Safari Web Extension not installing

Question

Created Sep ’20

Replies 6

Boosts 0

Views 1.8k

Participants 4

When submitting my macOS app with Safari Web Extension for App Store review, I am getting Rejections due to the extension not installing onto the Safari browser on the tester's device.

I've reproduced this by performing the following steps, but I have no idea what I need to do differently to resolve the issue:

Build a new Archive of the app via Xcode
In Organizer, click Distribute App -> App Store Connect -> Export
Run the .pkg installer created by the Export
Run the app
Open Safari 14
Select Develop -> Allow Unsigned Extensions

Expectation: Safari Extensions list includes my extension
Actual: My extension is completely missing from the list

I reproduced the same issue following the same exact steps using the Sea Creator project on Apple's documentation (https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/safari_web_extensions/developing_a_safari_web_extension).

To reiterate, I am unsure of how come my app is not installing the extension to Safari. The .appex is contained in my .app as expected, and I have Embed without Signing (as opposed to Do not Embed) selected for the Safari Web Extension in the app target.

Any and all guidance and insights would be greatly appreciated. And, yes, I replied to the App Store review but I suspect other developers may be running into this issue themselves and may have solutions to offer.

Boost

Answer 1

Frameworks Engineer OP

Apple

Sep ’20

Are you getting Rejections from the App Store? Safari Web Extensions requires distribution in the Mac App Store. Using "Allow Unsigned Extensions" is only for local testing.

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Answer 2

structankit OP

Sep ’20

Correct, these are App Store rejections.

The reviewer is not seeing the extension in Safari after launching the app and I’m unsure as to why. Even clicking the “Open Safari Extensions” button inside the app does not open the Safari extensions preferences for the last two reviewers but works fine for me and with those I’ve been distributing an .app for testing.

My first reviewer had no issue getting past this, however.

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Answer 3

Frameworks Engineer OP

Apple

Sep ’20

What is the name of the extension so we can check on our end?

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Answer 4

structankit OP

Sep ’20

mymind • Extend your mind is the name of the macOS app that includes the extension

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Answer 5

Engineer OP

Apple

Sep ’20

If you ended up changing the bundle identifier of your extension before uploading, you will need to update the extensionBundleIdentifier variable in ViewController.m or ViewController.swift to match your new one and re-upload.

Thank you for reporting this!

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Answer 6

mctavish OP

Jan ’21

Has it been confirmed that a Safari Web Extension requires distribution in the Mac App Store? Apple's documents said you can, but I can't find where it says you can't distribute it outside the store when signed with your DeveloperID?

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