> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rork.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build a native iPhone app with Rork

> Rork writes native iPhone apps in Swift with SwiftUI, runs them on a cloud iOS simulator next to the chat, and submits the build to TestFlight and the App Store.

export const CtaBanner = () => <div style={{
  display: "flex",
  alignItems: "center",
  justifyContent: "space-between",
  gap: "24px",
  flexWrap: "wrap",
  margin: "40px 0 8px",
  padding: "22px 28px",
  borderRadius: "16px",
  background: "linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(249,115,22,0.10),rgba(255,255,255,0.03),rgba(249,115,22,0.06))",
  border: "1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.08)"
}}>
    <div>
      <div style={{
  fontSize: "19px",
  fontWeight: 700,
  color: "#fff",
  letterSpacing: "-0.3px",
  lineHeight: 1.3
}}>
        Build your app with Rork today.
      </div>
      <div style={{
  fontSize: "14px",
  color: "rgba(255,255,255,0.6)",
  marginTop: "4px",
  lineHeight: 1.5
}}>
        Ship iOS, Android, and web apps by chatting with AI.
      </div>
    </div>
    <a href="https://rork.com?utm_source=docs&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=docs-cta&amp;utm_content=cta-banner" onClick={tagCtaLink} style={{
  flexShrink: 0,
  display: "inline-block",
  padding: "10px 24px",
  background: "linear-gradient(135deg,#fff,#f0f0f0)",
  color: "#000",
  fontSize: "14px",
  fontWeight: 600,
  borderRadius: "100px",
  textDecoration: "none",
  whiteSpace: "nowrap"
}}>
      Try Rork for Free
    </a>
  </div>;

export const stage = {
  display: "flex",
  justifyContent: "center",
  margin: "8px 0 10px"
};

export const phoneShot = {
  width: "300px",
  maxWidth: "100%",
  height: "auto",
  display: "block",
  margin: 0,
  border: 0,
  borderRadius: "12px",
  verticalAlign: "top"
};

export const panelShot = {
  width: "100%",
  maxWidth: "460px",
  height: "auto",
  display: "block",
  margin: 0,
  border: 0,
  borderRadius: "12px",
  verticalAlign: "top"
};

export const shotCaption = {
  margin: "0 0 28px",
  fontSize: "13px",
  lineHeight: 1.5,
  opacity: 0.55,
  textAlign: "center"
};

An iPhone app in Rork is a **native iPhone app**. Rork writes it in **Swift** with **SwiftUI**, the stack Apple uses for its own apps. It is not a website in a shell, and it is not an Android app converted at runtime.

You describe the app, Rork builds it, and you watch it run on a cloud iOS simulator next to the chat. When it is ready, Rork builds the app on its own machines and submits it to TestFlight and the App Store. You do not need Xcode or a Mac to publish.

<div style={stage}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/Dod9ma1dy5tOAEvA/images/iphone/simulator.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Dod9ma1dy5tOAEvA&q=85&s=06f479cd7f8ab158b0a1fdad3157878b" alt="A native Swift app running in the Rork iOS simulator, with the Dynamic Island, four stat meters, and four action buttons" style={phoneShot} width="682" height="1437" data-path="images/iphone/simulator.png" />
</div>

<p style={shotCaption}>A Swift app running in the iOS simulator inside Rork.</p>

## Start an iPhone app

Pick the platform before you send your first message. On [rork.com](https://rork.com?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=referral\&utm_campaign=docs-cta\&utm_content=iphone-start), open the platform picker under the prompt box and choose **For iPhone**. The picker describes it as **iPad, Apple Watch, and more with SwiftUI**.

<div style={stage}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/Ep6plmawdUVEjuzZ/images/iphone/picker-for-iphone.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Ep6plmawdUVEjuzZ&q=85&s=9453eee17008fdbf9fbe843c8904f611" alt="The For iPhone row in the Rork platform picker, with an Apple icon and the line iPad, Apple Watch, and more with SwiftUI" style={panelShot} width="422" height="77" data-path="images/iphone/picker-for-iphone.png" />
</div>

<p style={shotCaption}>The For iPhone row in the platform picker.</p>

The picker footer says it plainly: **You can add another platform later.** One project can hold an iPhone app, an Android app, and a web app at the same time. See [Convert your app between iOS, Android, and web](/import/convert-between-platforms).

Then describe the product, not the technology:

```
A habit tracker that reminds me each morning and shows my streak on the first screen
```

**Rork Pro** (\$20/month) builds native iPhone apps with SwiftUI. You do not need **Rork Max** for iPhone. Max adds iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, native games, and iOS widgets. See [Plans & Subscriptions](/introduction/subscriptions).

## Answer the questions, then build

Rork does not start writing Swift straight away. It asks a few short questions about the look first. Each answer is a picture, not a word. You can also type your own answer in **Other**, then press **Submit**. Skip this step by writing the look into your first prompt instead.

Next Rork draws the screens and shows them in **Design mode**. Nothing is built yet, so this is the cheap moment to change your mind. Ask for a different screen in chat, or press **Build** to turn the design into a working iPhone app. See [Design mode, Plan mode, and building](/features/agent-modes).

## Run the app on an iOS simulator

Rork runs your Swift app on a **cloud iOS simulator** in your browser. It is the real app on a real iOS system, not a picture, so you tap through it while you build.

The simulator does not run all the time. It waits behind a **Turn on simulator** button, and it tells you what it costs while it runs:

<div style={stage}>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/_ERrirOg410HsYIN/images/games/simulator-cost.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=_ERrirOg410HsYIN&q=85&s=3944886d252ac08fa1a28387ba3e43fb" alt="The Turn on simulator panel showing 0.2 build credits per minute while running, and no simulator credits used in this project yet" style={panelShot} width="580" height="309" data-path="images/games/simulator-cost.png" />
</div>

<p style={shotCaption}>The simulator waits until you start it, and it shows the price first.</p>

<Tip>
  The panel says **0.2 build credits/min while running**, so press **Stop simulator** when you finish a testing round. It also tells you how much simulator time this project has used so far. See [Build credits vs Cloud credits](/billing/build-credits-vs-cloud-credits).
</Tip>

The controls above the simulator do this:

| Control                | What it does                                                                                          |
| ---------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Record**             | Records the preview and attaches it to the chat.                                                      |
| **Screenshot**         | Attaches a screenshot to the chat.                                                                    |
| **Home**               | Returns the app to its first screen.                                                                  |
| Simulator settings     | Switches **Appearance** between **Light** and **Dark**, changes **Text size**, and sets **Language**. |
| **Select an element**  | Point at a part of the screen, then write what to change about it.                                    |
| **Share**              | Takes a screenshot you can post.                                                                      |
| **Restart**            | Restarts the simulator when the instance is gone.                                                     |
| **Stop simulator**     | Shuts it down and stops the per-minute cost.                                                          |
| **Run on your device** | Installs the app on a real iPhone. See [Test on your own iPhone](#test-on-your-own-iphone).           |

<Note>
  A simulator instance does not live forever. If the connection is gone, press **Restart**. Your app and your project are untouched. Only the running machine is gone.
</Note>

The simulator has no physical camera, and it cannot receive Apple push notifications. Camera code still builds. Test the camera and real push on a phone.

## Test on your own iPhone

The simulator covers most testing. When you want the app in your own hand, use one of these paths:

1. Press **Run on your device** above the simulator. Rork installs the app over USB with the Companion app. See [Rork Max (Swift)](/rork-max-swift).
2. Open the [Rork Max app](/rork-max/rork-max-app) on your iPhone, then use **Install on Device**. The app lands on your Home Screen as a real iOS app.
3. Submit a build and invite testers with [TestFlight](/store-guides/testflight-beta-testers).

The Rork Max app is the everyday path when you are away from a Mac.

## Publish to the App Store

Rork builds and submits the app for you. What Rork cannot do is be you: the Apple Developer account and the store listing belong to your Apple account.

Open **Publish** in the project. The App Store section says **Build and submit this app to TestFlight and the App Store**. Until you send a build it reads **No App Store submissions yet**. Press **Submit to App Store**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your Apple Developer account">
    Apple membership costs **\$99 / year**. Start this early. See [Create your Apple Developer Account](/store-guides/apple-developer-account).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in App Info">
    Step 1 of the **Publish to App Store** dialog is **App Info**: the icon, the **App Name** (max 30 characters), the version, and the bundle identifier. The platform field reads **iOS**, described as **iPhone & iPad**. The panel adds **Each platform is submitted separately**.

    <Frame caption="Publish to App Store, Step 1: the icon, the name, the version, and the bundle identifier.">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/ZxJD9qPQMwkcvx8D/images/import/publish-wizard-step1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ZxJD9qPQMwkcvx8D&q=85&s=ab3a38cfc1e7d1dad25b15af2ea7f39a" alt="The Publish to App Store dialog on Step 1 App Info, with an iOS platform field, app name, app version, bundle identifier, and a Continue button" width="1620" height="1200" data-path="images/import/publish-wizard-step1.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign in to Apple Developer">
    Step 2 is **Apple Developer**. Enter your **Apple Developer Email** and **Apple Developer Password**. Rork builds on its own machines, so you do not need Xcode.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start Submission">
    Step 3 is **Submit**. Press **Start Submission**, then stay on the page while Rork builds. Apple can ask for a verification code on a signed-in device. Enter that code in Rork when it asks.
  </Step>
</Steps>

A finished upload lands in **App Store Connect**, and the chat shows **Available on TestFlight**. The project keeps every build in **App Store Submissions**, each one with its TestFlight link.

<Frame caption="App Store Submissions: each iOS build, its TestFlight link, Beta Invite Link, and New Submission.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/ZxJD9qPQMwkcvx8D/images/import/appstore-submissions.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=ZxJD9qPQMwkcvx8D&q=85&s=efb0f8e533e52f4b9772b5486cea0fca" alt="The App Store Submissions dialog listing iOS builds with a Submitted status, TestFlight links, a Beta Invite Link button, and a New Submission button" width="1778" height="1350" data-path="images/import/appstore-submissions.png" />
</Frame>

Press **New Submission** for the next version. Use **Beta Invite Link** to share a TestFlight invite. The step-by-step version, with the Apple screens, is in [Publish Your App to the Apple App Store](/store-guides/publish-app-store).

<Tip>
  Run the [AI App Store Reviewer](/ai-app-store-reviewer) before you submit. It checks your app against Apple's rules inside the project, so you find the rejection reasons first.
</Tip>

## Add an iPhone app to a project you already have

Any project can grow an iPhone app. Click **+** above the preview and pick **iOS (Swift)**, described as **Native iPhone app**. You can also use **Project Settings → Add new app**, or just ask:

```
Add a native iPhone app to this project
```

On an older Expo project Rork also offers a card: **Make this app native iOS**, with the line **Recreate it in SwiftUI for iPhone**. Press **Add iOS app**.

<Frame caption="The native iOS card on an older project. Add iOS app starts the Swift rebuild.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/re_kxeGYd7Na763u/images/expo/make-this-app-native-ios.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=re_kxeGYd7Na763u&q=85&s=574757ca625d6f7de07c567a6ee87f29" alt="A Rork card titled Make this app native iOS, with the line Recreate it in SwiftUI for iPhone and the buttons Add iOS app and See why" width="978" height="366" data-path="images/expo/make-this-app-native-ios.png" />
</Frame>

Confirm the **Add iOS app?** card when it appears. The agent rebuilds your screens, navigation, data flows, and design as a Swift app.

When the project already has an iPhone app, the same menus offer the other platforms instead:

<Frame caption="Project Settings on an iPhone app. Add new app offers Android and Web.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/rork/Dod9ma1dy5tOAEvA/images/iphone/project-settings-add-app.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Dod9ma1dy5tOAEvA&q=85&s=140e19914ed1b6ec6653f48e8cda3634" alt="Project Settings for an iOS app, with the Add new app menu open showing Android and Web" width="1296" height="1000" data-path="images/iphone/project-settings-add-app.png" />
</Frame>

Both apps then live in one project, with **two codebases**: Swift for iPhone, Kotlin for Android. They share the chat and the backend, and they publish from the same **Publish** menu.

## What a Rork iPhone app can do

A Swift app talks to iOS directly:

* Screens in SwiftUI: tab bars, lists, forms, and system-style settings
* The camera, sensors, local storage, and iOS permission prompts
* Work that keeps running in the background, within Apple's rules
* Accounts, data, and push notifications from the same backend as your other apps, see [Backend](/backend/index)
* A real Xcode project you can export to GitHub, see [How to sync your project with GitHub](/tutorials/how-to-connect-github)

**Rork Max** adds iPad layouts, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, iOS widgets, and native games. See [Plans & Subscriptions](/introduction/subscriptions) and the [Rork Max page](https://rork.com/max?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=referral\&utm_campaign=docs-cta\&utm_content=iphone-max).

## What an iPhone app cannot do

An iPhone app is Apple only. These are the limits that matter:

* It does not run on Android. Add an Android app to the same project if you need both.
* The cloud simulator has no physical camera, and it cannot receive Apple push notifications.
* You need an Apple Developer membership to publish. Membership costs **\$99 / year**.
* Each Apple platform is submitted separately.
* iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, iOS widgets, and native games need **Rork Max**.
* A web app in the same project still cannot ship through the App Store. Publish that one to `rork.app`.

If you also need an Android app or a web app, add that platform to the same project. See [Convert your app between iOS, Android, and web](/import/convert-between-platforms).

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is this a wrapped web app?">
    No. A Rork iPhone app is a Swift codebase built with SwiftUI. It is not a browser app in a shell, and it is not an Android app.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need Xcode or a Mac?">
    No. Rork builds on its own machines and submits to App Store Connect from the browser. A Mac is optional: use it only for the USB Companion install.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which plan builds iPhone apps?">
    Any paid plan. **Rork Pro** (\$20/month) builds native iPhone apps with SwiftUI. The **Free** plan designs an iPhone app but does not build one. **Rork Max** adds iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, native games, and iOS widgets. See [Plans & Subscriptions](/introduction/subscriptions).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does the simulator cost?">
    **0.2 build credits per minute while it runs**, and nothing when it is off. The panel shows how much this project has used. See [Build credits vs Cloud credits](/billing/build-credits-vs-cloud-credits).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where does the first build go?">
    To App Store Connect, then TestFlight. It is not on the public App Store until you finish the product page and pass Apple review.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can the same project also have an Android app?">
    Yes. An iPhone app is iPhone only, but you can add an Android app or a web app to the same project and share one backend. See [Convert your app between iOS, Android, and web](/import/convert-between-platforms).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I have an Expo project. Can it become a native iPhone app?">
    Yes. Add a native iPhone app to the same project and the agent rebuilds your screens in Swift. Your Expo app stays where it is. See [What happened to Expo?](/expo).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card icon="compass" href="/swift-vs-react-native/whats-the-difference" title="iPhone, Android, or web">
    What each platform is good at, and how to choose.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="mobile" href="/rork-max/rork-max-app" title="Rork Max app">
    Install the app on your iPhone and keep building there.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="upload" href="/store-guides/apple-developer-account" title="Apple Developer account">
    The \$99 / year membership you need before App Store review.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="shield-check" href="/ai-app-store-reviewer" title="AI App Store Reviewer">
    Check Apple's rules inside the project, before you submit.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="database" href="/backend/index" title="Add a backend">
    Accounts, data, files, and push notifications.
  </Card>

  <Card icon="sparkles" href="https://rork.com/max?utm_source=docs&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=docs-cta&utm_content=iphone-next-max" title="Rork Max">
    iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro, widgets, and native games.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<CtaBanner />