How can I extend the Certificate Expiration length for Personal Apps?

Question

I'm a small, independent developer, and like many of you, I sometimes build apps primarily for my own use. One major pain point I've run into repeatedly is the expiration of Apple's development certificates. This renders my personal apps – like my essential notes and to-do app – unusable after a week if I can’t manage data import and export and have my Mac close to generate a new build regularly. It's incredibly disruptive when I'm away from my Mac and can't generate a new build to install with a new certificate.

I feel that for personal apps installed directly on our own devices, having indefinite certificates would be a massive improvement. It would streamline the experience for small developers like myself and remove an unnecessary roadblock to using our own creations.

Are there workarounds or automations for people that want to develop apps and not submit them to TestFlight to get a longer certificate expiration?

Answer 1

Non-expiring security certificates have never been an option in any infrastructure. You used to be able to set expiry dates that were way out in the calendar, but you can't do that any longer either.

Code-signing certificates are limited to three years.

https://www.sectigo.com/resource-library/how-long-are-digital-certificates-valid

SSL Certificates are limited to one year.

https://www.appviewx.com/education-center/what-is-the-maximum-validity-period-of-tls-ssl-certificates/

Apple has a TestFlight Internal Only setting where you can upload an app and it gets signed for 90 days instead of the shorter period for Xcode installations.

• prevents the app from ever hitting the App Store
• Xcode can manage the signing

Barring further changes for people large enough to opt in to new EU procedures, TestFlight is the way for you to get longer time for personal apps that never will hit the App Store.