Uploading from Fastlane

If your ad-hoc builds already go out through Fastlane, this is a one-line change. The app_dropper action takes the build your lane just produced, uploads it, and returns a public install link.

1. Install the plugin

fastlane add_plugin app_dropper

That adds it to your Pluginfile and updates your Gemfile.lock. Commit both. The plugin has no runtime dependencies — it talks to the API with Ruby’s standard library, so it can’t drag a conflicting HTTP gem into your bundle.

2. Set the token

Export APPDROPPER_TOKEN in your CI environment, or your local .env (gitignored). The action picks it up automatically, so the token never appears in your Fastfile:

export APPDROPPER_TOKEN="adp_…"

3. Add it to your lane

With no arguments at all, the action uploads whatever the lane most recently built — it defaults to IPA_OUTPUT_PATH, falling back to GRADLE_APK_OUTPUT_PATH:

platform :ios do
  lane :beta do
    build_app(scheme: "MyApp", export_method: "ad-hoc")
    app_dropper
  end
end

Or spell it out, which is what most people end up wanting:

platform :ios do
  lane :beta do
    build_app(scheme: "MyApp", export_method: "ad-hoc")

    app_dropper(
      api_token: ENV["APPDROPPER_TOKEN"],
      file: lane_context[SharedValues::IPA_OUTPUT_PATH],
      release_notes: last_git_commit[:message],
      tag: "adhoc"
    )
  end
end

Android

platform :android do
  lane :beta do
    gradle(task: "assemble", build_type: "Release")

    app_dropper(
      file: lane_context[SharedValues::GRADLE_APK_OUTPUT_PATH],
      release_notes: last_git_commit[:message]
    )
  end
end

Options

api_token is declared sensitive, so Fastlane redacts it from logs and from the summary table it prints at the end of a run.

Using the result

The action returns the install link, and also puts it — plus the build ID, QR URL and parsed version — into the lane context, so later actions can use them:

lane :beta do
  build_app(scheme: "MyApp", export_method: "ad-hoc")
  url = app_dropper

  slack(
    message: "New iOS beta is up",
    payload: { "Install" => url, "Version" => lane_context[SharedValues::APP_DROPPER_VERSION] }
  )
end

Switching from Diawi

The action is deliberately shaped like the community diawi plugin, so the change is mechanical:

# Before
diawi(
  token: ENV["DIAWI_TOKEN"],
  file: lane_context[SharedValues::IPA_OUTPUT_PATH],
  comment: last_git_commit[:message]
)

# After
app_dropper(
  api_token: ENV["APPDROPPER_TOKEN"],
  file: lane_context[SharedValues::IPA_OUTPUT_PATH],
  release_notes: last_git_commit[:message]
)

Both block the lane until the build is processed, and both return a link. What differs:

• App Dropper groups builds into an app with full version history, instead of an unrelated link per upload.
• It notifies your registered testers by email and push.
• Builds are kept 7 days on free, 30 on Pro — or indefinitely if you pin one. See extending and deleting builds.

Troubleshooting

“Couldn’t find a build to upload”

The lane context is empty because no build action ran in this lane, or it ran in a different one. Pass file: explicitly with the path to your artifact.

Token rejected

Revoked, expired, truncated, or belonging to a different app. Run npx appdropper whoami with the same token to see which apps it actually covers.

The upload succeeds but nobody is notified

Notifications go to testers on the app, and a brand-new app has none. Add them in the dashboard — see inviting testers.