---
title: macOS Code Signing
sidebar:
  label: macOS
  order: 11
i18nReady: true
---

import { Tabs, TabItem } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

Code signing is required on macOS to allow your application to be listed in the [Apple App Store] and to prevent a warning that your application is broken and can not be started, when downloaded from the browser.

## Prerequisites

Code signing on macOS requires an [Apple Developer] account which is either paid (99$ per year) or on the free plan (only for testing and development purposes). You also need an Apple device where you perform the code signing. This is required by the signing process and due to Apple's Terms and Conditions.

:::note
Note when using a free Apple Developer account, you will not be able to notarize your application and it will still show up as not verified when opening the app.
:::

## Signing

To setup code signing for macOS you must create an Apple code signing certificate and
install it to your Mac computer keychain or export it to be used in CI/CD platforms.

### Creating a signing certificate

To create a new signing certificate, you must generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) file from your Mac computer.
See [creating a certificate signing request] to learn how to create the CSR for code signing.

On your Apple Developer account, navigate to the [Certificates, IDs & Profiles page]
and click on the `Create a certificate` button to open the interface to create a new certificate.
Choose the appropriate certificate type (`Apple Distribution` to submit apps to the App Store, and `Developer ID Application` to ship apps outside the App Store).
Upload your CSR, and the certificate will be created.

:::note

Only the Apple Developer `Account Holder` can create _Developer ID Application_ certificates. But it can be associated with a different Apple ID by creating a CSR with a different user email address.

:::

### Downloading the certificate

On the [Certificates, IDs & Profiles page], click on the certificate you want to use and click on the `Download` button.
It saves a `.cer` file that installs the certificate on the keychain once opened.

### Configuring Tauri

You can configure Tauri to use your certificate when building macOS apps on your local machine or when using CI/CD platforms.

#### Signing locally

With the certificate installed in your Mac computer keychain, you can configure Tauri to use it for code signing.

The name of the certificate's keychain entry represents the `signing identity`, which can also be found by executing:

```sh
security find-identity -v -p codesigning
```

This identity can be provided in the [`tauri.conf.json > bundle > macOS > signingIdentity`] configuration option or
via the `APPLE_SIGNING_IDENTITY` environment variable.

:::note

A signing certificate is only valid if associated with your Apple ID.
An invalid certificate won't be listed on the _Keychain Access > My Certificates_ tab
or the _security find-identity -v -p codesigning_ output.
If the certificate does not download to the correct location, make sure the "login" option is selected in _Keychain Access_
under "Default Keychains" when downloading the .cer file.

:::

#### Signing in CI/CD platforms

To use the certificate in CI/CD platforms, you must export the certificate to a base64 string
and configure the `APPLE_CERTIFICATE` and `APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD` environment variables:

1. Open the `Keychain Access` app, click the _My Certificates_ tab in the _login_ keychain and find your certificate's entry.
2. Expand the entry, right-click on the key item, and select `Export "$KEYNAME"`.
3. Select the path to save the certificate's `.p12` file and define a password for the exported certificate.
4. Convert the `.p12` file to base64 running the following script on the terminal:

```sh
openssl base64 -in /path/to/certificate.p12 -out certificate-base64.txt
```

5. Set the contents of the `certificate-base64.txt` file to the `APPLE_CERTIFICATE` environment variable.
6. Set the certificate password to the `APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD` environment variable.

<br />

<details>
<summary>Example GitHub Actions configuration</summary>

Required secrets:

- `APPLE_ID` - Your Apple ID email
- `APPLE_ID_PASSWORD` - Your Apple ID password
- `APPLE_CERTIFICATE` - The base64 encoded `.p12` file
- `APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD` - The password for your exported `.p12` file
- `KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD` - The password for your keychain

Check out the official GitHub guide to learn [how to set up secrets](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/security-for-github-actions/security-guides/using-secrets-in-github-actions#creating-secrets-for-a-repository).

```yaml
name: 'build'

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  build-macos:
    needs: prepare
    strategy:
      matrix:
        include:
          - args: '--target aarch64-apple-darwin'
            arch: 'silicon'
          - args: '--target x86_64-apple-darwin'
            arch: 'intel'
    runs-on: macos-latest
    env:
      APPLE_ID: ${{ secrets.APPLE_ID }}
      APPLE_ID_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_ID_PASSWORD }}
    steps:
      - name: Import Apple Developer Certificate
        env:
          APPLE_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}
          APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}
          KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD }}
        run: |
          echo $APPLE_CERTIFICATE | base64 --decode > certificate.p12
          security create-keychain -p "$KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD" build.keychain
          security default-keychain -s build.keychain
          security unlock-keychain -p "$KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD" build.keychain
          security set-keychain-settings -t 3600 -u build.keychain
          security import certificate.p12 -k build.keychain -P "$APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD" -T /usr/bin/codesign
          security set-key-partition-list -S apple-tool:,apple:,codesign: -s -k "$KEYCHAIN_PASSWORD" build.keychain
          security find-identity -v -p codesigning build.keychain
      - name: Verify Certificate
        run: |
          CERT_INFO=$(security find-identity -v -p codesigning build.keychain | grep "Apple Development")
          CERT_ID=$(echo "$CERT_INFO" | awk -F'"' '{print $2}')
          echo "CERT_ID=$CERT_ID" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          echo "Certificate imported."
      - uses: tauri-apps/tauri-action@v0
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          APPLE_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE }}
          APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.APPLE_CERTIFICATE_PASSWORD }}
          APPLE_SIGNING_IDENTITY: ${{ env.CERT_ID }}
        with:
          args: ${{ matrix.args }}
```

</details>

## Notarization

To notarize your application, you must provide credentials for Tauri to authenticate with Apple. This can be done via the App Store Connect API, or via your Apple ID.

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="App Store Connect">
    1. Open the [App Store Connect's Users and Access page], select the Integrations tab, click on the Add button and select a name and the Developer access.
    2. Set the `APPLE_API_ISSUER` environment variable to the value presented above the keys table.
    3. Set the `APPLE_API_KEY` environment variable to the value on the Key ID column on that table.
    4. Download the private key, which can only be done once and is only visible after a page reload (the button is shown on the table row for the newly created key).
    5. Set the `APPLE_API_KEY_PATH` environment variable to the file path of the downloaded private key.
  </TabItem>

  <TabItem label="Apple ID">
    1. Set the `APPLE_ID` environment variable to your Apple account email.
    2. Set the `APPLE_PASSWORD` environment variable to an [app-specific password] for your Apple account.
    3. Set the `APPLE_TEAM_ID` environment variable to your Apple Team ID. You can find your Team ID in [your account's membership page][membership].
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

:::note
Notarization is required when using a _Developer ID Application_ certificate.
:::

[Certificates]: https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates/list
[membership]: https://developer.apple.com/account#MembershipDetailsCard
[Apple Developer]: https://developer.apple.com
[Apple App Store]: https://www.apple.com/app-store/
[App Store Connect's Users and Access page]: https://appstoreconnect.apple.com/access/users
[`tauri.conf.json > bundle > macOS > signingIdentity`]: /reference/config/#signingidentity
[creating a certificate signing request]: https://developer.apple.com/help/account/create-certificates/create-a-certificate-signing-request
[Certificates, IDs & Profiles page]: https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates/list
[app-specific password]: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204397

## Ad-Hoc Signing

If you do not wish to provide an Apple-authenticated identity, but still wish to sign your application, you can configure an _ad-hoc_ signature.

This is useful on ARM (Apple Silicon) devices, where code-signing is required for all apps from the Internet.

:::caution
Ad-hoc code signing does not prevent MacOS from requiring users to
[whitelist the installation in their Privacy & Security settings](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-a-mac-app-from-an-unknown-developer-mh40616/mac).
:::

To configure an ad-hoc signature, provide the pseudo-identity `-` to Tauri, e.g.

```json
"signingIdentity": "-"
```

For details on configuring Tauri's signing identity, see [above](#configuring-tauri).
