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The Warmr runner is a small helper that lives on each iPhone and lets your Mac drive the device: tapping, scrolling, and posting inside the real apps. Every iPhone needs the runner installed once before it can warm up or post. This is the single most important setup step, and the one most people skip.
You install the runner once per iPhone. After that it stays on the device, and runner updates ship inside the Warmr Mac app. You never reinstall it for an app update.

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Before you start

1

Connect and trust the iPhone

The device must be plugged in and showing in Warmr’s Devices panel. See Connect iPhones.
2

Prepare the iPhone's settings

Developer Mode must be on (and a few other settings configured). See Prepare each iPhone. Do this first, or the install will fail.
3

Install Xcode (free, from the Mac App Store)

Xcode is required for the manual signing path, and its developer tools back the one-button path too. Open it once after installing so it finishes its first-launch setup.

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Choose a signing method

Apple requires every app installed on an iPhone to be signed. Warmr offers two ways to do this. Pick based on whether you have a paid Apple Developer account.

App Store Connect API: recommended

For paid Apple Developer accounts ($99/year). One-button install, and Warmr re-signs automatically. The certificate is valid for 1 year.

Sign via Xcode: free

Works with a free Apple ID, no paid account needed. The trade-off: the certificate expires every 7 days, so you re-sign weekly.
This is the fastest path, about two minutes. Warmr builds, signs, and installs the runner for you and auto-creates the matching certificate for your team. No Xcode windows, no command line, and no Apple ID password stored in the app.
Yes. This is the official, Apple-supported way to authenticate with your developer account. Warmr signs locally with short-lived JWT tokens generated from your .p8 key. The key never leaves your machine, no Apple ID password is stored, and your account’s 2FA is untouched. Warmr only creates Development certificates and provisioning profiles, the same kind Xcode makes when you run a project on a connected iPhone. Your App Store / TestFlight / Distribution certificates are never touched, and revoking the key in App Store Connect cuts off access immediately.
1

Create an App Store Connect API key

Go to App Store Connect → Users and Access → Integrations → App Store Connect API. Generate a Team key (not an Individual key) with the role Admin or App Manager.
The key must be a Team key with role Admin or App Manager. A key with the Developer role cannot create provisioning profiles, and the install will fail.
2

Download the .p8 key file

After generating the key, click Download to save the .p8 file. Apple only lets you download it once: keep it somewhere safe. Note the Key ID and Issuer ID shown on the same page.
3

Enter your key in Warmr

In Warmr, open the Devices tab and choose App Store Connect API. Paste your Issuer ID and Key ID, then select the .p8 file you downloaded.
4

Test the connection

Click Test connection. Warmr verifies the key can talk to Apple and auto-detects your Team ID. Fix any errors before continuing. A failed test almost always means the wrong key role or a typo in the IDs.
If your team is brand new with no registered identifiers yet, Warmr may ask for your Team ID: the 10-character string in the top-right corner at developer.apple.com/account.
5

Sign & Install on each device

Click Sign & Install next to the iPhone. Warmr builds, signs, and installs the runner, about 30–60 seconds the first time. Repeat for each connected iPhone.
With a paid account, Warmr re-signs the runner automatically as the certificate nears expiry. There’s no weekly maintenance.

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Trust the runner on your iPhone

The first time the runner is installed with a free or personal Apple ID, iOS doesn’t trust the developer certificate yet. Allow it by hand:
1

Open device management settings

On the iPhone, go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.
2

Trust your developer profile

Under Developer App, tap the row with your Apple ID, then tap Trust and confirm.
3

Launch the runner once

Find the WarmrRunner icon on the home screen and tap it. It opens to a blank white screen. That’s expected; the runner has no interface of its own. Swipe it closed. You won’t need to open it again.

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Verify it worked

Back in Warmr’s Devices panel, the iPhone should now show a green status and a runner-installed badge. The fastest confirmation is to start a short warmup on the device. If it runs, the install is good.
Runner installed and trusted? You’re ready to add an account and start warming.
Stuck on any step? See Setup troubleshooting for the exact fix to each common error.