Complete guide to publishing Capacitor apps to Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Covers app preparation, screenshots, metadata, review guidelines, and submission process. Use this skill when users are ready to publish their app.

Publishing Capacitor Apps to the Stores Get a Capacitor build from "runs on my device" to "live in both stores" without avoidable upload or review failures. When to Use TRIGGER when: The user is preparing a first release or an update to App Store Connect or Google Play Console. Upload or processing fails (ITMS errors, Play Console version/target API errors). The user needs screenshot sizes, icon requirements, listing fields, privacy forms, or rollout options. The user asks which Xcode/SDK or target API level the stores require right now. Do not use for: Auditing an app against App Review Guidelines or answering a rejection capacitor apple review preflight . Writing GitHub Actions/GitLab/Fastlane pipelines capacitor ci cd . Building/signing in Capgo Cloud capgo native builds . Shipping web only fixes after approval capgo live updates . Live Project Snapshot Capacitor packages and version: ! node e "const fs=require('fs');if(!fs.existsSync('package.json'))process.exit(0);const pkg=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync('package.json','utf8'));const out=['version='+(pkg.version '')];for(const section of ['dependencies','devDependencies']){for(const [name,version] of Object.entries(pkg[section] {})){if(name.startsWith('@capacitor/') name==='@capgo/capacitor updater' name==='@capacitor/assets')out.push(section+'.'+name+'='+version)}}console.log(out.join('\n'))" Native release files: ! find . maxdepth 5 not path ' /node modules/ ' $ name 'Info.plist' o name 'PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy' o name ' .entitlements' o name 'SceneDelegate.swift' o name 'variables.gradle' o name 'build.gradle' o name 'ExportOptions.plist' o path './fastlane' $ Current Store Requirements (October 2026) Requirement Detail Capacitor impact Apple SDK minimum Since April 28, 2026: built with Xcode 26+ and iOS 26 SDK. Starting April 2027: iOS 27 SDK (Xcode 27) Capacitor 8 builds with Xcode 26; Xcode 27 needs Capacitor 8.5+ project changes UIScene lifecycle Xcode 27 / iOS 27 SDK builds require the scene lifecycle Capacitor 8.5+: add SceneDelegate.swift , UIApplicationSceneManifest , AppDelegate configurationForConnecting (see capacitor app upgrades ) Privacy manifest Required reason APIs must be declared; listed third party SDKs must ship their own signed manifests Capacitor core and maintained plugins ship manifests; your app still needs its own PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy Apple age rating New questionnaire with 13+, 16+, 18+ tiers; answers were due Jan 31, 2026 or updates are blocked Answer in App Store Connect App Information Age Ratings Play target API Since Aug 31, 2026 new apps and updates must target API 36 (extension to Nov 1, 2026 on request); existing apps below API 35 stop reaching new users on newer devices Capacitor 8 templates use compile/target 36; Capacitor 9 uses 37 Play format New apps must upload AAB with Play App Signing ./gradlew bundleRelease 16 KB page size Apps targeting Android 15+ with native .so libraries must be 16 KB aligned Check SQLCipher, ML, media, and analytics SDKs Play closed testing Personal accounts created after Nov 13, 2023: closed test with 12+ opted in testers for 14 consecutive days before production Start the test early Re verify dates when the user is close to a deadline: Apple posts at developer.apple.com/news/upcoming requirements, Google at developer.android.com/google/play/requirements/target sdk. Procedure 1. Read the snapshot. Confirm Capacitor version, iOS scene lifecycle (look for SceneDelegate.swift ), variables.gradle SDK values, and whether a privacy manifest exists. 2. Decide the release path with the user: manual (Xcode Organizer + Play Console), CLI/CI ( capacitor ci cd ), or Capgo Cloud Build ( capgo native builds ). 3. Bump versions. User visible version must match on both platforms; build numbers must strictly increase per upload: iOS: MARKETING VERSION (CFBundleShortVersionString) and CURRENT PROJECT VERSION (CFBundleVersion) in the Xcode target build settings. Info.plist normally references $(MARKETING VERSION) / $(CURRENT PROJECT VERSION) ; edit build settings, not the plist literal. Android: versionName and versionCode in android/app/build.gradle ( versionCode max 2100000000). 4. Build web assets and sync: npm run build && npx cap sync . 5. Load the platform reference and follow it: references/ios submission.md , references/android submission.md . 6. Prepare listing assets with references/assets and metadata.md . 7. Before pressing submit on iOS, run capacitor apple review preflight for anything beyond a trivial update. 8. Roll out: iOS phased release (7 days, pausable) or Play staged rollout percentages; watch crash rates before widening. Verification iOS: Archive validates in Xcode Organizer ("Validate App") with no errors; build appears in TestFlight after processing; install from TestFlight on a real device and run the critical flows. Android: bundletool or Play internal testing install works; Play Console pre launch report has no crashes; aapt2 dump badging app release.aab or the Play Console shows the expected versionCode and targetSdkVersion . Both: the app launches cold from the store build (not a debug build), login with the reviewer demo account works, deep links and push work in release signing. Error Handling Error Fix ITMS 4238 "Redundant Binary Upload" (build number already used) Increase CURRENT PROJECT VERSION ITMS 90062 CFBundleShortVersionString must be higher than the previously approved version Increase MARKETING VERSION ITMS 90186 "Invalid Pre Release Train" (version train closed) The marketing version was already released; increase MARKETING VERSION ITMS 90725 "SDK Version Issue" (built with an older SDK) Build with the required Xcode/SDK (Xcode 26+ now, Xcode 27 from April 2027) ITMS 91053 "Missing API declaration" Add the required reason API category and reason code to PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy ITMS 91061 "Missing privacy manifest" for a named SDK Update that SDK/plugin to a version that bundles a privacy manifest; do not copy the SDK's practices into the app manifest ITMS 90683 "Missing purpose string in Info.plist" Add the named NS...UsageDescription with a specific purpose App launches to a black screen or not at all when built with Xcode 27 UIScene lifecycle not adopted; upgrade to Capacitor 8.5+ and apply the 8.5 project changes Play: Version code 45 has already been used. Try another version code. Increase versionCode Play: target API level error on upload Raise targetSdkVersion / compileSdkVersion in variables.gradle to the required level Play: You uploaded an APK or Android App Bundle that was signed in debug mode Build bundleRelease with the upload key Play: Your Android App Bundle is signed with the wrong key Sign with the registered upload key, or request an upload key reset in Play Console Play: production track unavailable Complete the 12 tester / 14 day closed test (personal accounts) References references/ios submission.md signing, archive, upload options, TestFlight, App Privacy, export compliance, review notes, phased release. references/android submission.md release signing, AAB, Play App Signing, tracks, Data safety, target API and 16 KB checks, staged rollout. references/assets and metadata.md icon generation, screenshot sizes, text field limits for both stores. Related skills: capacitor apple review preflight , capacitor ci cd , capgo native builds , capacitor app upgrades , capgo live updates .

capacitor-app-store