What You Need Before Starting

• Apple Developer account ($99/year)
• Expo project with eas.json configured
• App icons (1024x1024)
• Screenshots for required device sizes
• Privacy policy URL (live, not localhost)

Total cost: $99/year for the Apple account. Everything else is free.

The Steps

1. Configure eas.json

{
  "build": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "distribution": "store",
        "autoIncrement": true
      }
    }
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {
      "ios": {
        "appleId": "your@email.com",
        "ascAppId": "your-app-id"
      }
    }
  }
}

2. Create the App in App Store Connect

Go to App Store Connect → My Apps → New App.

Fill in:

• Name: Your app name
• Bundle ID: Select the one matching your app.json
• SKU: Any unique string
• Primary Language: English (US)

3. Build for Production

eas build --platform ios --profile production

First run takes 15-20 minutes. EAS handles code signing automatically — no Xcode required.

4. Submit to App Store

eas submit --platform ios --profile production

This uploads the build to App Store Connect.

5. Fill in App Store Metadata

In App Store Connect:

• Description: What your app does (4000 char max)
• Keywords: 100 characters, comma-separated
• Screenshots: Upload for required device sizes
• Privacy Policy URL: Must be live
• Support URL: Must be live
• Category: Choose primary and secondary

6. Submit for Review

Click "Add for Review" → "Submit to App Review."

Typical review time: 24-48 hours. I've seen as fast as 6 hours and as slow as 5 days.

Common Gotchas

1. Bundle ID mismatch. The bundle ID in app.json must match App Store Connect exactly.

2. Missing privacy descriptions. If your app uses camera, location, or photos, you need NSCameraUsageDescription etc. in your app.json.

3. Screenshots dimensions. Apple is very specific. Use Expo's npx expo run:ios on a simulator to capture exact sizes.

4. Privacy policy must be live. Not a placeholder. Not localhost. A real URL that loads.

Time Breakdown

Step	Time
eas.json config	5 min
App Store Connect setup	15 min
EAS Build	15-20 min (automated)
EAS Submit	5 min (automated)
Metadata	30-60 min
Review wait	24-48 hours
Your active time	~60-90 min

With AI App Factory, the eas.json and metadata templates are pre-configured. Active time drops to ~30 minutes.

Related

• Expo EAS Build — the build pipeline details
• Code Signing Hell — what EAS eliminates
• App Store Rejection — common rejection reasons