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Create a production build locally

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Learn how to create a production build for your Expo app locally.

To create your app's production build (also known as release build) locally, you need to follow separate steps on your computer and use the tools required to create any native app. This guide provides the necessary steps for Android and iOS.

Android

Creating a production build locally for Android requires signing it with an upload key and generating an Android Application Bundle (.aab). Follow the steps below:

Prerequisites

  • OpenJDK distribution installed to access the keytool command
  • android directory generated. If you are using CNG, then run npx expo prebuild to generate it.

1

Create an upload key

Already created a build with EAS Build? Download your credentials and skip to the next step.

If you've already created a build with EAS Build, follow the steps below to download the credentials, which contains the upload key and its password, key alias, and key password:

  1. In your terminal, run eas credentials -p android and select the build profile.
  2. Select credentials.json > Download credentials from EAS to credentials.json.
  3. Move the downloaded keystore.jks file to the android/app directory.
  4. Copy the values for the upload keystore password, key alias, and key password from the credentials.json as you will need them in the next step.

Inside your Expo project directory, run the following keytool command to create an upload key:

Terminal
- sudo keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-upload-key.keystore -alias my-key-alias -keyalg RSA -keysize 2048 -validity 10000

After running this command, you will be prompted to enter a password for the keystore. This password will protect the upload key. Remember the password you enter here, as you'll need it in the next step.

This command also generates the keystore file named my-upload-key.keystore in your project directory. Move it to the android/app directory.

If you commit the android directory to a version control system like Git, don't commit this keystore file. It contains your upload key and should be kept private.

2

Update gradle variables

Open android/gradle.properties file and add the following gradle variables at the end of the file. These variables contain information about your upload key:

android/gradle.properties
MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE=my-upload-key.keystore
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS=my-key-alias
MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD=*****
MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD=*****
If you commit the android directory to a version control system like Git, don't commit the above information. Instead, create a ~/.gradle/gradle.properties file on your computer and add the above variables to this file.

3

Add signing config to build.gradle

Open android/app/build.gradle file and add the following configuration:

android/app/build.gradle
android {
  signingConfigs {
    // ...
+   release {
+     if (project.hasProperty('MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE')) {
+         storeFile file(MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_FILE)
+         storePassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_STORE_PASSWORD
+         keyAlias MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_ALIAS
+         keyPassword MYAPP_UPLOAD_KEY_PASSWORD
+     }
    }
  }
  buildTypes {
    // ...
    release {
      signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
+     signingConfig signingConfigs.release
      minifyEnabled false
      // ...
    }
  }
}

4

Generate release Android Application Bundle (aab)

Create a production build in .aab format by running Gradle's bundleRelease command:

Terminal
- ./gradlew app:bundleRelease

This command will generate app-release.aab inside the android/app/build/outputs/bundle/release directory.

iOS

To create an iOS production build locally for Apple App Store, you need to use Xcode which handles the signing and submission process via App Store Connect.

Prerequisites

  • Paid Apple Developer membership
  • Xcode installed on your computer
  • ios directory generated. If you are using CNG, then run npx expo prebuild to generate it.

1

Open iOS workspace in Xcode

Inside your Expo project directory, run the following command to open your-project.xcworkspace in Xcode:

Terminal
- xed ios

After opening the iOS project in Xcode:

  1. From the sidebar on the left, select your app's workspace.
  2. Go to Signing & Capabilities and select All or Release.
  3. Under Signing > Team, ensure your Apple Developer team is selected. Xcode will generate an automatically managed Provisioning Profile and Signing Certificate.

2

Configure a release scheme

To configure your app's release scheme:

  1. From the menu bar, open Product > Scheme > Edit Scheme.
  2. Select Run from the sidebar, then set the Build configuration to Release using the dropdown.

3

Build app for release

To build your app for release, From the menu bar, open Product > Build. This step will build your app binary for release.

4

App submission using App Store Connect

Once the build is complete, you can distribute your app to TestFlight or submit it to the App Store using App Store Connect:

  1. From the menu bar, open Product > Archive.
  2. Under Archives, click Distribute App from the right sidebar.
  3. Click App Store Connect and follow the prompts shown in the window. This step will create an app store record and upload your app to the App Store.
  4. Now you can go to your App Store Connect account, select your app under Apps, and submit it for testing using TestFlight or prepare it for final release by following the steps in the App Store Connect dashboard.