If you’ve created a React Native application and now want to put it on your iPhone so that you can use it yourself or show it off to all of your friends, you will need to follow a few specific steps.

Your friends reaction to your new iPhone app

Note: I’m assuming that you already have Xcode installed, an AppleID, and your Signing Identities (Scroll to: Viewing Signing Identities and Provisioning Profiles) set up.

Step 1: Open your Project in Xcode

The iOS version of your app should live here:

ios > projectName.xcodeproj

If you’re in the Terminal you can use the following command:

open projectName.xcodeproj

Step 2: Set up your app for deployment

  1. ⌘ + ⇧ + < (Product > Scheme > Edit Scheme)
  2. Change Build Configuration to Release
  3. Uncheck Debug executable

Step 3: Add icons to your app

  1. In the file directory on the left side of Xcode navigate to: yourProjectName > Images.xcassests
  2. Get a set of icons (I use http://appicon.build/ to do this)
  3. Drag and drop the images into the AppIcon window

Step 4: Connect your iPhone and Deploy

Select your iPhone and then click ▶.

Note 1: you may get the following error and resolving it should be easy.

Note 2: In order to run the app on your iPhone you will need to do the following:

  1. Goto Settings > General > Profiles & Device Management
  2. Touch yourEmail@example.com
  3. Touch Trust “yourEmail@example.com”

You should now be able to run the application you build without having your iPhone connected to your computer.

Now, go use your app and show your friends how cool and easy it is to develop with React Native!