How to publish the ChurchLinker app to the App Store & Google Play

Go to expo.dev and click Sign Up. Create an account with your email address.

Once signed in, you will see your Expo dashboard. Keep this tab open; you will need it later.

You need to install a small program called EAS CLI (EAS stands for Expo Application Services). This is what actually builds the app.

Open your computer's terminal (on Mac: press Cmd+Space and type "Terminal". On Windows: press Windows key and type "cmd").

Type this command and press Enter:

npm install -g eas-cli

Then log in to your Expo account:

eas login

It will ask for your email and password. Type them and press Enter.

In the terminal, navigate to the mobile app folder:

cd /path/to/churchCRM/mobile

Then run:

eas build:configure

This command links the ChurchLinker app code to your Expo account and generates a project ID. It will ask you a couple of questions; press Enter to accept the defaults.

Go to developer.apple.com and click Account at the top right.

Sign in with your Apple ID (or create one if you don't have one). Then click Join the Apple Developer Program and complete the £99/year payment.

Go to appstoreconnect.apple.com and sign in.

Click My Apps at the top, then the blue + button, then New App.

Fill in the form:

• Platforms: tick iOS
• Name: ChurchLinker (or your church name if white-label)
• Primary language: English (UK)
• Bundle ID: com.churchlinker.member, selected from the dropdown (you may need to create it first in the Identifiers section)
• SKU: any unique text, e.g. churchlinker-member-app

Click Create. You will land on the app information page.

This is the page people see in the App Store before downloading. Fill in:

• Description: See the example text below
• Keywords: church, Christian, faith, community, giving, prayer
• Support URL: your church website or support email page
• Marketing URL: churchlinker.com

Example description you can copy and edit:

Apple requires at least one screenshot for each device size. The easiest way is to use the iOS Simulator on a Mac.

You need screenshots for:

• iPhone 6.7" (iPhone 15 Pro Max): required
• iPhone 6.5" (iPhone 14 Plus): required
• iPad Pro 12.9": required if you support iPad

To take them: run expo start --ios, press Cmd+S in the Simulator to save a screenshot to your Desktop.

Upload these in the App Store Connect → Screenshots section for each device size.

Back in your terminal (in the mobile folder), run:

eas build --platform ios --profile production

This command sends the code to Expo's servers, which build it into an .ipa file (the format Apple requires). It usually takes 10 to 20 minutes.

When it's done, Expo will show you a link to download the file, and will also give you the option to submit directly.

After the build finishes, run:

eas submit --platform ios

EAS will ask for:

• Your Apple ID
• Your App Store Connect App ID (find this in App Store Connect → your app → General Information, a 10-digit number)
• Your Apple Team ID (find it in developer.apple.com → Account → Membership)

EAS will upload the app automatically. In App Store Connect, go to TestFlight; you should see the build appear after a few minutes.

In App Store Connect, click on your app, then click Prepare for Submission.

Choose the build you just uploaded, answer Apple's questions about:

• Encryption: select "No" (the app uses HTTPS but no special encryption)
• Content rights: select that you own all the content
• Advertising identifier: select No

Click Submit for Review. Apple will review your app within 24 to 48 hours (often faster).

Go to play.google.com/console and sign in with your Google account.

Pay the one-time $25 registration fee. This is a lifetime fee; you only pay it once.

Complete the account form: your name, address and whether this is a personal or organisation account.

Click Create app. Fill in:

• App name: ChurchLinker
• Default language: English (United Kingdom)
• App or game: App
• Free or paid: Free

Click Create app.

In the left menu, go to Store presence → Main store listing. Fill in:

• Short description: (80 chars max) "Connect with your church: events, giving, sermons, prayer & more."
• Full description: Use the same text as your Apple listing
• Screenshots: Upload at least 2 phone screenshots (you can reuse the iOS ones)
• Feature graphic: A 1024×500 px banner image. Use your church colours.
• Icon: 512×512 px version of the app icon

In your terminal, run:

eas build --platform android --profile production

This builds an .aab file (Android App Bundle, the format Google requires). It takes 10 to 20 minutes.

Run:

eas submit --platform android

EAS will ask for a Google Service Account key. To create one:

1. Go to Google Play Console → Setup → API access
2. Click Create new service account and follow the link to Google Cloud Console
3. Create a service account, download the JSON key file and save it as google-service-account.json in your mobile folder
4. Back in Play Console, grant the service account Release manager role

EAS will upload the build. In Play Console, go to Production → Create new release to publish it.

Google requires you to fill in some forms before approving the app. Go through all the items marked with a red dot in the left menu:

• App content: Answer questions about your app's target audience and content rating
• Data safety: Declare what data you collect (user email and name; say "Account info")
• Target audience: Select "18 and older"

Once all sections show green ticks, click Send for review. Google reviews usually take 1 to 7 days for new apps.