How to notify testers of new build in TestFlight?

10
votes

Over the past two years, we've had around 3-400 beta testers. After Apples update to TestFlight the summer of 2017, we've had problems with nearly all our TestFlight-uploads. Sometimes our beta testers receive email/notification about "a new build is ready to test" 90 days too late, at the exact time the build expires, and sometimes they don't receive notification at all. Just a handful of times it works as expected, that they get notified when we the build is available to test.

Is there a secret trick to managing TestFlight? I upload the build, click "provide export compliance"-thing, add my internal and external group, and click "Start testing". The build automatically gets available for internal testing, and is sent to beta-review for Apple for external testing. They approve it within 24h, and the build is available in the TestFlight-app for all our beta-testers. But none of them got a notification saying there's a new build..

Followup: How can we fix this now? Do we have to upload a completely new build, or can I remove the "external testers"-group from the build and re-add them again. Will they receive a "new build available"-notifications? Will they also receive "Build is no longer available for testing" at the moment I remove the external group from the currently active new build? Meh..

4
iosapp-store-connecttestflight
if they redeemed the app once, they will get auto-notitication after every new build is available – if necessary you can resend the email about to test the new build anytime via iTunes Portal. – holex
@holex That's what's supposed to happen. But Apple approved our build for beta testing 24 hours ago, and it is available in the TestFlight-app for everybody, but only 7 out of 300 has downloaded it - because NOBODY received any notification of a new build. This is the third time this happens (not third time in a row). A few months ago, this happened, and they received the notification 90 days later. – Sti

4 Answers

10
votes

Ok. It baffles me how extremely bad Apples dev-websites and services are.

So, in my newly uploaded build, there are two "groups". One called "iTunes Connect Users", which are the internal users who are invited to the developer team. They got an email and a notification immediately when I clicked "Start Testing", because a review is not needed for internal testing. The other group is called "External testers". The build is available for them, but they didn't get notified when the build was approved by Apple.

I was considering removing the "External testers"-group from the build, hoping for a notification when re-adding the group. But, I also thought the group might first receive "This build is no longer available for testing" or something if I removed the group from the build.

I figured I wanted to test this first, to see if testers receive a notification when I remove their group from a build, so I created a new group (called "ExternalTest"), added one single (new)test-member, and added this new group to the same active build, so that there are three groups under that build.

At the very moment I clicked "add group to build", all of our test-devices here, and apparently every single beta-tester, received a push notification from TestFlight, saying that the new build is available to test. Now, our "installed"-number is skyrocketing, as people are updating.

What the hell, Apple? I agree with you, @Nitish, TestFlight sucks badly.

3
votes

Having the exact same problem - a build was approved for external testing by Apple yesterday, but no one received a notification. I created a new group now, added my private email to it, and then added the group to the build. Swoosh! All out test devices received the push notification about the new build. Thumb down emote from me, Apple.

2
votes

I myself have encountered the same problem. My client who is added as a Beta Tester receives a notification when a build is uploaded. (Never reached a state where he would need a notification where build has expired after 90 days). However, his further client is also added as a Beta tester. But doesn't receive notifications.
This is where I would like to say keenly, TestFlight sucks badly. I would suggest, the best way to track this is to check the status of Build installed or not. Usually Apple reviews the Beta build within 24 hours. At that time, make sure to check the above mentioned status. Re-invite the tester if it still doesn't work.
That's the lame way to get along this, unfortunately.
Otherwise, I would suggest going for other libraries such as Hockey or Diawi.
This is the best I can offer :)

2
votes

I had a go round with the TestFlight crew a while ago about how bad their interface was. I wanted them to have a simple list that you filled out and a Save button so that you didn't have to do it all at once. Then there should be another button, Send To Testers, that you touched when done. Simple, no? Nah, they rejected my suggestion. I pointed out that when you submit an app to iTunes that's exactly how you do it. Nope, we're doing it this stupid way.

The best I can figure out is that you should walk down the left hand list in the TestFlight section one at a time starting with Builds/iOS . When you reach the bottom and fill out App Information/Test Information hitting Save sends out the invitation. Maybe...