Do you need to download and install an ipa directly from an URL? Is it possible? The answer is yes, to distribute your app over-the-air (OTA, this means without using TestFlight or the official App Store), you may need to create 3 different files, namely:

• your_App.ipa (The .ipa file using an ad-hoc provisioning profile)
• index.html
• manifest.plist

There are two ways of generating above mentioned files:

1. Using Beta Builder (MacOS only)
2. Manually

Using Beta Builder

• Archive your build.
• Save the .ipa on the Desktop.
• Download a small utility Beta Builder from here. This does most of the required task.
• Open the tool and select your .ipa file, then provide the path you will be placing the build on https://myWeb.com/MY_TEST_APP in the beta builder.
• Generate all the files.
• Now upload index.html, your_App.ipa, & manifest.plist to your server path https://myWeb.com/MY_TEST_APP
• Now share the link of index.html. Once you open this file, you will be asked to Tap on install.
• It will install your_App.ipa on your device.

You can also do this more manually.

Manually

First create index.html file

<a href="itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=https://myWeb.com/MY_TEST_APP/manifest.plist">
Tap Here to Install<br />Your App 1.0 <br />Directly On Your Device
</a>

Create manifest.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>items</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>assets</key>
            <array>
                <dict>
                    <key>kind</key>
                    <string>software-package</string>
                    <key>url</key>
                    <string>https://myWeb.com/MY_TEST_APP/your_App.ipa</string>
                </dict>
            </array>
            <key>metadata</key>
            <dict>
                <key>bundle-identifier</key>
                <string>com.domain.your_app</string>
                <key>bundle-version</key>
                <string>1.0 (4)</string>
                <key>kind</key>
                <string>software</string>
                <key>title</key>
                <string>Your App</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>

Host these files on an HTTPS server. You can use Dropbox for this if necessary.

Notes: If the app refuses to install or run, you may need to check the following items:

• The provisioning profile you’ve used when compiling/archiving your app
• The URLs in both index.html and manifest.plist
• The plist file may possibly need to be hosted on an HTTPS server. You can use Dropbox for this if necessary.
• Your device UUIDs may need to be registered inside Apple Developer Center unless you have an Enterprise licence
• You may need to manually enable access to the app within Settings > Profiles