| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| All apps signed with one certificate stop opening at once, including the signer | The certificate was revoked | Get a new certificate, then re-sign and reinstall |
| Apps stop opening on a particular date | The certificate or profile expired | Renew the certificate or profile and re-sign |
| The app never installs, or the install button does nothing | The profile does not include this device, or the profile type is wrong | Use a profile that lists your UDID |
| Only one app crashes while others open | A problem with that IPA, such as an encrypted file | Use a decrypted IPA and sign it again |
Why certificates get revoked
Apple can revoke any signing certificate. Shared enterprise certificates used by many people are revoked most often. After a certificate is revoked, iOS refuses to open every app signed with it, including the signing app itself if it was signed with the same certificate. Revocation cannot be undone.
How to check a certificate
- In iClone or ESign, open certificate management. Each certificate shows as valid, revoked or unknown, with its expiry date.
- iClone warns you before signing with a revoked certificate.
- Online installation on iclone.download checks the certificate with Apple before signing and tells you if it has been revoked.
How to fix it
- Get a new, valid certificate, preferably one issued for your own device.
- Import it into your signer. See how to import a certificate.
- Re-sign your apps and install them over the existing ones.
- If the signer itself no longer opens, reinstall it with the new certificate. For iClone, install it online with the new certificate.
About anti-revoke tricks
Anti-revoke DNS settings and configuration profiles only block some revocation checks. They cannot restore a revoked certificate and may stop working at any time. Configuration profiles from unknown sources can also be a security risk.
Get iClone
Download the IPA, or install iClone online with your own certificate. The certificate is imported into iClone automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my app data?
Re-signing and installing over an existing app with the same bundle ID usually keeps its data, but this is not guaranteed. Back up anything important first.
Is my signing app revoked too?
Yes, if it was signed with the same certificate. Reinstall it with a new certificate.
Does a revoked certificate affect the rest of my iPhone?
No. Only apps signed with that certificate are affected. Apps from the App Store keep working.
Is this different in KSign?
No. Revocation is decided by Apple, so it affects ESign, KSign and iClone in the same way.