Demystifying APNs Certificates for Developers: How To Create an APNs Certificate

Did you know that over 56% of people in the U.S. have an iPhone? Developing an iOS or web app is an excellent way for your brand to get up close and personal with these customers. Push notifications allow you to stay in touch with these iPhone users, but you have to play by Apple’s strict rules. 

Whether it’s a breaking news alert or a nudge to make a purchase, iOS push notifications are powered by a sophisticated system called the Apple Push Notification Service (APNs). While APNs has multiple components, the APNs certificate is a crucial part of the process that allows your app to deliver secure, seamless notifications to Apple devices.

But what exactly is an APNs certificate? Why is it so important? And how can you make sure it’s set up and managed effectively? In this guide, we’ll demystify APNs certificates, walk you through the setup process, and share best practices to keep your notifications running smoothly.

In this article:

• What Is an APNs Certificate?
• How APNs Certificates Work
• Why You Need an APNs Certificate, Pronto
• How To Create an APNs Certificate
• APNs Certificate Best Practices
• Build a Better Notification Strategy with MagicBell
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Is an APNs Certificate? 

APNs stands for Apple Push Notification Service. This is Apple’s push notification platform for sending updates, alerts, and messages to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and even Apple Watches. It’s the middleman between an app and the user, ensuring timely and secure notifications.

Think of an APNs as a sophisticated relay system. It uses several components to get the job done, including:

• The app server: The app server is the brains behind the operation that decides when to send a notification. 
• APNs gateway: The gateway transports notifications securely to Apple devices. 
• Device token: This is a unique identifier for each user device. You need a device token to ensure messages go where they should. 

So, where does an APNs certificate come into play in the process? An APNs certificate verifies your identity with Apple. 

Without this certificate, your app server would be locked out of the APNs gateway. The certificate tells Apple that you promise to keep your users’ devices safe and that your app is compliant with Apple’s standards.

There are two types of APNs certificates: 

1. Development: You use a development APNS certificate during testing and debugging. 
2. Production: A production APNs certificate is the real deal. It sends notifications to users once your app notifications go live. 

If you want to send push notifications to Apple users, you must comply with these requirements. Developers must work within the framework of APNs, which includes having up-to-date certificates that ensure a secure, reliable connection with Apple’s ecosystem. 

How APNs Certificates Work

APNs work in three stages, with certificates coming into play in the second step: 

1. Device token generation: When a user installs your app and agrees to receive notifications, the app contacts APNs to request a unique device token. This token is like a personalized address for the user’s device, ensuring the notification goes to the right place. During this step, the app sends a request to APNs, which generates the device token. From there, the app receives the token and passes it to your app server. 
2. Certificate authentication process: Before your app server can send notifications, APNs need to know it can trust you. Apple relies on APNs certificates to ensure your app is legitimate. During this step, the app server includes the APNs certificate in its requests to APNs. APNs verifies that certificate, which authorizes your server to send notifications via the gateway. 
3. Secure data transmission: Security is a top priority for Apple and its users, so encryption is key. The app server prepares the notification message in JSON format, encrypts it, and sends it to the APNs gateway. APNs decrypts the message and matches it to the user’s device using the token. 

Why You Need an APNs Certificate, Pronto

Simply put, you can’t send notifications to Apple users without an APNs certificate. Still, there are several other reasons to get an APNs certificate. 

1. App Store Compliance

Not just any app can send notifications to users. Apple is serious about security, and compliance with its standards isn’t optional. The APNs certificate system protects users from spam and malicious activity while safeguarding your app’s reputation.

Without an APNs certificate, your app won’t meet the requirements to be listed (or stay) in the App Store. Apple mandates this certificate to ensure every app communicating through Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) is verified and secure.

2. Security

Push notifications are helpful messages that act as a lifeline between your app and its users. Unfortunately, malicious actors can intercept these messages and wreak havoc, which is why security is such an important consideration when sending push messages. 

The APNs certificate acts as a digital handshake between your server and APNs, encrypting the data and ensuring only authorized servers can send notifications to Apple devices. It ensures sensitive data, like user information, stays private. Not only does this preserve user privacy, but it also protects your brand reputation—it’s a win-win. 

3. Real-Time Notifications

Push notifications are one of the most effective ways to keep users engaged, especially with time-sensitive promotions. But without an APNs certificate, your app can’t leverage APNs to deliver these notifications in real time. An APNs certificate is your ticket to secure, compliant, and real-time communication with your users. 

How To Create an APNs Certificate

Ready to enable push notifications for your app? Although creating an APNs certificate may sound daunting, it’s a straightforward process.

1. Sign Up for the Apple Developer Program

Create an active account with the Apple Developer Program, which will give you access to all the resources you need to create APNs certificates. Note that membership starts at $99 a year, so technically, sending push notifications to Apple users isn't free. 

2. Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

Apple needs information about your systems before generating a certificate. You can submit this information by going to Certificate Assistant > Request a Certificate from a Certificate Authority. 

Enter the email address associated with your Apple Developer account, name the request, and select “Saved to disk” under Request. Then, save the CSR file to your computer. 

3. Create a Certificate

CSR in hand, return to your Apple Developer Portal and go to Certificates > Identifiers & Profiles. Click the + button to create a new certificate. 

Choose whether you want a development or production APNs certificate. Next, upload your CSR file. 

4. Download and Install the APNs Certificate

The Apple Developer Portal will generate a certificate file; double-click it to install it in Keychain Access. 

Next, open Keychain Access to export this certificate in a .p12 format for your server. Locate the APNs certificate under My Certificates and export it. Be sure to set a secure password for the file before you export it. 

Finally, integrate the .p12 certificate into your app’s backend. This step allows your server to authenticate with APNs and start sending push notifications. The exact steps for this will depend on your server’s specific setup, so check your documentation for the next steps. 

5. Test It

Before rolling out your app to users, test your push notifications to ensure everything works smoothly. Use tools like Postman or built-in testing features in services like Firebase to confirm proper setup. Sending web push notifications? Visit webpushtest.com for a demo of standards-based web push notifications on all platforms—even iOS.  

APNs Certificate Best Practices

Creating an APNs certificate is essential, but maintaining it and optimizing its use are just as critical for seamless notifications. Here are some best practices to ensure your APNs setup remains secure, efficient, and reliable.

Regularly Renew Your Certificate

Once you create an APNs certificate, it’s good for one year. However, it’s easy to forget to renew these certificates on time, which will revoke your app’s ability to send user notifications. 

Fortunately, Apple will send a reminder to the email address on file before the certificate expires. Still, it’s best to have safeguards in place in case you miss this crucial email. 

Set calendar reminders to renew your certificate at least a month before the expiration date. Automate this task by using tools like project management apps or alert systems. 

Consolidate APNs Certificates

Have you been submitting multiple certificate requests for the same app? There’s no need to do that. Apple allows for a single APNs certificate per app, so you're good to go once you have one set up. If you have multiple certificates, consolidate them to minimize confusion.

Prioritize Security

Bad actors want access to your app, notification content, and user data. In fact, experts predict cyber threats will only become more sophisticated and common in the coming year. That’s why it’s crucial for developers to lock down every aspect of the push notification process. 

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but you can improve security by:

• Protecting your .p12 file: The .p12 file is a critical credential for your server to authenticate with APNs. Always create a strong, unique password when exporting the file. Store it in a secure location and avoid sharing it across teams. 
• Enabling MFA or 2FA: Multi-factor or two-factor authentication is a must. Since your Apple Developer account is the gateway for all of your assets, protect it from unauthorized access. You can set this up in your Apple ID Settings. 
• Rotating certificates: If you have a security event, you should rotate certificates for an extra layer of protection. Some developers will rotate certificates more regularly than once a year to mitigate the likelihood of a breach. 

Optimize Payload Size

Remember, Apple has a lot of restrictions for push notifications. Pay close attention to your payload size—Apple limits it to 4KB. Keep your messages as short as possible and compress data. 

Avoid sending lots of details in the push notification message. Instead, use deep links or in-app content to share information with users while keeping your notifications lightweight. 

Automate Where You Can

Managing APNs certificates manually can get tedious, especially for apps with multiple environments. Use CI/CD tools or scripts to streamline tasks like certificate generation, deployment, and renewal. Platforms like Fastlane, for example, simplify APNs certificate management with built-in workflows.

Consider Token-Based Authentication

APNs certificates are a popular solution, but they aren’t the only way to send messages to your users. Apple’s token-based authentication is a more modern, secure, and scalable way to connect with APNs than traditional certificates. 

Unlike certificates, tokens never expire. They’re also easier to manage for apps with lots of notifications. Use JWT (JSON Web Tokens) instead of certificates wherever possible, especially for production apps.

Periodically Check Apple Documentation

Apple sometimes updates its APN documentation and security requirements. It emails developers to alert them about important updates, but staying informed ensures your app remains compliant. Subscribe to Apple’s Developer newsfeed to keep on top of the latest releases, beta features, and more. 

Build a Better Notification Strategy With MagicBell

https://youtu.be/GLQ6agO206o?si=c8GfRn22v25QQLhn

Push notifications are essential for communicating with users. While web and Android push notifications have their own nuances, Apple devices are more complex. Understanding APNs and certificates will empower you to design effective push notifications that comply with Apple guidelines and give users a great experience. 

But if managing APNs certificates still feels overwhelming, MagicBell can help. With our easy-to-use notification infrastructure, MagicBell simplifies the push notification process, handling the heavy lifting so you can focus on your app. Get started with MagicBell today and keep your users connected like never before.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between APNs and Firebase Cloud Messaging?

Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) is Apple’s push notification service. It requires either an APNs certificate or token to connect your app and Apple servers. Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) is Google’s push notification service, but it supports iOS, Android, and web applications. 

What happens if my APNs certificate expires?

You can’t send notifications if your APNs certificate expires. If your certificate has expired, renew it ASAP on the Apple Developer portal. You’ll need to replace the expired certificate and then test it to ensure it works correctly. 

What is the alternative to APNs certificates?

Token-based authentication is a popular alternative to APNs certificates. It’s scalable and doesn’t expire, making token authentication a better choice for apps with high notification volumes. It’s also a good choice if you’re looking to simplify the complexity of APN management.