Can you distribute a Safari App Extension *outside* the Mac App Store?

Question

The App Extension Programming Guide says this:

To deliver an OS X app extension, it’s recommended that you submit your containing app to the App Store, but it’s not required.

And the Safari App Extension Programming Guide says this:

Safari app extensions are bundled inside an app and distributed through the App Store.

Does anyone know, if it's possible to distribute a Safari App Extension with an app outside the Mac App Store?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Just confirmed on macOS 10.12.4 and Xcode 8.3: you can distribute Safari App Extensions outside the Mac App Store!

I tested this just now by:

1. Making a new Mac app in Xcode and adding a Safari Extension to it.
2. Archiving the app & exporting it with my Developer ID certificate.
3. Sending the resulting app to a friend, who opened it on their Mac and had the extension correctly show up in Safari.

Hope this helps! :)

Answer 2

At the time of writing this, it seems Apple now restricts Safari extensions to distribution through the Mac App Store: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/659029

Otherwise, if you follow the steps to archive the app and export the notarized version, the app will open perfectly but requires "Allow Unsigned Extensions" to be checked in Safari for the extension itself to work.

Answer 3

You can distribute your Safari extension outside of the Mac App Store, via the Safari Extension Gallery. Those two options require being signed up as an Apple Developer. You can still distribute your extensions outside of these two stores, but your users will get a warning.