CERTSIGNINGREQUEST File – What is .certsigningrequest file and how to open it?

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CERTSIGNINGREQUEST File Extension

Apple Developer Signing Certificate Request File – file format by Apple

CERTSIGNINGREQUEST (Apple Developer Signing Certificate Request File) is a file extension used to transfer a certificate signing request to an Apple Certificate Authority to obtain a certificate for signing iOS apps.

Purpose of a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) File

A CSR file is a digital document that is used to request a digital certificate from a certificate authority (CA). It contains information about the entity requesting the certificate, such as its name, organization, and public key. The CSR is generated by the entity that will be using the certificate and is then submitted to the CA for verification and approval.

In the context of Apple’s Developer Signing Certificate Request (CSR) File, it specifically pertains to creating an Apple Developer Certificate, an essential component for distributing apps to the Apple App Store. The certificate verifies the identity of the developer and authorizes them to sign and distribute apps for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS platforms.

Opening CERTSIGNINGREQUEST Files on macOS

Apple Developer Signing Certificate Request Files (CERTSIGNINGREQUEST) can be opened using the Keychain Access application on macOS. To open a CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file, follow these steps:

  1. Double-click on the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file to open it in Keychain Access.
  2. In the Keychain Access window, select the “Certificates” category from the sidebar on the left.
  3. Click on the “File” menu and select “Import Items…”.
  4. Navigate to the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file and select it.
  5. Click on the “Open” button.

Once the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file is imported, it will be stored in the “Certificates” category in Keychain Access. You can double-click on the certificate to view its details, including the public key and the expiration date.

Opening CERTSIGNINGREQUEST Files on Windows

CERTSIGNINGREQUEST files cannot be directly opened on Windows. However, you can use a third-party utility to convert the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file to a PEM file, which can then be opened using a text editor. One such utility is OpenSSL. To convert a CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file to a PEM file using OpenSSL, follow these steps:

  1. Open a command prompt window.
  2. Navigate to the directory where the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file is located.
  3. Enter the following command:


openssl req -in certrequest.certreq -out certrequest.pem

This will convert the CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file to a PEM file. You can then open the PEM file using a text editor.

File Format and Usage:

A CERTSIGNINGREQUEST file contains a certificate signing request (CSR), which is a digitally signed message used to request a digital certificate from a certificate authority (CA). The CSR includes information about the entity requesting the certificate, such as its public key, organization name, and other relevant details. Once generated, the CSR is submitted to the CA for validation and issuance of the digital certificate.

Apple Developer Signing Certificate Request files are specifically designed for use with Apple’s iOS and macOS development platforms. These files contain a CSR generated using Apple’s cryptographic tools, which is used to request a developer certificate from Apple. The certificate is required for signing app binaries to ensure that they have not been tampered with and are safe to install on Apple devices.

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