Do I need a OSX machine to package from UE4 and install it in iOS devices?

anonymous_user_f52b003c · August 24, 2015, 9:39am

Hi guys,

I am very new to UE4 and noob in iOS development.

I have a working Windows Blueprint base UE4 project and successful package and installed into few Android devices for performance testing purposes.

But I got stuck in packaging it for iOS devices. FYI, I have already registered for Apple Developer ID.

I had read through many tutorials online for these subject and it has come to confuse me even more of the proper step of doing it.

To make myself clear, my questions

Do I need an OSX (Macbook, Mac deskstop) to be able to create the signing cert and mobile provision files ?
If I require an OSX machine, and I assume all the signing certificate and mobile provision files are created with my Apple Developer ID from the OSX machine, but how to create the KEY PAIR file that require to import into my windows projects?

Thank you very much in advance.

romfeo · August 24, 2015, 11:22am

You don’t need a Mac to run it. You will need a Mac to package it for release.

You must have iTunes installed in order to package and deploy your iOS projects to your device on Windows.

https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Platforms/iOS/QuickStart/1/index.html

anonymous_user_f52b003c · August 27, 2015, 2:46am

hi romfeo,

I had read through the documentation you shared before I posted this thread.

Ok, now with some friends help, I manage to Launch the game into an iPad.

But I still unable to create a package from my windows machine.

You mentioned, I will need a Mac to package it for release, does that mean I have to copy the project files into a Mac and create a package from there ?
or to setup the remote sync ?

Thank you.

anonymous_user_2b10dd13 · August 27, 2015, 6:56am

To be honest, I haven’t tried it myself, but the documentation says that you can package an iOS app on Windows: https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Platforms/iOS/QuickStart/8/index.html

The caveat is:

"Currently, if you are using the launcher version of Unreal Engine, you can only deploy from Windows to iOS for Blueprints-based projects. "

“The PC-only workflow described in this guide requires a pure Blueprint project. If you wish to use code in your project, you will also need a Mac in order to compile the code. You can follow the workflow outlined on the Advanced iOS PC/Mac Workflow page to develop code-based projects for iOS on a PC.”

So if you have a pure Blueprint project then yes, you won’t need a Mac.

Otherwise, you’ll have to copy over the files and use UE4 on Mac.

anonymous_user_61ce145f · August 27, 2015, 7:31am

I am currently working on an app for iOS on Windows. Like mentioned, as long as you use blueprints only you will be able to package it without having to use Mac.

Here is the link to the quick start guide for iOS. You will need the certs from apple dev to package and run it.

A few things that I learnt the hard way that might be of help:

If you still get errors during packaging, you might want to check “Settings > Project Settings > iOS” and fill in bundle information if it is empty.
To get an app working on your iOS device, you have to manually import the .ipa file (generated after packaging) using iTunes and add it to your device, otherwise the app won’t work properly.

To answer your questions:

Nope. See Setting Up an Unreal Engine Project for iOS | Unreal Engine 5.1 Documentation.

You create the certs through https://
You import them to Unreal using iphonepackager that comes with Unreal “Engine\Binaries\DotNET\IOS\ directory and run iPhonePackager.exe.”
Source: https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Platforms/iOS/QuickStart/6/index.html

See 1.

Nawrot · August 27, 2015, 12:22pm

There is only one thing you need OSX device for. It is uploading to app store for beta and final release. But that can be solved with remote/virtual mac that you can rent. Or any used and cheap mac you probably can get for 100-200$.

Sam_Deiter · August 27, 2015, 1:15pm

I can confirm that this is correct as I have been working on a document about this process.

anonymous_user_db3103541 · August 29, 2015, 12:09pm

If I have created a project in UE4 just with blueprints, can I package the demo for MAC without any kind of registration? I don’t want to upload it to an app store or anything.

anonymous_user_2b10dd13 · August 30, 2015, 12:52pm

It appears you can package for iOS from Windows as per above.

But it appears you can NOT package for Mac (OS X) from Windows. That’s what I gather from: Is it possible to build Games on Windows for mac? - Platform & Builds - Epic Developer Community Forums …Unless something has changed.

anonymous_user_f52b003c · September 1, 2015, 3:13am

Thank you everyone for the kind response.

I have successful package the .ipa on my windows machine and installed in my ipad too.

,
Yes, it is only work with BP projects only. Thanks for the tips.

SmileyJeff,
yes, you are right on the bundle information. I have to filled it up to make everything work properly.

Nawrot and Sam,
Haven’t reach the stage for publish in appstore yet, but thanks for the tips, will keep it mind later.

anonymous_user_2b10dd13 · September 1, 2015, 5:03am

Cheers, glad to know you can create the .ipa easily on Windows. This is no small feat.

VladV · October 24, 2015, 7:47am

I am in the same position as isometricworks. One thing that I need to clarify:

On Windows (Blueprint / launcher version of UE4) can i package for OS X/ mac devices? I only have the iOS version available.
If so, this means I need a mac device to pack for os X?

StrangerGwenn · January 26, 2016, 10:21am

My project is fully in C++ and I don’t have a Mac, so I can’t package a Mac OS version ? Is my understanding correct here ?

tegleg · January 26, 2016, 5:57pm

either buy an old mac that meets the minimum requirements and let it generally gather dust and take up space or (some people might, shhh) use a hackintosh

alvin777 · December 2, 2016, 11:54am

Hi. How do you test on your iPhone and submit to the App Store without Windiws (I only have macOS). Thanks.

Rowdeh · December 7, 2016, 10:15am

You can follow the steps on this documentation for that here:
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Platforms/iOS/QuickStart/1/index.html

AnthonyWS · February 1, 2018, 10:46pm

I was able to create an .IPA once, now every time I try it errors out and says "Remote compiling requires a server name. Please specify one in the Remote Server Name settings field. Not sure why this is coming up now, considering I was able to both launch to IPAD and package to .ipa. You think there is a setting I checked? I’m using Windows 10 and Unreal Engine 4.17.2

BrUnO_XaVIeR · February 1, 2018, 11:51pm

Well… This is how Apple sell hardware to developers, people other than Photoshop users.

David_Ee · February 2, 2018, 5:08am

As mention by other users; if your project is pure blue-print only, windows is all you need for packaging(only useful for testing). Anything else that require code need MacOS to compile. There is another problem in that you cannot change the app-icon in windows build, therefore the ipa is unable to pass testflight/apple store requirement check.

Darthlogan · February 2, 2018, 11:39am

Here are the steps i took to manage building remotely:

1 Create a Developer account on and pay the 100$.

2 Get a Mac (or a sort of Mac) and install Xcode 9.

3 Open Xcode and in preferences-Accounts log to you Developer account Apple ID.

4 Create a iOS Developer and iOS Distributor certificates on the “manage certificates” button.

5 Go to and create an AppID with the same name of your Unreal project, add your test devices and generate 3 provisions. One for developer, AddHog and AppStore.

6 Download the provisions to your PC.

7 In Xcode on your mac Preference-Accounts click the “Download Manual profiles”

8 In Xcode Preferences-Accounts-Manage Certificates Export both certificates to your Mac desktop.

9 Open your Keychain and import those certificates exported from Xcode to the System tray (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT) as rSync cannot interact with the Login tray of the Mac Keychain (and that’s where Xcode add the certificates by default)

10 Go to the Login Tray of the Mac Keychain and export each certificates (the developer and the Distribution) separately in the form of Certificates files. And Export the Keys to those certificates in the form of .P12 files.

11 Transfer those 4 exported files to your PC.

12 Open unreal and in Project preference iOS tab import both certificates and when asked for a key submit the .P12 key exports respectively.

13 Add the provision profiles you previously downloaded from the .

14 Uncheck all Certificates and provisions and let unreal manage which to use.

15 get the IP address of you “Mac” and add it to the remote server with a administrator Mac account.

16 Run Create SSH permission file. Submit the password for the administrator user twice.

17 In the Mac´s System Preferences-Sharing enable remote Login allow access to all users.

18 Sometimes it takes a Restart to read new certificates on the Mac.

19 Go to your Unreal PC Save all and Build.