Problems with iPhone Ad-hoc Provisioning

We recently had a problem here at SASS Digital whereby an app we currently have in development for the iPhone would not install on a handset, despite the correct provisioning profiles being in place.

To put this into context, we had created an ad-hoc provisioning profile, signed by myself (as Team Leader) and associated this with the UUID of the handset in question. The provisioning profile had been successfully installed on the handset (showing as verified in the Profiles area of the phone) but when we tried to sync the app we got the fateful error:

application could not be verified

The solution, it turns out, was simple:

1. In xCode, create a new file, choosing "iPhone OS -> Code Signing -> Entitlements" as the type


2. Call the new file "entitlements.plist" and then open it in xCode


3. You will see that this file has only one option; get-task-allow. Make sure that this is not checked.


4. Now, make sure you have your chosen target selected, and click Edit Active Target


5. In the "Code Signing Entitlements" field, enter "entitlements.plist"


6. Save everything, clean the build and compile

This solved the problem for us, our app installed on the phone using our pre-installed provisioning profile. Praise Jebus!