Xcode/iOS: How to enable App Groups without Developer Account?

Question

I want to create an iOS extension that requires the App Groups capability. According to the list of Supported Capablilities App Groups can be used without Developer Account. According to that document it should be possible with an Apple ID account.

When I try to enable App Groups for my application it fails to:

Add the "App Groups containers" entitlements to your App ID

Communication with Apple failed

There is an answer to question Xcode: Enable App Groups without developer account? which states that a Developer Account is required, which contradicts the official documentation.

Question XCode shows warning after adding App Groups (Add the “App Groups” entitlement to your App ID) does not contain helpful answers, as they also refer to an existing Developer Account. They point out that the error message provided by Xcode is not helpful.

So my question is, how to actually use App Groups without a Developer Account or is the official documentation erroneous?

Millihenry

That page says this *"[r]equires an Apple ID associated with an Apple Developer Program membership." – Riant

@tom-harrington That is for the white circles, but the App Groups have black circles and there it says "Requires an Apple ID. For Mac apps, the signing identity must be Apple ID." – Millihenry

Did you resolve this? Please update if you have :) I'm having the same issue. – Keefer

@Keefer I asked Apple, and they said it should work, but only referred me to 1 and 2. Additionally, I found this discussion. Although the problem remains unsolved for me. – Millihenry

Answer 1

As far as I am aware you must setup an App ID in the developer portal to do this (or let Xcode do the equivalent work for you). So, you will in fact need a developer account. Having said that, you should be able to do it with a free developer account.

Archducal

Free account doesnt allow addition of any AppID and provisions. – Delirious

The question asked about App Groups which require us to create AppID and Provision Profiles over at Member Center. With free account, the menu to do so does not exist in Member Center. So AppGroups can't work with free account. – Delirious

@Delirious you're correct that the option doesn't exist for a free account, but your wrong that this can't be done. I have successfully connected my app and widget with a free account through Xcode. Check out this answer, https://mcmap.net/q/577082/-sharing-data-in-between-apps-in-ios – Nab

on Xcode 12, when I add an app group with my free developer account, nothing is happening & no app group id is showing there... – Scutcheon