Distribution certificate / private key not installed

Question

Using Xcode 9.1, after building an iOS app, I want to archive it and upload it to the appStore for beta-testing. But I get the following issue after clicking the button Upload to the App Store... and choosing Automatically manage signing:

"My Name" has one iOS Distribution certificate but its private key is not installed. Contact the creator of this certificate to get a copy of the private key.

I do not know why this "private key is not installed", but the Distribution certificate may have been created on a different computer or something. In any case:

What is the simplest way to retrieve the missing private key and install it? In order to make things work.

Answer 1

You can only have one distribution certificate. It unites a public key, known to Apple, with a private key, which lives in the keychain of some computer. If this distribution certificate was created on another computer, then the private key is on the keychain of that computer. And this distribution certificate does not work without it.

So to use this distribution certificate on this computer, you must find that computer, open Keychain Access, locate and export the private key, mail it or otherwise get it to this computer, and import it into the keychain of this computer.

If you go into the Accounts pref pane in Xcode and double-click your Team, you'll see a dialog that gives you help with this. If you see your distribution certificate and it says Not In Keychain, you can control-click that certificate to get a menu item that lets you email whoever created the certificate and ask them to send it to you. That person can use this same import to choose Export Certificate and can email you exported certificate.

Either way, the private key or exported certificate will be passworded. You'll need to know the password in order to use it.

Answer 2

Up to date (January 2021) (Xcode 10 - 12)

1. Go to Xcode - Preferences - Accounts - Manage Certificates
2. Click on the + at the bottom left, then Apple Distribution
3. Wait a little, then click Done

That's all. You may want to revoke the old certificate on developer.apple.com too.

Old answer

Step 1: Xcode -> Product -> Archives -> Click manage certificate

Step 2: Add iOS distribution

Answer 3

This answer is for "One Man" Team to solve this problem quickly without reading through too many information about "Team"

Step 1) Go to web browser, open your developer account. Go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles. Select Certificates / Production. You will see the certificate that was missing private key listed there. Click Revoke. And follow the instructions to remove this certificate. Step 2) That's it! go back to Xcode to Validate you app. It will now ask you to generate a new certificate. Now you happily uploading your apps.

Answer 4

Add a new Production Certificate here, then download the .cer file and double click it to add it to Keychain.

All will be fine now, don't forget to restart Xcode!!!

Answer 5

EDIT: I thought that the other computer is dead so I'm fixing my answer:

You should export the certificate from the first computer with it's private key and import it in the new computer.

I prefer the iCloud way, backup to iCloud and get it in the new computer.

If you can't do it with some reason, you can revoke the certificate in Apple developers site, then let Xcode to create a new one for you, it'll also create a fresh new private key and store it in your Keychain, just be sure to back it up in your preferred way

Answer 6

People's answer here about having the key from the computer is generated are accurate. But if things are still failing, try restarting Xcode after installing a cert

Answer 7

revoke all distribution certificate for developer.apple.com and the validate your app in Xcode there will be the option to create a new distribution certificate after you can export key for further use.

This work for me.

Answer 8

Just for anyone else who goes through this, the answers above are correct but it can still be a bit confusing especially if you have multiple certificates. These were the steps that I took:

1. First take note of the date in the actual distribution certificate that is missing its private key. Then go to the keychain application on the other computer and type iOS in the search bar. It will show all of your iOS Developer and Distribution keys so you have to find the right one.

2. Click the right arrow of each iOS Distribution entry to reveal the certificate and find the one with the correct date and export that one by right clicking and selection export.

3. Then just import it in the keychain of the new computer and at least with Xcode 9.3 it immediately recognizes it and corrects the error so you can now upload your achieve.

Answer 9

If you are using the certificate in a new computer or not. The easiest thing to do would be to revoke the previous certificate relating to the project. Then re-upload to the store. Xcode will generate a new one.

Answer 10

In my case Xcode was not accessing certificates from the keychain, I followed these steps:

1. delete certificates from the keychain.
2. restart the mac.
3. generate new certificates.
4. install new certificates.
5. clean build folder.
6. build project.
7. again clean build folder.
8. archive now. It works That's it.

Answer 11

i tried all mentioned solutions available on the internet but no solution working on my Mac, then i created a provisioning profile manually on apple developer website from certificates and identifiers. By importing that file manually app successfully uploaded on appStore follow below steps

On Developer website

1-go to this link https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates

2- In profile Section create new profile by using app bundle identifier

3-Download it and save it an where

On Xcode

1-Go to Signing and certificates

2-Disable automatically manage signing

3- Select provisioning profile in its section

4- Archive the app

5-Click Distribute App ->ApStore connect ->Upload->Next-> Then Select Profile from XXXX-app section when it download it show inside this section and now upload it

Answer 12

Click on Manage Certificates->Apple Distribution->Done

Answer 13

1. go to this link https://developer.apple.com/account/resources/certificates/list

2. find certificate name in your alert upload then

3. Revoke certificate that

4. if you have certificate you download again
5. upload testflight again

Answer 14

If you are being stuck on this problem. After switch the computer and not able to upload your build to App Store. Simply click manage certificate on the error page, the + plus on the bottom left corner and create a new distribution certificate. Then you'll be good to go.

Answer 15

Adding to the above answers, If you have admin access on this account create new certificate and use it to publish. I just did that and it passed.

1- Create new Certificate Signing Request (KeyChain Access > Certificate Assistant ) and save to the disk https://help.apple.com/developer-account/#/devbfa00fef7

2- Login into your apple developer account > Certificates and Identifiers > Click + to add new certificate)

3- Upload the signing cert you created in step 1, click next and download the certificate

4- Double click the certificate to install it. Make sure it is trusted and showing "This certificate is valid".

5- Try to archive again now and choose automatic signing.

That should do it.

Answer 16

I was facing the same problem with Xcode v11.3

Upgrading to Xcode 11.6 solved the problem for me

Answer 17

I am also facing the same issue in xCode (v12.4) and created two more distribution certificates but nothing get worked for me.

Solution : Restarting xCode seemed to do the trick for me.