This quick start guide explains all the steps required to build an Unreal Engine project for Apple's iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS platforms. By completing this guide, you will:
Set up Xcode on your Mac.
Connect to your device in Xcode.
Register your device with your Apple Developer account.
Create a Provisioning Profile and Certificates for your project.
Configure your project for iOS.
Build and run your project on an iOS device.
This guide covers creating signed builds for C++ projects. For Blueprint-only projects on Windows, there is an alternate workflow for building iOS projects. Refer to Packaging iOS Projects for more information.
Additionally, while this guide refers to iPhone and iOS as an example, note that the same setup steps are used for tvOS. To connect to a tvOS device, refer to the Connecting to a tvOS Device page.
1. Requirements
To build projects for Apple's platforms, you need the following:
A computer running MacOS with Unreal Engine installed.
An installation of Xcode that is compatible with your current version of Unreal Engine.
An Apple Developer Account.
An iOS device that is compatible with your current version of Unreal Engine.
The following software versions are compatible with the current version of Unreal Engine:
Current UE Version: 5.6
Supported Target SDK versions: iOS 15 or later
Recommended macOS and Xcode Versions
macOS Sonoma 14.7
Xcode 16.1
Minimum macOS and Xcode Versions
macOS Sonoma 14.5
Xcode 16
The following iOS hardware versions are compatible with the current version of Unreal Engine:
iOS 15
iPhone 6S or later
iPod Touch 7th generation
iPadOS 15
iPad 5th generation or later
iPad Air 2 or later
iPad Mini 4 or later
iPad Pro (all models)
tvOS 15
Apple TV HD
Apple TV 4K (first generation)
Apple TV 4K (second generation)
Apple A8/A8X-based devices (iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4 and Apple TV HD) require a project setting for support to be enabled. Some rendering features may be limited on A8/A8X devices.
For software compatibility information about older versions of Unreal Engine, refer to the iOS and tvOS Development Requirements page.
2. Set Up Xcode
If you do not already have Xcode installed on your Mac, download and install it from the App Store. You need to sign in with your Apple ID.
Open Xcode. In the toolbar, open Xcode > Settings.
Open the Locations tab, then verify that the Command Line Tools path is set to the current version of Xcode. If this path is not set, you will not be able to open Unreal Editor, as the Metal shader compiler will not be able to find Xcode.
3. Create a Project
To set up a Mobile project, open Unreal Editor and create a new project with the following specifications:
Open Unreal Editor. When the Unreal Project Browser appears, click Games.
Configure your project as follows:
Project Template: Top Down
Target Platform: Mobile
Quality Preset: Scalable
Project Name: MobileTestGame
You can create a project that uses either Blueprint or C++.
Click Create to create the project and open it in Unreal Editor.
The above specifications and project name are from the Creating a Mobile Project guide. Refer to that page for more details on these specifications.
4. Connect Your Device With Xcode and Register it With Your Apple Developer Account
To use your iOS device for testing, you need to connect it to your computer, make sure it is recognized by Xcode, and register it in your Apple Developer Account as a testing device for your apps. The device registration will be used later for creating a Provisioning Profile. Follow these steps to set up your device:
Connect your iOS Device to your computer with a USB cable.
Open Xcode, then click Window > Devices and Simulators.
Unlock your device to grant Xcode access to it. When you see the Trust This Device prompt on your iOS device, tap Trust, then provide your passcode. Xcode will fetch debug symbols for the device.
Log in to your Apple Developer account at developer.apple.com. If you do not have an Apple ID and a developer account, create one.
While Epic's software is available free of charge, Apple Developer accounts cost a fee of $99 per year. Keep this in mind when registering your account.
Once you have logged in, click Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles.
Click Devices, then click Register a Device.
Fill out the following information about your device:
Set the Platform to iOS, tvOS, watchOS.
Set the Device Name to a unique, recognizable name.
Look at the information about your device in Xcode in Window > Devices and Simulators. Copy the Identifier, then return to the Register a Device page and paste it into the UUID field.
Click Continue when you are finished.
Double-check that the information about your device is correct. If you input the wrong UUID, you may see the wrong type of device listed. Click Register to finish registering your device with your Apple developer account. When registration is complete, click Done.
5. Provisioning and Signing
The following is a short summary of how to obtain a Code Signing Certificate and Provisioning Profile for your app, which are required to package an iOS project. For fully detailed steps, refer to the iOS Provisioning guide.
Connect your Apple Developer ID with Xcode in Xcode > Preferences > Accounts.
Create an Identifier (App ID) for your app. Provide a Bundle Identifier name with the format com.(OrganizationName).(ProjectName). In this example, the Bundle Identifier is com.YourCompany.MobileTestProject.
Open your project's Xcode project file, then make sure it has the same Bundle Identifier as you specified for your App ID. Do the same in Unreal Editor in Project Settings > Platforms > iOS.
Under Signing & Capabilities, enable Automatically Manage Signing, then set your Team to the name associated with your Apple Developer account. Xcode will automatically generate a code signing certificate. Alternatively, you can create one manually in the Certificates, Identifiers, and Profiles section of the Apple Developer Page.
Open the Apple Developer page, then open Certificates, Identifiers, and Profiles. Create a new Provisioning Profile using your Identifier, your registered device, and your signing certificate. Download it to a convenient location, such as a Provisioning folder.
Go to the Apple Certificate Authority Page and download the latest WWDR Intermediate Certificate. Open the Keychain Access app and drag the certificate into the System keychain. This is not necessary to package your project for testing, but it is necessary for shipping.
Open your project in Unreal Editor, then open Project Settings > Platforms > iOS. Give the editor a few moments to discover your Provisioning Profile and your Signing Certificate, then select each of them.
6. Packaging Your Project
After completing the above sections, click the Platforms dropdown, then click iOS > Package Project. If all of your components are set up correctly, your project will package successfully. You can also use the Quick Launch option to launch on your selected device directly.
Final Result
After following the steps in this guide, you will have an iOS project set up, ready to launch on your test device,