An App ID with Identifier is not available. Please enter a different string

Question

I've just enrolled in the Apple dev program, but when trying to create an APP ID in the Member center, I receive this message:

An App ID with Identifier is not available. Please enter a different string.

Before enrolling, I was using the same account (but not part of the developer program), and building my app for my own phone.

I'm 200% sure this bundle ID is not taken by anyone else but me.

How is that possible in such case? Can XCode register an APP ID by itself ? I also notice an app id called "XC Wildcard" which is defined for any id "*"

I'm really kind of lost, so any help would be really apreciated. Thanks!

Ureide

You can ignore the XC Wildcard id, I've had that for years on my account. I think that's an auto-generated id. For the App id, it's possible someone else is using it. Did you use a backward url-type string? – Ferdy

Really it's not possible, I was previously using something specific like com.mydomain.fe.mobile.devel which is also not available from the Member center. I mean all other com.mydomain.* are OK, so I'm sure I'm missing something. I also had multiple previsioning files, so maybe this conflicts somehow – Ureide

That's the only thing I can think of. All of my app id's are com.<mydomain>.<myappname> and I've never seen that error. Sorry. – Ferdy

I've just tried something: I create an APP id for com.mydomain.something and it works, but I cancel it. Then, I return to XCode, in the team "dropdown" there is two entries (don't know why) and one of the entry is "My name (Personal team)" and it asks me to provide a provisionning file. I finally click "fix the issue" in XCode. After this, I'm not able anymore to register an app id with this bundle id: com.mydomain.something – Ureide

I have just posted this related question on the Apple Developer Forum, perhaps it will have some use to your question in the future as it gains responses forums.developer.apple.com/message/237445#237445 – Grisby

Answer 1

This happened to me and it is because I had accidentally assigned the App ID to my personal account instead of my team account because I had automatically manage signing ticked in XCode. The error message means the ID has been taken and can't be used on your team account now.

You need to remove the App ID from your personal account, however because this is a free account you don't have access to do this so you need to contact Apple Developer Support and request that the App ID is to be removed from your personal account.

I called and they sorted it whilst I was on the phone. I was then able to setup the App ID with my team account. Don't forget to ask them to delete all versions of the App ID, for example, if you also have a .dev and .staging version of the same ID.

Suckerfish

Same situation here. I successfully requested the deletion by email, but had to ask twice; the first Apple representative told me it wasn't possible and then it was escalated to someone who knew how to do it. – Kylie

Answer 2

This one looks weird but this worked for me.

At first I had an App ID with Name "My App" with identifier "com.mycompany.myapp". I got the same error

"An App ID with bundle identifier X is not available. Please enter a different string"

when I tried to export. But then I changed my App ID's name to "XC com mycompany my app" and left everything as it as. It worked now.

Delicate

+1. It looks to be an issue with XCode 7.3. XCode now requires the App ID's name to be in the format of "XC com company xxx", otherwise it cannot accept the entitlement. Go to your member center -> Identifiers -> App IDs -> yourApp -> Edit to change the name. – Cambria

@Cambria I think so. This happens only if we create the provisioning file manually. On the other hand, if we request directly from the Xcode, the Xcode takes care of everything and it names the provisioning file starts with "XC...". – Delicate

Answer 3

I have another use case, check if your App ID contains 'ios' in it e.g.

com.domain.ios.MyApp

if so then you may need to remove it, this must be some recent change as I was able to register the App ID with ios earlier.

Banks

Answer 4

I am using Xcode 12.4. And I have been facing this issue with Free account. Now I added Bundle Id to my paid account. Went through so many answers but no luck.

Following steps solved my issue. May someone get help from this. thanks

Actual scenario so far I realized :

1. Main thing is when you build with Xcode then Bundle Id auto registered with account[free account]
2. Same Bundle Id is not working for new Paid account bcz of duplicacy
3. For free account it is not possible to remove app/Bundle Id from App Store Connect
4. So have to change Bundle Id for new Paid account.
5. If it was paid account then possible to remove Bundle Id from App Store Connect

Steps :

1. Sign with free account again on Xcode Team
2. Sync with Xcode which create provisioning profile to sync
3. Then change Bundle Id to com.domain.appnamefree and sync with free account again
4. That means apple auto registered with this Bundle Id for this free account
5. Once this change got applied, the real bundle id became free and available
6. Then delete the free account from Xcode account
7. Now add paid account to Xcode Team
8. Change Bundle Id to com.domain.appname
9. And sync again so that apple recognised this Bundle Id for this Paid account

Unkennel

You are the best! Thank you – Alfonse

@VladKhambir welcome. it's my pleasure :) – Unkennel

Answer 5

You need delete all invalid provisioning profile from your Apple portal and create a new app id with bundleID like com.my.appname:

Apple has just updated their Dev Center CGU. It seems that the app extension bundleId is stricter.

if your app bundleId format is : com.my.app your app extension bundleId now have to be : com.my.app.XXX

Creating new appID and provisioning profile fix the issue.

here is link for more details https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/15712

Guilder

This is for app extensions. OP didn't mention extensions, just a regular app. – Ferdy

I'm not talking about extensions, this is a single app – Ureide

@fbara: you try to create a new bundleId like com.comapny.xyz.appname and if your apple account already has bundleId com.comapny.xyz ,so i think your new bundle id belongs to extension bundleid..i may wrong because i am new in iPhone – Guilder

@iOS_Binod: this is not the issue anyway because I'm able to register any bundle id com.mydomain.something. However when I use a bundle id like com.mydomain.somethingelse in xcode and create a provisionning profile for it, then I'm not able anymore to register it through the Member center. Does it help ? – Ureide

@iOS_Binod Your answer and link both point to app extensions, not simply the app bundle ID, so I think your answer doesn't apply to his question. – Ferdy

@Ureide I found this, see if it helps: https://mcmap.net/q/99670/-an-app-id-with-identifier-39-39-is-not-available-please-enter-a-different-string – Ferdy

@Ervadac: you can delete apple account from xcode preference and re-add it...it may solve your problem..Also fbara provided you a good link.. – Guilder

How about I have two teams: (1) "Name", Role = Agent (2) "Name (Personal team)", Role = Free When I select the team (2), Xcode complains about a missing provisionning profile. Then I click "Fix issue". After that I'm not able to register this bundle id. It's really weird... I've tried to re-add my account, but still all the "bundle id" I've used with XCode and Team (2) can't be registered. – Ureide

Looks like this is a known issue: #34552941 If you click "Fix the issue" with Xcode, it registers the bundle id... and there is no way to revert this... – Ureide

Answer 6

I have faced same problem like that 'An App ID with Identifier com.xxx.xxxx is not available. Please enter a different string'. I did removed all provisioning profiles from apple developer membercenter and removed account from XCode preference.

Afterward create new iOS development and distribution provision profiles manually. Download all via XCode and run... it working perfect and did export or upload next version to AppStore.

Please try this.

Berke

Answer 7

I got the same issue an app id with identifier is not available. please enter a different string. And i do this.

You have to create a new Provisioning Profile and the old provisioning profile which you are using delete it first And then create a new provisioning profile from whatever the Apple Developer account you are using.

Install your new Provisioning Profile and its working fine and you can archive the project easily.

Luhe

Answer 8

It means what it states that someone has registered the same identifier already. Simply create a more unique string.

Munshi

Answer 9

for me to solve the problem I changed my team to individual, from myusername(team), if you're an individual is what you should use, other wise if you're a company use your team.

Affable