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This guide describes how to prepare an XCTest for testing in
Firebase Test Lab.
Step 1: Configure your project's Derived Data location
Xcode places compiled iOS artifacts, including any tests you build, in a Derived
Data directory. It is possible to keep the default location for that directory,
if you'd like, but it's often helpful to choose a more easily-accessible place
for the files, especially if you're going to be running tests with Test Lab
often:
Open your project in Xcode.
In the macOS menu bar, select
File > Project Settings...
Change the Derived Data drop-down from
Default Location to Custom Location.
In the field below the drop-down, select a location for Xcode to output
your tests to. (This is your
FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT)
Step 2: Build a generic test file
Test Lab runs unit tests and UI tests using the
XCTest framework.
To run your app's XCTests on Test Lab devices, build it for testing on a
Generic iOS Device:
From the device drop-down at the top of your Xcode workspace window, select
Generic iOS Device.
In the macOS menu bar, select
Product > Build For > Testing.
As an alternative, you can build your XCTest from the command line.
Use the following command in a terminal:
Make sure all artifacts in the app and test are signed. For example, you can
do this through Xcode by specifying signing settings like provisioning profile
and identity. For more information, see
Apple Code Signing.
Verify app signature by running
codesign --verify --deep --verbose /path/to/MyApp.app where "MyApp" is the
name of the app inside the unzipped folder. This varies for each project.
Expected output is MyApp.app: valid on disk.
If you are running an XCUITest, then you need to verify the test and runner
by running codesign --verify --deep --verbose /path/to/MyTest-Runner.app where
"MyTest" is the name of the runner inside the unzipped folder. This varies for
each project. Expected output is MyTest-Runner.app: valid on disk.
Step 4: Package your app and test for uploading
After your test successfully builds, zip it for upload to Test Lab:
cd FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT/Build/Products : \
zip -r MyTests.zip Debug-iphoneos YOUR_SCHEME_iphoneosDEPLOYMENT_TARGET-arm64.xctestrun
You can also package up your test by compressing the test files manually:
Open Finder and navigate to
FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT.
Open the folder that has your project name as a prefix, then navigate to
Build/Products folder inside.
Select the folders Debug-iphoneos and
YOUR_SCHEME_iphoneosDEPLOYMENT_TARGET-arm64.xctestrun
and then compress them.
Step 5: (Optional) Run your test locally
Before running your test with Test Lab, you can run it locally with
a USB-connected device to quality check its behavior:
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[],[],null,["\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nThis guide describes how to prepare an XCTest for testing in\nFirebase Test Lab.\n\n**Step 1**: Configure your project's Derived Data location\n\nXcode places compiled iOS artifacts, including any tests you build, in a Derived\nData directory. It is possible to keep the default location for that directory,\nif you'd like, but it's often helpful to choose a more easily-accessible place\nfor the files, especially if you're going to be running tests with Test Lab\noften:\n\n1. Open your project in Xcode.\n2. In the macOS menu bar, select **File** \\\u003e **Project Settings...**\n3. Change the **Derived Data** drop-down from **Default Location** to **Custom Location**.\n4. In the field below the drop-down, select a location for Xcode to output your tests to. (This is your \u003cvar class=\"edit\" scope=\"FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT\" translate=\"no\"\u003eFOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT\u003c/var\u003e)\n\n**Step 2**: Build a generic test file\n\nTest Lab runs unit tests and UI tests using the\n[XCTest](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest) framework.\nTo run your app's XCTests on Test Lab devices, build it for testing on a\nGeneric iOS Device:\n\n1. From the device drop-down at the top of your Xcode workspace window, select **Generic iOS Device**.\n2. In the macOS menu bar, select **Product** \\\u003e **Build For** \\\u003e **Testing**.\n\nAs an alternative, you can build your XCTest from the command line.\nUse the following command in a terminal: \n\nproject \n\n```\nxcodebuild -project PATH/TO/YOUR_WORKSPACE/YOUR_PROJECT.xcodeproj \\\n -scheme YOUR_SCHEME \\\n -derivedDataPath FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT \\\n -sdk iphoneos build-for-testing\n```\n\nworkspace \n\n```\nxcodebuild -workspace PATH/TO/YOUR_WORKSPACE.xcworkspace \\\n -scheme YOUR_SCHEME \\\n -derivedDataPath FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT \\\n -sdk iphoneos build-for-testing\n```\n\n**Step 3**: Sign your test and verify\n\n1. Make sure all artifacts in the app and test are signed. For example, you can\n do this through Xcode by specifying signing settings like provisioning profile\n and identity. For more information, see\n [Apple Code Signing](https://developer.apple.com/support/code-signing/).\n\n | **Note** : Test Lab re-signs your app with its own provisioning profile and certificate.\n2. Verify app signature by running\n `codesign --verify --deep --verbose /path/to/MyApp.app` where \"MyApp\" is the\n name of the app inside the unzipped folder. This varies for each project.\n Expected output is `MyApp.app: valid on disk`.\n\n3. If you are running an XCUITest, then you need to verify the test and runner\n by running `codesign --verify --deep --verbose /path/to/MyTest-Runner.app` where\n \"MyTest\" is the name of the runner inside the unzipped folder. This varies for\n each project. Expected output is `MyTest-Runner.app: valid on disk`.\n\n**Step 4**: Package your app and test for uploading\n\n1. After your test successfully builds, zip it for upload to Test Lab:\n\n ```\n cd FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT/Build/Products : \\\n zip -r MyTests.zip Debug-iphoneos YOUR_SCHEME_iphoneosDEPLOYMENT_TARGET-arm64.xctestrun\n ```\n\nYou can also package up your test by compressing the test files manually:\n\n1. Open Finder and navigate to\n \u003cvar class=\"edit\" scope=\"FOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT\" translate=\"no\"\u003eFOLDER_WITH_TEST_OUTPUT\u003c/var\u003e.\n\n2. Open the folder that has your project name as a prefix, then navigate to\n `Build/Products` folder inside.\n\n3. Select the folders `Debug-iphoneos` and\n \u003cvar class=\"edit\" scope=\"YOUR_SCHEME\" translate=\"no\"\u003eYOUR_SCHEME\u003c/var\u003e`_iphoneos`\u003cvar class=\"edit\" scope=\"DEPLOYMENT_TARGET\" translate=\"no\"\u003eDEPLOYMENT_TARGET\u003c/var\u003e`-arm64.xctestrun`\n and then compress them.\n\n**Step 5**: (Optional) Run your test locally\n\nBefore running your test with Test Lab, you can run it locally with\na USB-connected device to quality check its behavior: \n\n```\nxcodebuild test-without-building \\\n -xctestrun \"Derived Data/Build/Products/YOUR_SCHEME.xctestrun\" \\\n -destination id=your-phone-id\n```\n\nNext steps\n\nUpload and run your test in the [Firebase console](/docs/test-lab/ios/firebase-console)\nor the [gcloud CLI](/docs/test-lab/ios/command-line)."]]
