How to replace App on Apple store with expired provisioning profile (distribution) certificate

Question

Our team had published App on Apple Appstore 2 year ago. After that we lost its code due mac hardware issue. Now we have made new App and want to replace existing app on Apple store. However provisioning profile (distribution) certificate with which app was submitted 2 years ago is expired. Can I submit App update with new distribution certificate???

Answer 1

When your certificate expires, the provisioning profiles using that certificate will become invalid. On App Store, the app will still work as long as you're enrolled in the development program. All the ad hoc builds signed with that certificate won't work anymore. When revoking a distribution certificate the below scenarios will occur for your users:

1. When you revoke a certificate that means that any app that is not deployed onto a device (not hosted by AppStore) will no longer be valid. Existing users can continue to use the app.

2. When you revoke a certificate and your App is being hosted on the AppStore; users that have already installed the app will not be affected. New users that go to install the app will not be affected.

3. When you revoke a certificate and your App is being hosted in-house (internally) and users download it via OTA; users that have already installed the app will not be affected. New users that go to install the app will not be able to install it. Please note this is based off of behavior we have experienced from Apple.

4. Revoking a certificate will not affect the ability to update existing apps regardless of whether they are AppStore or in-house apps.