Apple Developer credentials

Ruby Native needs three things from your Apple Developer account to sign your app and upload it to TestFlight: your Team ID, an App Store Connect API key (with its key ID and issuer ID), and the key's .p8 private key file.

#Team ID

Your Team ID identifies your Apple Developer account. You'll use the same one for all your apps.

  1. Sign in to developer.apple.com/account.
  2. Scroll down to the Membership details section.
  3. Your Team ID is a 10-character alphanumeric string (e.g., ABCDE12345). Copy it.

Membership details section with Team ID highlighted

If you're on a team with multiple members, any member can view the Team ID. It's not a secret, just an identifier.

#App Store Connect API key

The API key lets Ruby Native upload builds to TestFlight on your behalf. You create it in App Store Connect, not the Developer portal.

  1. Go to App Store Connect and sign in.
  2. Click Users and Access in the top navigation.
  3. Click the Integrations tab.
  4. In the left sidebar, click App Store Connect API.
  5. Under Team Keys, click the + button to generate a new key.
  6. Enter a name you'll recognize later, like "Ruby Native".
  7. For access, select Admin. Ruby Native needs this role to upload builds and manage provisioning.
  8. Click Generate.

Make sure it's a Team Key, the kind under Users and Access. An Individual Key, generated from your own user profile, can't access provisioning, so it can't sign your app even with the Admin role.

Generate API Key dialog with Admin role selected

After generating the key, you'll see it listed in the table. Three values come from this page:

  • Key ID: shown in the table next to your key name. A short alphanumeric string like ABC123DEFG.
  • Issuer ID: shown at the top of the page, above the key table. A UUID like xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx. This is the same for all keys under your account.
  • .p8 file: click Download next to the key. This downloads a file named AuthKey_XXXXXXXX.p8.

API keys table showing Key ID, Issuer ID, and Download button

Important: Apple only lets you download the .p8 file once. If you lose it, you'll need to revoke the key and create a new one. Store it somewhere safe.

#Can I reuse an existing key?

Yes, as long as it's a Team Key with the Admin role. An Individual Key can't sign apps, even as Admin. To reuse a key, you'll need the key ID, issuer ID, and the .p8 file you downloaded when you first created it.

#What if I don't have an Apple Developer account?

You need an Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year) to distribute apps through TestFlight and the App Store. Ruby Native can't build or upload without one. See the enrollment guide for step-by-step instructions.