"Disallowed paths ( "iTunesMetadata.plist" ) found at ..." when submitting to App Store

Error message

ERROR: ERROR ITMS-90047: "Disallowed paths ( "iTunesMetadata.plist" ) found at: Payload/iPhoneApp1.app"

This error is the result of a change in Apple's App Store verification process to prevent users from hitting issues like Bug 29180. This specific error is not related to the particular version of Xamarin you have installed, so downgrading will not help.

Steps to solve

Use these steps if you have upgraded to the following versions (or higher). If using older versions of Xamarin see the "old workaround" section below.

• Xamarin Studio 5.9.1.3
• XamarinVS 3.11.458
• Xamarin.iOS 8.10.0.303

Since Apple now requires 64-bit support for all uploads the App Store, these steps also assume the use of the Unified API.

For IDE builds in Xamarin Studio on Mac

1. Create an archive using the "Build -> Archive for Publishing" menu item.

2. Use the "Sign and Distribute" button in Xamarin Studio as described in the docs to create the .ipa.

3. Submit the .ipa file using Application Loader.

For command line builds on Mac

1. Ensure "Project Options -> iOS IPA Options -> Include iTunesArtwork images" is not checked and "Build ad-hoc/enterprise package (IPA)" is checked.

   If you prefer, you can instead edit the .csproj file in a text editor and manually add the 2 corresponding properties to the PropertyGroup for the configuration that will be used to build the app:

   <BuildIpa>true</BuildIpa>
   <IpaIncludeArtwork>false</IpaIncludeArtwork>
   

2. Build the app from the command line using either mdtool or xbuild.

3. Submit the .ipa file using Application Loader.

For command line or IDE builds with XamarinVS

1. Ensure "Project Properties -> iOS IPA Options -> Include Artwork in IPA" is not checked. (Or manually set the BuildIpa and IpaIncludeArtwork properties as mentioned above.)

2. Build the app.

3. Submit the .ipa file using Application Loader.

To submit a .xcarchive using Xcode rather than Application Loader

If you wish to use Xcode to submit the app after running "Build -> Archive for Publishing", then you will either need to use the "Old workaround" or manually remove the iTunesMetadata.plist file from the .xcarchive bundle. This behavior is intentional for now: it allows the same .xcarchive bundle to be used both for App Store distribution as well as Ad Hoc distribution.

Old workaround

(From Bug 29180, Comment 0.)

Using a text editor, add the following lines at the bottom of your iOS app project's .csproj (before the closing </Project> line):

<Target Name="_CompileITunesMetadata" DependsOnTargets="_DetectSdkLocations;_DetectAppManifest;_GenerateBundleName;_CompileAppManifest">
  <Message Text="Skipping CompileITunesMetadata task to prevent inclusion of iTunesMetadata.plist in the IPA" />
</Target>

This will stop the iTunesMetadata.plist file from being included in the .ipa in the first place.

EDIT July 06: Remove outdated content.