Generate Certificates with VoltSigner

VoltSigner is service for creating signing certificates. These certificates are necessary for both the development and distribution of your apps — they tell your testing devices and your users that your app is authentic. Development certificates are needed so that you can install and run your app on your testing devices. Distribution certificates are necessary to publish on the Google Play and Apple App Store.

Why Use VoltSigner?

VoltSigner has a number of benefits we think make it the best signing certificate generator:

Secure and Private

VoltSigner works locally on your computer. We do not upload or store the data you enter into VoltSigner, so your certificates and passwords are kept secure.

The security and privacy of your signing keys are of the utmost importance to us. If you have questions or concerns about our security and privacy practices please contact support@volt.build.

No Mac or Software Install Needed

You can use VoltSigner to generate your iOS development and distribution certificates without a Mac — though you will still need an Apple Developer account. And, because VoltSigner works from our website, you don’t need to install anything to use it.

VoltSigner Certificates Work Everywhere

Certificates generated by VoltSigner will work for any build tool - not just VoltBuilder. You can use the certs you get from VoltSigner with Apache Cordova, Ionic Capacitor, Appflow, and others.

Not Required to Use VoltBuilder

VoltSigner exists to make it easier for you to generate signing certificates. You don’t need to user VoltSigner to build or publish to Google Play or the Apple App Store with VoltBuilder — feel free to keep using your existing certs! Just add your certs to your project and they’ll work whether you got them from VoltSigner or elsewhere.

It’s Free and Easy to Use

VoltSigner is free and available on all VoltBuilder plans. And, VoltSigner itself is simple and easy to use — although there are some additional set up steps in your Google and Apple Developer accounts.

How It Works

VoltSigner works by taking information you enter, and then generates a .p12 and/or .csr file. Although the general steps are the same — enter your info and a password, click the generate button, add your certs to your project, and update your voltbuilder.json — each platform has its own prerequisites and additional steps.

Generating Android Certificates

Prerequisites

VoltSigner makes self signed certificates (.p12) which are required for upload to the Play Store. If you use Play App Signing, the certificate you generate with VoltSigner is used to verify your identity. The Google Play Store handles the actual app signing. We strongly recommend you use Play App Signing.

The certificates VoltSigner creates can also be used for signing .apk files for direct distribution.

• Set up your app in the App Store
• Set up Play App Signing

Generate Your Android Certificate with VoltSigner

1. Go to VoltSigner
2. Enter your Full Name and Email (required), along with any optional details you want to add

3. Enter a password in the Password field under “Android”

   • Make sure to save your password. Once you generate a certificate and upload it to the Play Store during the build process, you will need to keep using that certificate for your app. If you lose your password, your only option is to create a new store listing with a new package name and start from scratch. One time exceptions have been made by Google at Google’s discretion. You’ll need to contact Google to ask for an exception — VoltBuilder support cannot do this for you.

4. Click “Generate Keystore” to download your android.p12 file

   • Move your downloaded android.p12 file into the /certificates directory in your project

5. Click “Update your project’s voltbuilder.json” to download your updated voltbuilder.json file

   • Move the generated voltbuilder.json file to the root of your project
   • To simplify input, androidAlias is always set to key0. Similarly, the androidAliasPassword uses the same password as the certificate

Next Steps with Android Apps

1. Verify the information in your voltbuilder.json is correct and make sure it’s in the root of your project
2. Verify that your certificates are in your /certificates directory in your project
3. Head to the Upload page and start building!

Generating iOS Certificates

Prerequisites

• Register and sign in to your Apple Developer Account
• If you don’t already have one, register an App ID for your app
• For development certificates, register any testing device(s) you’ll be using

Generate Your iOS Certificate with VoltSigner

1. Go to VoltSigner
2. Enter your Full Name and Email (required), along with any optional details you want to add
3. Enter a password in the Password field under “iOS”
4. Click “Generate Certificate Request (.csr)”

5. Sign into your Apple Developer account and:

   • Go to Certificates, Identifiers, & Profiles

   • In your Certificates List:

     • Click the + icon next to “Certificates”
     • Choose either “Apple Development” or “Apple Distribution” and click “Continue”
     • Click “Choose File” and upload the ios.csr VoltSigner generated and click “Continue”
     • Click “Download” — your ios_development.cer or ios_distribution.cer file will be in your Downloads folder

   • In your Profiles List:

     • Click + icon next to “Profiles”

     • Select an provisioning profile type and click “Continue”

       • If you added an “Apple Development” certificate, select “iOS App Development”
       • If you added an “Apple Distribution” certificate, select either “Ad Hoc” or “App Store Connect”
     • Select the App ID you set up for your app and click “Continue”
     • Select the Certificates you want to include on this provisioning profile and click “Continue”
     • For development profiles, select the devices you want to add to this profile and click “Continue”
     • Enter a unique name for your provisioning profile and click “Generate”
     • Click “Download” — your [provisioning_profile_name].mobileprovision file will be in your Downloads folder

6. On the VoltSigner page, click “Locate your Certificate File (.cer)” to generate your .p12 file

   • Move your .p12 and .mobileprovision files to the /certificates directory in your project

7. Click “Update your project’s voltbuilder.json” to download your updated voltbuilder.json file

   • You may need to update your .mobileprovision filenames in the generated voltbuilder.json
   • Move the generated voltbuilder.json file to the root of your project
   • You may need to update your voltbuilder.json file to use the correct .mobileprovision filename

Next Steps with iOS Apps

1. Verify the information in your voltbuilder.json is correct and make sure it’s in the root of your project
2. Verify that your certificates are in your /certificates directory in your project
3. Head to the Upload page and start building!

Need Support?

• Drop a question in our support forum
• For questions about VoltSigner’s security or privacy, email support@voltbuilder.com