept this way at a time. On Pro and Team every link stays live while the plan is active, with no fixed end date.

   Plans and limits

4. Step 4, Pro and Team

   One link for every future build

   An InstallOnAir link points at one upload, so each new build means a new link for testers. Put builds into a channel such as Beta instead and send its link once: it always opens the newest build in the channel, iPhones get the iOS build and Android phones the Android build. Pick your own address such as /c/acme-beta.

   npx appforshare upload app.ipa --channel beta
   npx appforshare channel-address acme-beta --channel beta --app com.example.shop

   Custom channel address

5. Step 5, Every plan, registration on Pro and Team

   iPhone testers

   Send testers the free UDID finder at /udid to read their iPhone UDID, and ask them to tap Remember this device. From then on every iOS install page says whether the build includes that iPhone before they tap Install. On Pro, each iOS project has an onboarding link that saves the device to your list, and with an App Store Connect connection you register it on Apple from the Devices page.

   Remember my iPhone

6. Step 6, Pro and Team

   Tell testers about new builds

   Email the link from the build page or the CLI, up to 5 addresses per build, one plain mail per address (Pro and Team). On Team, add testers to tester groups: they are emailed when a new build lands, and you see who has the newest one.

   npx appforshare upload app.apk --email [email protected],[email protected]

   Email the install link

7. Step 7, Pro and Team

   Add a CI step

   InstallOnAir uploads are made from the web page, so there is no script to move. To upload every build from your pipeline, add the GitHub Action, the fastlane plugin or the CLI with an API token from Dashboard, Settings, API tokens.

   # fastlane (fastlane add_plugin appforshare, APPFORSHARE_TOKEN set)
   appforshare(release_notes: "Login fix", channel: "beta")

   CI guides

Weighing the two first? Read AppForShare vs InstallOnAir. For the upload commands, see Upload from CI.