Codex · App Store Connect

Run TestFlight from Codex

A build lands in App Store Connect. Ask Codex to give it to your internal and beta groups, write What to Test from the commits, answer export compliance, and later pull the crash reports testers sent.

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Setup checked October 2026 against Codex MCP docs, non-interactive mode

01 · Uplink

Connect Codex once

01 · Add the server

Codex sees that MetaRun offers sign-in and starts it straight away, in your browser. Pick read-only or read and change.

codex mcp add metarun --url https://metarun.dev/api/mcp

02 · Sign in again later

If the sign-in expires or you disconnected it in MetaRun's settings. --no-browser prints the link instead, for SSH sessions.

codex mcp login metarun

03 · Or edit ~/.codex/config.toml

The Codex CLI, the IDE extension and Codex in the ChatGPT desktop app read the same file, so one entry covers all three.

[mcp_servers.metarun]
url = "https://metarun.dev/api/mcp"

Prefer a personal access token (scripts, CI)?

Add the server with a token

Mint a personal access token in MetaRun under Settings, MCP. It's shown once and can be revoked any time. Codex reads it from the environment variable you name.

export METARUN_TOKEN="mr_pat_..."
codex mcp add metarun --url https://metarun.dev/api/mcp --bearer-token-env-var METARUN_TOKEN

Or in config.toml

[mcp_servers.metarun]
url = "https://metarun.dev/api/mcp"
bearer_token_env_var = "METARUN_TOKEN"

02 · Briefing

What Codex handles here

TestFlight work comes in small pieces at awkward times: a build finishes processing while you're in the middle of something, someone has to add it to the right groups, the What to Test field is empty again, and tester feedback sits in a separate tab.

Codex can do each piece through MetaRun, in the same session where the build was made. Crash feedback and screenshots from testers come back as data the agent can match against your code.

03 · Preflight

Before you start

A build uploaded from Xcode, Xcode Cloud, fastlane or CI.
Tester groups set up in App Store Connect.
An answer for export compliance, or ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption in Info.plist.

04 · Execution

How it runs

01
Wait for processing
Codex reads the build list and reports when the build is processed. A build still processing can't be assigned.
02
Clear export compliance
If the build has no encryption answer, the agent previews the declaration, or reuses an existing one.
03
Assign and describe
Each group assignment and the What to Test text is its own preview.
04
Read what testers found
Crash feedback, crash logs and screenshot feedback come back as structured data, ready to compare with the code.

05 · Session

An example session in Codex

When build 312 finishes processing, give it to Internal and Beta Club, with What to Test written from the commits since build 309.

apple_list_buildsBuild 312 processed. No export compliance answer yet.
apple_preview_declare_build_encryptionPreview: exempt encryption, assigned to build 312. Not revertible.
Codex asks before running apple_apply_declare_build_encryption. You read the preview above and approve.
apple_apply_declare_build_encryptionDeclared.
apple_preview_assign_build_to_groupPreview: build 312 to the Beta Club group.
Codex asks before running apple_apply_assign_build_to_group. You read the preview above and approve.
apple_apply_assign_build_to_groupAssigned to Beta Club.
apple_preview_set_what_to_testPreview: What to Test in English, from the commits since build 309.

Illustrative: your apps, versions and numbers will differ. The tool names and their order are real.

06 · Tools

The MetaRun tools Codex calls

Tool	What it does
apple_list_buildsread	Builds with version, build number, processing state and expiry.
apple_list_testflight_groupsread	Internal and external tester groups.
apple_preview_assign_build_to_grouppreview + apply	Give a build to a tester group.
apple_preview_set_what_to_testpreview + apply	What to Test notes for a build, per language.
apple_preview_declare_build_encryptionpreview + apply	Answer export compliance so the build can be tested.
apple_list_testflight_crash_feedbackread	Crash reports testers submitted, with their comments.
apple_get_crash_logread	The crash log behind a tester's report.
apple_list_testflight_screenshot_feedbackread	Screenshots and comments testers sent from the app.
apple_preview_expire_buildpreview + apply	Stop testing a build before its 90 days are up.

Each preview has an apply twin (the same name with apply instead of preview) that only runs with the confirm token from a fresh preview, and refuses if App Store Connect changed in between. MetaRun tools save to your MetaRun workspace only (studio projects, tracked keywords), never to Apple.

07 · Apple rules

What Apple enforces, and how MetaRun handles it

Builds expire after 90 days

A TestFlight build stops working 90 days after upload. Expiring one early is a preview and apply like any other change.

External testing needs Beta App Review

The first build of a version sent to external testers goes through Beta App Review. Internal testers get it as soon as it's processed.

Export compliance can't be undone

Declaring a build's encryption is permanent for that build, so the preview says it's not revertible. Setting ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption in Info.plist answers it at upload instead.

MetaRun doesn't upload builds

Xcode, Xcode Cloud, fastlane or your CI uploads the build. MetaRun takes over once it's in App Store Connect.

08 · Comms

What to ask Codex

Ask Codex: When build 312 finishes processing, give it to Internal and Beta Club, with What to Test written from the commits since build 309.
Ask Codex: Pull this week's TestFlight crash feedback and match the stack traces to files in Sources/.
Ask Codex: Expire every build older than 2.3.

09 · Unattended

Run it from a script with Codex

codex exec runs one request without an interactive session and with its approval policy set to never. MetaRun's reads and previews still run, because they're marked read-only; anything that would ask is refused.

Read-only check, safe to schedule

codex exec "List the latest five builds of com.example.app with processing state, expiry date and the tester groups each one is in. Read only."

Applies are refused in codex exec by design. Don't set MetaRun's approval mode to approve just to make them pass; keep App Store changes in an interactive session.

10 · Safety

How Codex asks before a change

Codex decides per tool from the hints MetaRun sends with each one. In its default mode it runs tools marked read-only, which covers MetaRun's reads and previews, and asks before the rest, which covers every apply. You can change that per server with default_tools_approval_mode, or per tool with tools.<name>.approval_mode in config.toml; keep the apply tools on prompt.

Apple key stays on MetaRun, encryptedPreview before every writeRecorded, revertible from history

11 · FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can Codex upload a build to TestFlight?

Not through MetaRun: build upload belongs to Xcode, Xcode Cloud, fastlane or your CI. Everything after the upload (compliance, groups, notes, feedback) works through MetaRun.

Can it read crash reports from testers?

Yes. apple_list_testflight_crash_feedback returns the reports with tester comments and apple_get_crash_log returns the log, which Codex can match against your code.

Does it work with external tester groups?

Yes, internal and external groups both. The first build of a version to external testers still goes through Apple's Beta App Review.

What does export compliance mean here?

Apple's question about whether the build uses non-exempt encryption. The agent can answer it per build, or you can set ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption in Info.plist so Apple never asks.

How do I connect Codex to App Store Connect?

Run codex mcp add metarun --url https://metarun.dev/api/mcp; Codex detects MetaRun's sign-in and opens it in your browser. After that, ask for "testflight" in plain words and Codex picks the MetaRun tools.

Does Codex see my App Store Connect key?

No. Your App Store Connect API key stays envelope-encrypted on MetaRun's servers and is decrypted per request. Codex holds a MetaRun token that you can revoke in Settings at any time.

More with Codex

Codex

Submit for review

Attach the build, clear export compliance, run the readiness sweep, submit.

Open

Codex

App Privacy and compliance

Turn your privacy manifests into App Privacy answers; set age rating and export compliance.

Open

Codex

Release notes

Write What's New from your changelog and stage it in every language.