Itms-services Action Download-manifest Amp-url Https -
On your download page, create an anchor tag:
<a href="itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://apps.yourcompany.com/releases/v1.2.3/manifest.plist">
Tap to install MyApp v1.2.3
</a>
If you see itms-services in logs or network traffic:
If you need help creating the manifest.plist file or debugging why the link isn't working, let me know and I can provide a template.
The itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=HTTPS_URL protocol is the standard method for Over-the-Air (OTA) distribution of iOS applications outside the official App Store. It is primarily used for distributing enterprise in-house apps or beta versions to testers. How It Works
The Manifest File: The URL points to a .plist manifest file (an XML property list).
The Process: When a user taps the link in Safari, iOS downloads the manifest, which contains the location of the .ipa (app) file, the bundle identifier, and the app version.
Installation: The device then automatically downloads the .ipa file from the location specified in the manifest and installs it. Key Requirements & Limitations
HTTPS Requirement: Both the manifest .plist file and the .ipa file must be hosted on a server using HTTPS with a trusted SSL/TLS certificate. Self-signed certificates will typically cause the installation to fail. Itms-services Action Download-manifest Amp-url Https
Browser Support: This protocol is natively supported by Safari and other major iOS browsers. However, some in-app browsers (like Telegram's) may not support it, leading to a blank screen instead of an installation prompt.
User Confirmation: Clicking the link triggers a system dialogue asking the user to confirm the installation ("would like to install [App Name]"). This prompt cannot be bypassed for security reasons.
Trusting the Developer: For enterprise apps, users must manually "Trust" the developer profile in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management before the app will open. Troubleshooting Common Issues
itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url= #1490 - GitHub
itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=[URL] protocol is a special URL scheme used by iOS to facilitate "Over-the-Air" (OTA) installation of proprietary or in-house enterprise applications. Apple Support Quick Implementation Guide
To distribute an app via this method, you must host three critical components on a web server: : The actual compiled iOS application. manifest file : An XML file that tells iOS where to find the and related metadata. An HTML page
: A webpage with a link formatted to trigger the installation. Apple Support 1. Requirements for Success HTTPS is Mandatory manifest, the On your download page, create an anchor tag:
file, and the HTML page must all be hosted on a server with a valid, trusted SSL certificate
. Self-signed certificates often fail unless manually trusted in the device settings. Browser Support : Users must open the link in
. Other browsers or in-app browsers (like Telegram or Facebook) often fail to trigger the installation dialog. MIME Types
: Ensure your server is configured to serve these files correctly: application/octet-stream application/xml 2. Creating the Manifest ( manifest.plist should point to the direct HTTPS URL of your file. Below is a simplified example: > < > < > < > < > < > < >software-package < > < >https://yourserver.com < >metadata < > < >bundle-identifier < >com.yourcompany.myapp < >bundle-version < > < > < >software < > < >My Great App
"itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://yourserver.com" > Click here to Install App
: If your URL contains special characters or spaces, you must use URL encoding . For example, a space in the filename should be encoded as Troubleshooting Common Errors Distribute proprietary in-house apps to Apple devices
Since iOS 9, Apple enforces that all manifest URLs and .ipa download URLs must use HTTPS. If you use http://, the installation will fail silently or show a cryptic “Cannot connect to server” error. If you see itms-services in logs or network traffic:
The exact code inside itms-services rejects non-TLS connections. This means:
The manifest is an XML property list (.plist) served at the HTTPS URL. Its minimal structure includes keys that point to the IPA and metadata. Example structure (XML plist):
Important fields:
Example (conceptual):
(Serve with Content-Type: application/octet-stream or application/xml; iOS will parse it.)
With iOS 14+, App Clips offer a code-based launch, not a full installation replacement.
The itms-services URL scheme is a mechanism Apple iOS devices support to trigger over-the-air installation of enterprise or ad-hoc signed apps outside the App Store. A typical link uses the custom URL scheme itms-services and a query that tells the device to download a manifest plist describing the app bundle:
itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://example.com/path/app.plist