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Archive format

IPA converter

An .ipa file is the archive Apple platforms distribute an iOS, iPadOS, or tvOS application in. It is a ZIP containing a single Payload directory that holds the .app bundle: the Mach-O executable, its Info.plist, compiled asset catalogues, localisation folders, and the embedded provisioning profile.

Private for supported formats — processed in your browser

Convert supported files

Runs on your device

Drop IPA files here

Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.

Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.

Where IPA comes from

The format appeared with the App Store in 2008 as a straightforward ZIP of the application bundle iTunes already knew how to sync. Apple layered FairPlay protection onto store-delivered copies, moved distribution away from iTunes in 2017, and shifted developers to App Store Connect uploads produced by Xcode's export flow.

How IPA works

  • The ZIP must contain exactly one Payload/<Name>.app directory; anything else is rejected by the installer.
  • Info.plist inside the bundle may be binary or XML property list format and declares the bundle identifier, version, and required device capabilities.
  • Code signatures live in _CodeSignature/CodeResources plus the signature embedded in the Mach-O binary itself.
  • Compiled asset catalogues are stored as Assets.car, a packed container rather than loose image files.
  • Store-downloaded copies carry FairPlay encryption on the executable, so the binary differs from the developer's own build.

When to use IPA

  • Inspecting an ad-hoc or enterprise build's Info.plist and bundled resources.
  • Extracting bundled documents, fonts, or localisation strings from a build you own.
  • Archiving an internal distribution build as a plain ZIP for long-term storage.
  • Reading an archive on Windows or Linux, where no Apple tooling exists.

Strengths and limitations

Strengths

  • Plain ZIP structure, so listing and extraction work with ordinary tools everywhere.
  • The whole application bundle, including resources and metadata, stays in one file.
  • Info.plist gives an immediate, reliable answer to what a build targets.
  • The directory layout is fixed, so automated inspection is straightforward.

Limitations

  • Installing one requires Apple's signing and provisioning chain; extraction alone achieves nothing installable.
  • Asset catalogues are compiled, so images are not individually visible after extraction.
  • Store copies are protected, which limits what inspection can reveal.

Compatibility

Xcode, Apple Configurator, and mobile device management suites install the format on Apple hardware, while any ZIP utility opens one for reading on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Novus Convert extracts the Payload tree in the browser and republishes it as ZIP or TAR without signing, installing, or running anything.

Bundle identifier, version, minimum OS, and device capabilities live in Info.plist and survive extraction as a file. Code-signing data references the original archive layout and stops being meaningful once the entries are repackaged.

Convert IPA to another format