Testflight public beta invite links iOS: Beta testing made simple

Apple launched Testflight public beta invite links as announced in last WWDC.

Testflight public beta link

You can invite up to 10,000 testers using just their email address or a public invitation link.

Pros:

• Developers can now generate public URLs inside TestFlight that they can share with anyone. [ scroll down to see steps]
• Testers have to click on the link using an iOS device to install the app. Now it is easy for developers to distribute the app for beta testing and get feedback.
• Developers now can simply post a link on their blog or on social media and reach as many testers as possible.
• Disable the link any time.
• Set a maximum number of testers who can use this link. ie; max limit.
• The new appstore connect rest api allows us to automate tester group creation, assigning builds , making public links, adding and removing testers and updating test info. Watch WWDC video for more details

Cons:

• Developers or the app owners don’t have any control over these links. Anybody with the link can install and test the app.
• Developers will not get any feedback from the testers.

Link Validity

Link will be valid for 90 days and after that it will expire.

How to create a testflight public beta link?

I will explain these with images from WWDC video step by step. First log on to http://appstoreconnect.apple.com

Create a tester group in testflight section of appstore connect.

Create new group and save.

group is created and we need to add build for testing.

Click on builds section

Click builds+ button

Select the appropriate build and click ok.

Go back to the tester section and click on “Enable public link”

Public link is generated . You can either copy, disable or set max limit for testers who can install using this link

And this error will be shown if someone clicks on an expired testflight public beta link.

Note : The new appstore connect rest api allows us to automate tester group creation, assigning builds , making public links, adding and removing testers and updating test info. Watch WWDC video for more details

Thats it. Enjoy..

Reference: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2018/301/

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