The pre-unified Apple distribution certificate type that signed builds specifically for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Replaced by the unified Apple Distribution certificate.
Legacy iOS Distribution certificateiPhone Distribution certificateiOS App Store certificate
Before Apple unified its certificate types, an iOS team needed an iOS Distribution certificate to sign builds for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. A Mac team needed a separate Mac App Distribution certificate. Modern Apple Developer accounts issue a single Apple Distribution certificate that works across all of those platforms, and the legacy iOS Distribution type is no longer offered for new certificates.
You will still see this name
Xcode's build settings label the distribution identity for iOS product types as iOS Distribution, so a missing or keyless certificate fails with No signing certificate "iOS Distribution" found even on a team that only has modern Apple Distribution certificates.
Existing provisioning profiles created before the unification still reference an iOS Distribution certificate.
Older fastlane match repos and CI scripts often hard-code the type name appstore or iOS Distribution.
Some build settings and entitlement docs in older Apple PDFs and WWDC slides still use the old terminology.
What to do if you have one
Existing iOS Distribution certificates keep working until they expire. When you rotate one, Apple will issue an Apple Distribution certificate instead. Any provisioning profile that referenced the old type can be regenerated against the new one and your build settings do not need to change.
FAQ
Common questions about iOS Distribution certificate (legacy)
Not for new certificates. Apple unified the iOS and Mac distribution types into a single Apple Distribution certificate, so creating one today gives you Apple Distribution. Existing iOS Distribution certificates keep working until they expire.
iOS Distribution was the legacy type that signed only iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Apple Watch builds. Apple Distribution is the unified replacement that signs across those platforms plus Mac. The new type is effectively a superset, and profiles regenerate against it without changing build settings.
Let it run until it nears expiry, then rotate it. Apple issues an Apple Distribution certificate in its place, and you regenerate any provisioning profile that referenced the old certificate against the new one. Your Xcode build settings do not need to change.
Yes, until the certificate they reference expires. Profiles created before the unification still point at an iOS Distribution certificate and stay valid, but once you rotate that certificate you regenerate the profiles against the new Apple Distribution identity.
HexSign tracks every Apple certificate and provisioning profile and alerts you ahead of expiry. The Free plan covers tracking and alerts. Paid plans renew them for you.
