How to Build an App with AI & Upload to App Store (No Coding) transcript

This app is generating over $100,000 every single month. And in this screenshot, you can see proof of exactly how much it's making. And today, I'm going to show you exactly how to build and upload your own app to the App Store using nothing but AI tools. Now, most people think that you need years of coding experience or thousands of dollars to hire developers to create a successful app. But what if I told you that there is a way to do it in just a few hours using nothing but AI?

Now, this app right here is a calorie counter, and it helps its users [music] track their daily food intake and monitor their nutritional goals. It connects [music] to a massive food database to make logging meals simple and accurate. And there is one AI tool that can build an entire app like this, and it's probably not the one that you're thinking of. Now, this tool is so powerful that you can literally just describe your app idea, and then it builds and everything for you.

But here's the thing that never has been shown before on my channel, because building the app is only half the battle. The real challenge is getting it approved and then uploaded to the App Store. And most people here, they get stuck, and then they never see their app go live. So that's why in this video, I'm not just going to show you how to build an app with AI. I'm going to walk you through [music] the complete process, including the second secret AI tool that handles all the complicated App Store submission requirements for you and me.

So that by the end of this video, you and I are going to have everything that we need to go from idea to published app without writing a single line of code. So let's go ahead and dive in, and then build your first AI-powered app. All right. So in this tutorial, we're going to go step-by-step using Base 44 and Despina, two platforms that make it possible to build and publish an app, of course, without writing a single line of code.

Now, I added a special link in the description down below for both tools, so make sure you check them out. And before we dive in, there are a few things you'll need ready. Make sure you already have your app icon and your splash screen prepared. Both should be 1024 by 1024 in size, and that you have a paid Apple developer account. And once you have these, you're all set to begin. So let's start with Base 44, where we'll be creating our actual app.

So we'll open up Base 44 and start a new project. So for this walkthrough, we're going to be making a simple calorie tracker app. Nothing too fancy, just something that lets our users set calorie goals and then add food items with their respective macros. And you can prompt Base 44 with something like this. Please create a simple calorie tracker application. Make it a mobile responsive app with a modern sleek design.

Have the user be able to set their target calories and add food items and set their respective calories and macros. After entering that prompt, Base 44 takes care of the heavy lifting for us. And within a few moments, our app will be ready to go. And when it's done, we're going to open it up and then explore how everything works. As you can see here on your screen, I'm going to start by setting my target calories and macros.

Then I'm going to add a few food items to test it out. And you'll notice how smoothly it updates and then tracks the data that I input. And it's already doing exactly what we needed it to do. And just like that, we've created a working calorie tracker, right? And that's all we need from Base 44 for now. Because now that the app is up and running in Base 44, the next step is to get it ready for Despina. Now, this part is all about making sure that our app runs smoothly later on when we start the publishing process.

Base 44 is great for building apps quickly, but it comes with its own SDK and [music] authentication system that can sometimes interfere once we move the project to Despina. So before anything else, we do need to clean that out. So we'll go back to our Base 44 project and open up a new prompt, and we'll type something in like this. Please remove the native Base 44 authentication scripts and remove the Base 44 SDK and related files in the project.

[music] Please be thorough and make sure not to break any functionality. Make the data handling of the calorie tracker all local. Do not use any database. Now, usually it only takes a few seconds to correct, but before exporting the app, there is one last adjustment to make. Now, by default, Base 44 apps often require users to log in before accessing the app. And Despina cannot process builds that are locked behind login screens.

So, we're going to need to disable that. >> [music] >> So here on the upper right corner of the Base 44 dashboard, click publish, then look for the require login option. Click edit, turn that feature off, and then save your changes. After disabling login, publish the app as usual and test it again to confirm that everything's still works fine. And when that's done, we'll copy the public project link. We're going to need that in the next step when we set everything up in Despina.

So at this point though, our Base 44 app is fully prepared and ready to move on to the next phase. Okay, so after finishing the app in Base 44, the next step is to set it up in Despina. Now, this is where your project starts taking form as a real mobile app that can be published to the App Store. Despina makes this part simple. It converts your web app into an installable iOS or Android app without needing Xcode or any other advanced setups.

So let's go to Despina's website and create a new app project. We can name it anything that we like, and for this walkthrough, we'll call it NutriTrack app because why not? In the web app start URL field, we'll paste the public project link that we copied earlier from Base 44. Now, that link connects Despina directly to our working app. And once we've entered it, we'll create the project to move forward. Inside the dashboard here, we're going to scroll down the left sidebar until we find app icon and branding.

This is where we are going to upload our visual assets. Under iOS icon, we're going to upload our app icon in PNG format with a 1024 by 1024 resolution. Now, this will be the image our users see on their home screens once the app is installed. Next, we'll go to the splash screen layout section, and we'll upload our splash screen here. It should be a GIF file, also 1024 by 1024 in size. Now, this quick animation is what appears when your app first opens up, giving it a clean and professional touch.

Okay, so if you've ever tried publishing an app before, you know that the setup process with Apple can be a bit tricky. Now, the good thing is, Despina makes most of it much easier. We just need to connect our Apple developer account once, and Despina handles the rest from there. Before you can publish your app, you do need to connect your Apple developer account to Despina. Now, this step is required for building and submitting your app to the App Store.

Now, we have to keep in mind here that this only works if you have a paid Apple developer account, which does cost $99 per year. And without that subscription, you won't be able to link your account or move forward with the publishing process. All right. So inside your Despina project, look to the right side panel here and then find build history. Click the deploy build button to open the deployment sidebar. Now, this is where we are going to connect our Apple developer account and then fill in all the details needed for submission.

We'll scroll down until you can see build configuration here, then click on development team and select add team. Now, doing this opens the connect with App Store connect panel, where we're going to enter our main pieces of information from your Apple developer account. First, the development team ID, account issuer ID, and your API key with its P8 file. Now, to find your development team ID, we'll just go to your Apple developer account resources page here.

And here, we're going to see your team ID in the upper right corner of the dashboard. Copy it, then go back to Despina, and then just paste it into the corresponding field. Next, we're going to need the account issuer ID. Go to the App Store Connects API page, and here we'll see the issuer ID displayed at the top of the page. We're going to copy that and then just paste it back into Despina as well. Finally, we're going to set up our API key.

On that same App Store Connect API page, create a new key. You can name it anything that you like. So again, for this one, we'll name it NutriTrack Despina. Assign it to the app manager role, generate the key, and then copy the key ID. Download the P8 key file that's provided after generation. Now, back here in Despina, we're going to paste the key ID into its field and upload the P8 key file. After entering everything, click the purple link with Apple button to connect your account.

And when the linking process is done, we'll return to the build configuration panel, and then we're going to set your development team to the account you just linked. And that's it. Your Apple developer account is now successfully connected to Despina. Now, in the next step coming up, we're going to go through the build requirements to make sure everything's ready before submission. Now, before submitting the app, there are a few setup tasks to take care of inside Despina and your Apple developer account.

Now, this step is mostly about connecting both platforms correctly so that your app can be built and sent to App Store Connect. Now, it might look a bit technical at first, but once you go through it, and I'll be there for you, you'll see that most of the steps just follow the same old pattern. On the right-hand side of your Despia dashboard, you're going to see several different identifiers targets. Now, these need to match with identifiers you'll create in your Apple developer account.

And the goal here is to make sure that Despia and Apple are aligned on your app's identity and permissions. We'll start with the app bundle, which serves as the main identifier for your app. So, go to your Apple developer account identifiers [music] page. And once we're there, click add identifier, choose app ID, and press continue. In the next step, select app as the type. And when the form appears, you'll see a field for bundle ID.

Copy the bundle ID from Despia and then paste it into that field. Now, under description, type your app's name. Again, for this one, we'll name it NutriTrack app. Next, scroll through the list of capabilities and turn on the ones needed for this app. App attest, app groups, associated domains, HealthKit, iCloud including CloudKit [music] support, push notifications with broadcast capability, sign in with Apple, and yes, Siri.

Now, these capabilities tell Apple which features your app will use, from handling notifications to accessing user data securely. After that, click continue, then register. Now, you'll see your new NutriTrack app identifier listed on the identifiers page. That part completes the setup for the app bundle section. So, the next target we'll set up is OneSignal, which handles the push notification functionality for our app.

And just like before, we'll create a new identifier in the Apple developer account. But this time, it'll be linked specifically to OneSignal. In Despia, copy the push bundle ID under the OneSignal target section. Then head on over back to your Apple developer account identifiers page >> [music] >> and create a new identifier. Choose app ID, then select app as the type. And when prompted, paste the bundle ID you copied from Despia into the bundle ID field.

Now, under description, write your app's name followed by OneSignal. So, in my case, [music] it would be NutriTrack app OneSignal. After filling up those details, we'll scroll through the list of capabilities and enable app groups, associated domains, and push notifications with broadcast capabilities. Now, these allow our app to handle notifications and then group them properly once they're live. And then, when that's done, we'll click continue and then register to finalize this identifier.

After creating the app ID, the next step is to create its app group. So, we'll go back to the identifiers page, create a new identifier, and this time select app group. In the identifier field, return to Despia and copy the push app group ID, then paste it in here. Under description, again, write your app's name followed by OneSignal app group. And once everything looks correct, click continue and then register. [music] And now that the app group has been created, it needs to be linked [music] to the main OneSignal app ID.

And to do this, find the OneSignal identifier you just created, open it up, and then scroll down to the app groups capability. Click configure, then select the app group you just made, the one labeled NutriTrack app OneSignal app group. And then, save our changes, and that's it. We've successfully created the OneSignal identifier, its related app group, and connected the two together. All right. Now, the app clip target follows nearly the same process as the previous sections, but with a few small changes.

So, we'll go back to our identifiers page in our Apple developer account and create a new identifier. Choose app ID, but this time, select app clip when the next page appears. In the parent app ID field, choose your main bundle ID, which in this case is NutriTrack app. For the product name, simply type clip, then click continue. And just like before, we'll add the details and enable the required capabilities. In the description field, write your app's name followed by app clip.

So, for example, NutriTrack app app clip. Then enable the following capabilities: app groups, associated domains, and push notifications. After selecting these, click continue, then register to finish creating the app clip identifier. Next up, we'll create an app group for this target. So, we'll go back to the identifiers page again and create a new app group identifier. In the description field, type your app's name followed by app clip app group.

Then in the identifier field, return to Despia and copy the clip app group ID, paste it into the field, and then click continue and register. After creating the app group, it needs to be linked to the app clip identifier. And in order to make that happen, first open the NutriTrack app app clip identifier. Scroll down to the app group section and click configure. Inside that menu, select the app group you just created and save your changes.

All right. Now, the app clip and its app group are both set up and connected, and we can now move on to our next requirement. The next setup is for the share target, which lets your app handle shared content from other apps. Now, this step is very similar to what we've already done before, just with fewer capabilities to enable. Now, start by copying the bundle ID for the share target from Despia. Then go back to your Apple developer identifiers page and create a new identifier. >> [music] >> Choose app ID, select app, and when prompted, paste the copied bundle ID into the bundle ID field.

In the description field, type your app's name followed by share target. Now, once that's done, scroll down and enable app groups as the only capability, then click continue and register. After creating the app ID, the next step is to create the app group for it. So, go back to Despia, copy the group ID, then return to the identifiers page and create a new app group identifier. In the description field, write your app's name followed by share target app group.

In the identifier field, paste the copied ID, then click register to save it. Now, once the app group is created, it needs to be linked to the share target identifier. So, open the share target ID you just made, scroll down to the app groups, and click configure. Find the newly created share target app group, select it, and save your changes. All right. So, the last target to set up is the smart widget. And the process here is almost identical to the previous sections we've already done.

So, we'll start by copying the smart widget bundle ID from Despia. Then go back to your Apple developer identifiers page and create a new identifier. Choose app ID, select app, and paste the copied bundle ID into the bundle ID field. In the description field, write your app's name followed by widget. Now, for example, NutriTrack app widget. And once that's filled in, enable app groups, [music] then register and save the new ID.

After the base ID has been created, it's time to make its app group. So, go back to Despia, copy the group ID, and then return to your identifiers page to create a new app group identifier. Paste the copied ID into the identifier field, and in the description field, just write your app's name followed by widget app group. So, again, for this example, that would be NutriTrack app widget app group. And once everything is finally set up, register it to save your changes.

And then finally, we'll link this new group to the widget identifier. So, open up the widget ID you just created, scroll down to app groups, and click configure. From there, just select the widget app group that we just registered, then save your changes. And that pretty much completes the setup for the smart widget target, and all of our identifiers and app groups are now properly connected. Okay, that was a ton of work.

But after creating all the identifiers and app groups, the final step is to bring everything together under your main app bundle. Now, to make that part work, we're going to start by heading back to the Apple developer identifiers page and then find our main bundle ID, which should be the first one that we created, the NutriTrack app. Open it up, then scroll down until you reach app groups. Click edit, and in the window that appears, select all four groups that we just made earlier.

So, that's OneSignal, app clip, share, and widget. After checking all of them, save your changes. And now, it's time to switch over to App Store Connect to create the actual app project. So, we're going to navigate to the app section and click new app to begin. From here, choose iOS as a platform, then fill out the required details. For the name, type in your app's name and in our case for this video, NutriTrack App, and set the language to English.

Select the main bundle ID we created earlier and for the SKU, simply use your app's name in all caps. Once those details are set, click create to finish setting up the new app. Now, if the name that you entered is already taken, don't worry, it's okay. It happens all the time. We can easily make it more unique by adding something descriptive, like NutriTrack App Calorie Tracker. Because with so many apps on the store, it is completely normal to make small adjustments to your app's name during submission.

Now, after the app has been created, we're going to open the app information page here. Here, we'll find our Apple ID listed near the top. Now, copy that value, then head on over back to Despia. On the right side panel here, we'll scroll down until you find the App Store App ID field and then paste your Apple ID there. After that, you're now ready to start the build. Now, what we're going to do is click publish project in Despia to begin the process.

Despia will package your app and then submit the generated.ipa file directly to App Store Connect. Now, depending on your app size and its configuration, this step can [music] take a few minutes. So, when the build is complete, you'll see a confirmation message that everything, hopefully, went smoothly. And you can also check TestFlight to confirm that the build has been uploaded. It should appear there as ready to [music] submit.

And just like that, your app is now live inside Apple's review system and ready for the final submission process, which we'll go through in the next step. We're so close. And getting to the finish line of your app launch means taking care of the last few App Store Connect requirements. And the first one might seem small, but it's super important. You need a privacy policy. Apple asks for a link to it before you can submit your build.

[music] Think of it as your app's about page for data, since it explains what information you collect and how it's handled. All right, so start by visiting privacypolicygenerator.info. It's a simple site that walks you through the process. Select the option for an app, then go through each question. Now, this part is mostly about being accurate and honest. So, for our demo, we'll keep it straightforward and select no for data collection.

If your app does gather any information, like user details, analytics, or permissions, make sure you mark those accordingly. And once you complete the setup here, the site will generate your privacy policy automatically. And then when it's ready, all you got to do is publish it and then copy the link. You'll need to paste that URL into App Store Connect later during the submission steps. Okay, so after making sure the privacy policy is ready, it's time to set up the distribution section in App Store Connect.

In this part, you'll fill out the public-facing details of your app. You know, the parts people see when they're browsing the App Store. So, this is your app's storefront page, where screenshots and descriptions and keywords help users understand what your app does. So, let's begin by opening the distribution page of your app in App Store Connect. And we're going to go ahead and start with the visuals, since those usually make the biggest impression.

We'll drag and drop three iPhone screenshots, then we're going to go ahead and do the same for your iPad screenshots. [music] Now, these screenshots should show off your app's key screens, anything that highlights how it looks [music] and how it works. Next, scroll down to fill out the text fields. In the promotional text box, enter an advanced calorie tracker. Then under description, write something clear and helpful, like NutriTrack is a simple calorie tracking application designed to help you monitor your daily caloric intake and macros efficiently.

Set your target goals, add food items, and track your progress with ease. And below that, we'll add a few keywords separated by commas, like fitness, calorie tracking, health, nutrition, macros. These will help your app show up in search results, so they are like short tags that users might type when looking for apps exactly like yours. >> [music] >> For the support URL, paste the link to your privacy policy or a support page if you have one.

Then make sure your version number is set to 1.00, matching what's in your app's configuration. Then under copyright, type NutriTrack 2025. After filling everything in, scroll down and select the build that you submitted earlier from Despia. In the app [music] review information section here, look for the sign-in required option. If your app doesn't need users to sign in, uncheck this box. And if it does, make sure to leave it enabled.

Always adjust this based on your app's actual setup. Now, once everything looks good, scroll back up and click save in the top right corner of here. And that locks in your app's basic details and we're ready to move on to completing the rest of the App Store submission requirements. All right, so now let's move over to the app information section in App Store Connect. So, let's start by adding a short and clear subtitle.

Type Track Your Calories and Macros. This line appears right below your app's name on the App Store and gives potential users a quick idea of what it does. Then select your app's categories. [music] So, for this app, we're going to choose health and fitness as the primary category. If there is a secondary option that fits, you can go ahead and select that, too, but it is not required. Next, scroll down to content rights and set it to no, since this app [music] doesn't collect or use user data.

After that, complete the age rating setup. You're going to see a list of content-related questions here and just answer no to all of them, since this calorie tracker app doesn't include explicit material or user-generated content. After that, click save in the upper right corner. This ensures your app's information and classifications are properly recorded before we move on to setting up the pricing and availability.

Before your app goes live, you do need to decide how it will be distributed and who can access it. Now, this part happens in the pricing and availability section of App Store Connect. And this is where you set whether your app is free or paid and choose the regions where it will appear once approved. [music] And App Store Connect will open the pricing and availability tab. Start clicking at pricing, then select $0 to make your app free to download.

Now, for most new apps, especially simple tools like this calorie tracker, starting free helps you reach more users before deciding whether to add premium features later on. Once you've chosen [music] the price, review the pricing details across different countries and regions to make sure everything looks right. And when you're done, click confirm to save your selection. Next, let's set our app's availability. Click set up availability, then choose all countries and regions.

Doing this ensures your app can be downloaded from anywhere, giving it the widest possible reach. After confirming, you'll see a full list of supported regions where your app will be live once it is approved. And that's it for pricing and availability. The next step is to finalize your app's privacy information before sending it for review. Now, you should know that Apple requires every app on the App Store to explain how it handles user data, and that's done in the app privacy section of App Store Connect.

Here, you are going to declare what kind of information that your app collects and add your privacy policy link. Even if your app doesn't collect personal data, Apple still requires this step for transparency. [music] So, in App Store Connect, we're going to go over to the app privacy tab. And let's begin by editing the privacy policy and pasting the link we generated earlier from the privacy policy generator. Now, after that, click save to keep it recorded.

Next, click get started to begin the privacy setup. Now, when you're asked if your app collects data, select yes, since [music] Apple requires a clear disclosure for all apps. On the following screen, choose name and health as the data types, as this app deals with calorie tracking and nutrition data. Continue through the remaining steps, reviewing the options to make sure that your selections match what your app actually does.

And when you're finished, click publish to finalize everything. All right, it's time for the final step. Finally, right? Sending the app for review. Now, what's happening here is that Apple's review team takes over and then checks out your app before it goes live on the App Store. So, we need to head back to the prepare for submission page in App Store Connect. We're going to click add for review, then select your submission and click submit for review.

Once submitted, the app enters Apple's review queue. The review time can vary depending on your app's complexity >> [music] >> and Apple's current review load, but you will receive an update once the process is complete. Yeah? That's it. Your app is ready to go. Just remember that every app is different. So, when you go through these steps on your own, make sure that your settings, your policies, and your data handling match your actual app's features.

Just don't copy me one for one. Now, this guide gives you the full path, you just need to adjust it to fit your unique project. So, by this point, you got to admit it's kind of crazy how all that came together so fast, right? >> [music] >> We just built and uploaded an app without writing a single line of code. Base 44 handled the build, Daspia took care of the publishing, and now your app's basically ready for the App Store.

If you followed along, for sure you now have a working app and the know-how how to do it again and again. Maybe something bigger next time. So, thanks for watching and I'll see you at the next video.