Can Multiple Apps Use the Same iOS Certificate?

In practice, a company often manages multiple apps, but an Apple developer account can create at most two distribution certificates. So, can multiple apps use the same iOS certificate? Here’s a detailed explanation.

1. Personal or Company Account

  • Sharing your certificate with others is not recommended
  • If someone else uses your certificate to package an app:
    • The developer name displayed on the App Store will be you or your company
    • You bear all related responsibilities and risks
    • Intellectual property rights may not be fully protected

2. Enterprise Account

  • Technically, certificates can be shared for packaging internally
  • But there are risks:
    • Enterprise certificates are only allowed for internal use, not for App Store distribution or public internet installation
    • Apple may monitor activity, revoke or block certificates, causing apps already installed to stop working

3. Technical Notes

  • The certificate’s private key can be shared
  • Provisioning profiles cannot be shared:
    • Profiles are bound to specific App IDs
    • Each app requires its own provisioning profile

4. Certificate and Provisioning Profile Tutorials

Summary

  • Multiple apps can use the same iOS certificate
  • Key points to note:
    • Account type (Personal / Company / Enterprise)
    • Risks and legal responsibilities
    • Each app must have its own provisioning profile