Generate iOS Distribution P12 Certificate

The P12 certificate is the key that allows you to create and set up your applications in your Apple Developer account. Find out how to generate this certificate from your Developer account.

This certificate is required in the IPA generation form at the Signature step of the app, when you choose Sign with my certificate (EasySign).

Create new certificate

Go to your Apple Developer Account.

Go on Certificates, IDs & Profiles on your developer space on the left-hand menu.
In Certificates, click on the + button.
In Software, select iOS Distribution (App Store and Ad Hoc).
Click on Continue. You are asked to upload a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)

Generate the CSR file

From Mac

Open the Keychain Access. It's in the folder Applications and Utilities
On the upper menu, select Preferences
In this window, click on Certificates. Turn off the OCSP and the CRL and close that window.
On the upper menu, select Certificate Assistant and Request a Certificate from a Certificate Authority
Add the user email address and the common name. The email address has to be the same as this one you chose when you created your Apple Developer account. The CA email address is not obligatory. Click on Saved to disk

From PC

CSR files are generated from OpenSSL.

Install OpenSSL on your desktop. Download and run Win32 OpenSSL Light (or Win64 OpenSSL Light). The wizard will ask you to select where OpenSSL should be installed. Keep the default location set to C:\OpenSSL-Win32. Additionally, when prompted, instruct the installer to copy OpenSSL's DLLs to The Windows system directory.
Open a command prompt window.
Get access to OpenSSL's bin file with this command:

cd C:\OpenSSL-Win32\bin

Now create a private key by entering:

set RANDFILE=.rnd

Followed by:

openssl genrsa -out mykey.key 2048

The mykey.key is sent to OpenSSL's bin file.
Using your private key you can now create the CSR file. To do this, a command with the following format is required:

openssl req -new -key mykey.key -out CertificateSigningRequest.certSigningRequest  -subj "/emailAddress=yourAddress@example.com, CN=John Doe, C=US"

You will need to make some changes when typing the preceding command into the command line. Replace the e-mail address and certificate name with the same e-mail address and name you enrolled within the iOS Developer Program. Also, if you live outside the United States, you will need to edit the country code.

A CSR file named CertificateSigningRequest.certSigningRequest will be created and sent to bin folder.

Import the CSR file

Once you have your CSR, go back on Apple Developer and continue the process:
Click on Continue and upload your CSR file
Download the iOS Distribution file (CER). That's your certificate.

Create the P12 file

Open it by double clicking and add it in your Keychain
Select your private key and your certificate in Keychain Access, right click and export them in .p12 file
Choose your password. You will need it later on PandaSuite but it's not necessary.