Code Signing Certificate Requirements by Platform

There is no single code signing certificate that works identically across every software platform. Windows, PowerShell, Java, macOS, Android, and iOS use different combinations of certificates, signing identities, private keys, trust models, signing tools, and distribution controls.

Last reviewed: September 2026

The practical answer: choose the platform first, then identify the artifact format, signing identity, private-key model, trust ecosystem, signing tool, and distribution path. Certificate compatibility is only one part of signing compatibility.

What Each Platform Requires

A “code signing certificate requirement” can mean different things depending on the platform. On Windows, it commonly means a publicly trusted certificate that can be used with Authenticode. In Java, it means a certificate and private key used in the JAR signing model. Apple's platforms use Apple-controlled signing identities, while Android uses an application signing key and certificate tied to app identity and update continuity.

The platform also determines how the credential is consumed. A certificate can be valid in isolation and still be unsuitable for a particular signing format, distribution workflow, or verification environment. The right comparison therefore needs to cover the certificate or identity, private key, trust model, toolchain, artifact, and lifecycle together.

WIN

WindowsAuthenticode + CA certificate

PowerShellAuthenticode script signing

JAR

JavaJAR signing + certificate

MAC

macOSApple signing identity

APP

Android / iOSPlatform-controlled identity

Platform Requirements Compared

Use this table to identify the signing model before looking at certificate details. It is a starting point for the deeper platform sections below.

Platform	Signing technology	Certificate / identity	Typical tool	Public CA certificate?
Windows	Authenticode	Code signing certificate + private key	SignTool	Yes
PowerShell	Authenticode	Code signing certificate + private key	`Set-AuthenticodeSignature`	Yes
Java	JAR signing	Certificate + private key	`jarsigner`	Certificate-based
macOS	Apple Code Signing	Apple signing identity	`codesign`	Apple ecosystem
Android	Android App Signing	App signing key + certificate	`apksigner` / Gradle	No public CA model
iOS	Apple Code Signing	Apple signing identity	Xcode / `codesign`	Apple ecosystem

What a Signing Requirement Includes

The word certificate hides several different concepts. A public CA-issued certificate is not the same thing as a platform-issued signing credential, and neither is the same as the private key that performs the cryptographic operation.

Identity credentialCertificate, signing identity, app signing certificate, or developer credential that tells the ecosystem who or what is authorized to sign.

Private keyThe secret cryptographic material that actually performs signing. It must be controlled separately from public certificate information.

Platform acceptanceThe target ecosystem determines how the identity, signature, package, chain, policy, and distribution controls are evaluated.

Why this matters: asking only “Which certificate do I need?” can produce the wrong answer. The actual requirement is a complete signing identity and verification model.

Windows Code Signing Requirements

Windows software commonly uses Authenticode and a publicly trusted code signing certificate. The certificate needs an appropriate code signing purpose, a usable private key, a valid trust path, compatible algorithms, and a signing workflow that produces a valid Authenticode signature.

Publishers also need to distinguish certificate validation from Windows reputation systems. A CA validates the applicant and issues the certificate under its policy. Windows can make additional decisions about the signed software, its reputation, and the circumstances of execution.

Public CA code signing certificate

The certificate represents the validated publisher identity and contains the public key and certificate-purpose information needed by the signing and verification process.

Authenticode + SignTool

SignTool applies and verifies signatures for supported Windows artifacts. The final artifact, certificate, chain, and timestamp need to be checked together.

Certificate trust is not reputation

A valid signature and trusted certificate chain do not mean that every Windows reputation or security signal will produce the same user experience.

Windows requirement stack: certificate profile → Code Signing EKU → private key → supported signature → chain → timestamp where appropriate → Windows verification and reputation.

Choose a certificate for your signing workflow

Once you have identified the target platform, compare suitable certificate options and providers for the workflows that use a public CA-issued code signing certificate.

Choose a Code Signing Certificate →

Requirements for Windows Executables and Installers

EXE, DLL, and MSI files can be signed within the Windows ecosystem, but the signing operation still has to match the artifact format and the way Windows consumes the signature. The same certificate can generally support multiple compatible Windows signing operations when the certificate and key are appropriate for the workflow.

app.exe

EXEPE executable with Authenticode signature.

library.dll

DLLPE library signed using the Windows signing model.

setup.msi

MSIInstaller package that can carry an Authenticode signature.

driver / PE

Other PE filesAdditional Windows artifacts can have separate platform requirements.

Do not stop at “the file is signed.” Inspect whether the signature is valid, whether the expected certificate is present, whether the chain can be built, and whether the timestamp and target Windows environment validate the release as intended.

PowerShell Script Signing Requirements

PowerShell script signing uses the Windows Authenticode model. A script can therefore use a code signing certificate with the associated private key, while PowerShell's execution policy determines how that signature affects script execution in a particular environment.

That creates two separate questions: “Can the script signature be validated?” and “What does the current PowerShell execution policy allow?” They should not be treated as the same control.

Identity and integrity

Code Signing EKU
Private key associated with the certificate
Authenticode signature on the script
Certificate trust and status
Signature inspection with Get-AuthenticodeSignature

Execution policy

Execution policy is a separate control
Policy can affect whether signed or unsigned scripts run
A valid certificate does not override every policy decision
Use Set-AuthenticodeSignature to sign supported scripts

Important distinction: certificate requirement ≠ execution-policy requirement.

Java JAR Signing Requirements

Java JAR signing uses a certificate-backed key pair, commonly managed through a keystore. The Java signing model is different from Windows Authenticode even though both can use certificates and private keys.

JKS and PKCS#12 are common keystore formats, while keytool and jarsigner form the core command-line tooling. Java verification also depends on certificate chains, timestamps, algorithms, and the security rules of the JDK in use.

Certificate + private key

The key performs signing and the certificate supplies the public identity information.

JKS / PKCS#12

The signing key can be held in a Java keystore rather than a Windows certificate store.

jarsigner

Signs and verifies JARs within Java's signing format and verification model.

JDK security

Algorithm restrictions and runtime changes can affect whether older signatures remain acceptable.

Java is certificate-based, but it is not Windows Authenticode. The artifact format, keystore, signing metadata, trust configuration, and verification behavior are different.

macOS Signing Identity Requirements

macOS uses Apple's signing ecosystem. The credential is an Apple signing identity backed by an Apple-issued certificate and its associated private key. The signing environment can also involve the Keychain, entitlements, provisioning where applicable, Developer ID, and notarization for relevant distribution scenarios.

A commercial CA-issued Windows-style code signing certificate is therefore not a substitute for an Apple signing identity. The platform's identity and distribution controls are part of the signing model.

Apple identityDeveloper relationship and signing credential

Private keyAssociated secret used for signing

Bundle signingcodesign applies the signature

DistributionDeveloper ID or applicable distribution path

GatekeeperVerification and policy checks at consumption

Boundary: Apple signing, notarization, and Gatekeeper are related but distinct controls. Possessing an Apple certificate does not by itself describe the complete macOS distribution requirement.

Signing and Distributing macOS Software

Signing answers whether the code carries the expected Apple signature and identity. Distribution adds additional requirements around how the software is packaged, notarized where applicable, and evaluated by the receiving Mac.

Make the code verifiably yours

Apple signing identity
Private key
Bundle integrity
Nested code signing
Entitlements where applicable

SEPARATE
CONTROL

Make the release acceptable to users

Developer ID where applicable
Notarization for applicable scenarios
Gatekeeper evaluation
Quarantine context
Distribution channel rules

Android App Signing Requirements

Android application signing uses an application signing identity rather than the public CA code signing model commonly used for Windows software. The app signing key and certificate are tied to the application's signing identity and update continuity.

APK and AAB packaging, APK Signature Schemes, Google Play App Signing, upload keys, key management, and key rotation all affect the production workflow. The signing key is therefore a long-term application asset, not simply a certificate purchased for a release.

APK / AAB

The package format determines how signing information is carried and verified.

App signing key

The signing key establishes the application's continuity for signed releases.

Google Play App Signing

Google can manage the production signing key while the publisher uses an upload key for Play submission.

Rotation and recovery

Key-management decisions must preserve the ability to ship legitimate application updates.

Do not map Android directly onto Windows: Android app signing does not normally use a publicly trusted CA-issued code signing certificate in the Windows/Java sense.

App Signing Key and Upload Key Differences

When Google Play App Signing is used, developers can encounter two different key concepts. Mixing them up can create serious operational confusion because they have different jobs.

Signs the distributed application

The app signing key is associated with the signing identity used for the application distributed through the platform. Its continuity is tied to the ability to publish valid updates.

Application signing identity
Release signing
Update continuity
Long-term key protection

Authenticates submission to Google Play

The upload key is used to authenticate builds uploaded to Google Play when Play App Signing manages the production signing key.

Upload authentication
Separate operational role
Can be managed independently
Does not replace the production app signing identity

iOS Signing Identity Requirements

iOS signing is part of Apple's controlled developer and distribution ecosystem. The signing certificate, private key, provisioning profile, Bundle ID, Team ID, entitlements, and distribution channel work together to authorize and identify an application.

Development and distribution credentials serve different purposes. App Store and TestFlight workflows also introduce distribution controls that should be considered separately from the basic act of applying a cryptographic signature.

Developer accountApple developer relationship

CertificateDevelopment or distribution credential

ProvisioningApp authorization context

BundleBundle ID + entitlements + signature

DistributionApp Store / TestFlight context

Signing Certificates and Provisioning Profiles

These credentials are related but do not perform the same job. The certificate identifies the signing identity, while the provisioning profile supplies authorization and configuration information for the app's development or distribution context.

Credential	Main role	What it should not be confused with
Signing certificate	Identifies the signing identity.	Not the private key and not the provisioning profile.
Private key	Performs the cryptographic signing operation.	Not public certificate information.
Provisioning profile	Authorizes and configures the app for a development or distribution context.	Not the signing certificate itself.
Bundle ID	Identifies the application.	Not a signing credential.
Entitlements	Define capabilities associated with the signed app.	Not a replacement for provisioning or signing.

How Certificate Models Differ by Platform

The clearest way to compare platforms is to ask whether the trust identity comes from a public CA model or from the platform ecosystem itself.

Platform	Public CA code signing	Platform-controlled identity	Private key
Windows	Yes	No	Required
PowerShell	Yes	No	Required
Java	Possible	No single platform CA model	Required
macOS	No Windows-style model	Apple	Required
Android	No	Android / Google ecosystem	Required
iOS	No	Apple	Required

Interpretation: “certificate” is not a universal product category across these platforms. The identity source and trust authority determine what credential a publisher actually needs.

How Platforms Validate Signing Identity

Who does the platform trust? The answer changes by ecosystem. Public CA validation establishes an identity that a trust system can recognize, while platform-controlled systems establish developer or application identity through their own enrollment and credential infrastructure.

Windows / relevant Java use

A CA validates the applicant and issues a certificate. The verifier then evaluates the certificate, chain, status, and signature in the target environment.

Apple platforms

Apple establishes developer identity and issues signing credentials within its controlled signing and distribution ecosystem.

Android

The application signing key establishes the app's signing identity and is central to update continuity.

How Platform Trust Models Differ

The signature is only one verification input. Each platform adds its own trust path, identity rules, package checks, distribution controls, or security policy.

Certificate chain

Windows trust plus platform security and reputation systems.

Java trust

Certificate/signature validation plus Java trust configuration and security rules.

Apple trust

Apple signing, certificate identity, notarization and Gatekeeper where applicable.

App identity

App signing identity, package verification, and distribution ecosystem controls.

Apple distribution

Signing identity plus provisioning and distribution authorization.

Private Key Protection Across Platforms

Certificate compatibility does not tell you whether a signing architecture is operationally safe or workable. The private-key model is a separate design decision and can be constrained by the platform, certificate profile, organization policy, or CI/CD environment.

Local key storage

Simple for development, but production signing needs strict access control and careful protection of the signing machine.

Keychain / hardware-backed

Platform facilities can keep signing credentials inside controlled local security boundaries.

Central cryptographic control

HSM-based workflows can restrict key export and centralize access policies and audit controls.

Cloud signing

Signing can be moved behind an authenticated service boundary, reducing the need to distribute private keys to build agents.

Key point: the same certificate may be portable in theory while the private-key protection model makes reuse impractical, insecure, or incompatible with the target platform.

Signing Tools by Platform

The signing tool is the bridge between the credential and the artifact. It knows how to apply the platform's signature format and how to verify the result.

Platform	Common tooling	What the tool applies
Windows	SignTool	Authenticode signatures and verification for supported Windows artifacts.
PowerShell	`Set-AuthenticodeSignature`, `Get-AuthenticodeSignature`	Authenticode signing and signature inspection for PowerShell scripts.
Java	`keytool`, `jarsigner`	Keystore management and JAR signing/verification.
macOS	`codesign`, Xcode	Apple code signatures, identities, entitlements, and app build workflows.
Android	`apksigner`, Gradle	Android application signing and package build integration.
iOS	Xcode, `codesign`	Apple application signing, provisioning, and distribution workflows.

Timestamping Across Signing Systems

Timestamping is not implemented identically across these ecosystems. A publisher should therefore confirm what the target signing format and platform actually support instead of applying a Windows timestamping workflow to every release.

Authenticode timestamping

Timestamping can be attached to an Authenticode signature so the signing event has independent time evidence.

JAR timestamping

JAR signatures can include timestamp information, with the timestamp and its trust path evaluated by Java verification.

Apple / Android / iOS

Signing and distribution systems use their own platform controls. Do not assume a public TSA workflow has the same role or requirement in each ecosystem.

Do not universalize timestamp rules: the role, implementation, and validation of signing-time evidence depend on the platform's signing architecture.

Certificate Chains and Platform Trust

A certificate chain is meaningful only within a trust model. Windows and Java can evaluate CA certificate paths, while Apple and Android use platform-specific identity and trust mechanisms that should not be forced into the same chain diagram.

Platform	Chain / trust model	Publisher focus
Windows	CA certificate chain + Windows trust	Ensure the certificate and required intermediates form an acceptable path.
Java	Certificate chain + Java trust configuration	Ensure the JAR's signing certificate can be validated by the intended Java environment.
macOS	Apple signing and trust ecosystem	Use the expected Apple signing identity and satisfy applicable distribution controls.
Android	Application signing identity	Maintain the app signing identity and package verification requirements rather than a public CA chain.
iOS	Apple trust and distribution ecosystem	Maintain the Apple signing, provisioning, and distribution authorization path.

Same word, different model: “certificate chain” has a clear public-CA meaning on Windows and can be important in Java, but Android application signing and Apple's controlled ecosystems have additional identity mechanisms that change the architecture.

Credential Expiration and Lifecycle

Expiration does not have the same meaning across platforms. A public CA certificate has a defined validity interval, while platform-managed signing credentials can have their own renewal and lifecycle rules. Android app signing keys are particularly different because application identity and update continuity are long-term concerns.

Windows / JavaCertificate validity affects the signing credential and verification context.

AppleSigning credentials can expire and need renewal within Apple's ecosystem.

AndroidApp signing identity has a long-term continuity role distinct from a normal public CA certificate.

iOSApple signing credentials have their own lifecycle and distribution implications.

Historical releasesVerification behavior depends on timestamps, status, platform rules, and signing architecture.

Operational rule: track every platform credential in an inventory with its owner, expiration or lifecycle date, renewal process, key location, and production dependencies.

Revocation and Credential Recovery

Revocation is not a universal operation with identical consequences. Public CA certificates can be revoked through certificate-status mechanisms, while platform-controlled credentials and application signing keys follow the lifecycle and recovery mechanisms of their ecosystems.

Windows / applicable Java

Certificate revocation can affect the trust status of signatures depending on the verifier, timestamp evidence, status information, and platform behavior.

Signing credential lifecycle

Apple certificates and developer credentials can be revoked or replaced within Apple's controlled ecosystem, with consequences for signing and distribution workflows.

Key continuity and recovery

Android application signing is centered on app identity and update continuity. Key compromise and recovery should be handled through the platform's key-management model rather than a public CA revocation analogy.

Do not force Android's app-signing-key model into the same revocation framework as a public CA certificate.

Cross-Platform CI/CD Signing Requirements

A cross-platform build pipeline should not attempt to make every platform use the same signing credential. The scalable approach is a common release control plane with platform-specific signing identities and isolated key operations.

SourceVersion-controlled code

BuildProduce platform artifact

SignUse platform-specific credential

VerifyCheck final signature and identity

DistributePublish through target ecosystem

Build secrets and keystores

Protect certificate private keys, keystores, signing passwords, and timestamp configuration. Use controlled signing agents or remote signing where appropriate.

Keychain and Apple credentials

Protect signing identities, private keys, provisioning assets, and developer credentials on CI workers. Avoid treating them as ordinary build variables.

App signing continuity

Protect the app signing key and separate it from upload credentials where Google Play App Signing is used. Document recovery and rotation procedures.

Protect signing keys across build environments

For teams signing software through automated pipelines, evaluate key protection and remote signing options before distributing private keys to build agents.

Explore Cloud Code Signing →

When Signing Credentials Can Be Reused

The answer depends on whether the certificate, signature format, trust ecosystem, and platform actually accept the credential. “Can I reuse the certificate?” is therefore different from “Can I reuse the signing infrastructure?”

Windows + PowerShell

Both use the Authenticode ecosystem, so a compatible Windows code signing certificate can support both workflows.

Windows + Java

Both can use certificate-backed signing, but Authenticode and JAR signing are different formats and toolchains.

Windows + iOS

A Windows public CA certificate is not a substitute for an Apple signing identity.

Android + iOS

Each platform uses its own signing identity and distribution controls rather than one universal application certificate.

Centralized signing

One controlled signing service can manage multiple platform-specific credentials without forcing those credentials to become identical.

Do not reuse keys casually

Even when a certificate can technically be used in multiple compatible contexts, key reuse can enlarge the impact of compromise.

A Secure Cross-Platform Signing Strategy

A multi-platform publisher should think in terms of multiple signing identities under one security architecture. The organization can centralize inventory, access policy, audit, CI/CD controls, and release verification while keeping each platform's credential separate.

Multiple platform identities

Windows signing identity
Java signing identity
Apple signing identities
Android app signing identity

CENTRAL
CONTROL

Centralized operations

Key management
CI/CD access control
Certificate inventory
Release verification

The goal is not one universal certificate. The goal is one controlled signing strategy that can operate multiple platform-specific identities safely.

Signing Requirements by Publisher Type

Windows code signing

Start with a publicly trusted Windows code signing certificate, protected private key, Authenticode-compatible signing workflow, chain, timestamping, and Windows verification.

JAR signing credentials

Use a certificate-backed key pair, appropriate keystore, jarsigner, certificate chain, timestamping where appropriate, and a tested JDK verification environment.

Apple signing identity

Use the appropriate Apple signing certificate and private key, then account for entitlements, Developer ID, notarization, and distribution requirements where applicable.

App signing credentials

Protect the application signing key, understand APK/AAB signing, and document Play App Signing, upload-key, rotation, and recovery decisions.

Apple signing credentials

Manage development or distribution certificates, private keys, provisioning profiles, Bundle IDs, entitlements, and the chosen distribution channel.

Multiple identities

Keep platform-specific credentials separate while centralizing signing governance, access control, inventory, CI/CD, and release verification.

Choosing the Right Signing Identity

Use this sequence before purchasing a certificate, creating a key, or changing a CI/CD signing workflow. Starting with the platform prevents a certificate-first decision that later turns out to be incompatible with the actual distribution model.

Platform first, credential second

The platform determines the trust ecosystem and signing format. Those decisions narrow the credential choices and the key-management architecture.

Identify the consumer platform
Identify the artifact format
Identify the trust authority
Identify the key-management boundary

1. What platform are you targeting?Windows, PowerShell, Java, macOS, Android, iOS, or an internal ecosystem.

2. What file or package format are you signing?EXE, DLL, MSI, script, JAR, app bundle, APK, AAB, or iOS application.

3. Who controls the trust ecosystem?Public CA, Microsoft, Apple, Android/Google, Java trust configuration, or enterprise PKI.

4. What identity must be established?Organization, individual, developer account, application identity, or platform signing identity.

5. How must the private key be protected?Local store, Keychain, keystore, hardware-backed storage, HSM, remote signing, or platform-managed key.

6. How will the release be verified?Use the target platform's own verification tools and distribution environment.

Keeping Signing Requirements Current

Certificate and signing requirements can change in areas such as key protection, algorithms, key sizes, certificate lifetime, identity validation, timestamping, platform signing policies, and distribution controls. A current page should therefore be reviewed regularly rather than treated as a permanently fixed checklist.

When a requirement changes, distinguish the announcement from the effective date and from any transition period. Publishers should then map the change to certificates, keys, build agents, signing services, and release procedures before enforcement reaches production.

AnnouncementNew requirement or policy is published.

Scope reviewDetermine which platform and credentials are affected.

MigrationUpdate keys, certificates, tools, or signing services.

VerificationTest signatures in the target consumer environment.

ProductionRelease under the new requirement.

Living-reference rule: always verify current platform and CA requirements before making a production certificate or signing-architecture decision.

Platform Signing Checklist

Certificate / identity

Correct platform credential
Correct identity or developer account
Correct certificate purpose where applicable
Current credential status
Required trust relationship

Private key

Correct key associated with identity
Required protection model
Restricted access
Secure CI/CD handling
Recovery and replacement plan

Signing

Correct signing tool
Correct artifact format
Supported algorithms
Timestamping where appropriate
Final artifact signed after build completion

Verification / distribution

Signature validates
Identity and trust validate
Platform-specific controls pass
Distribution requirements are satisfied
Expiration and compromise procedures are documented

Check	Windows	Java	macOS	Android	iOS
Signing identity	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Private key	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Public CA certificate	✓	Depends	No Windows-style model	No	No
Platform-issued identity	No	No single platform model	✓	✓	✓
Certificate chain	✓	✓	Platform-specific	Different model	Platform-specific
Provisioning	No	No	Applicable in some workflows	No equivalent	✓
Notarization	No	No	Applicable to certain distribution scenarios	No	App Store ecosystem

Common Misunderstandings About Platform Signing

“There is one universal code signing certificate.”

There is not. Certificate and signing identity requirements are platform-specific.

“A commercial CA certificate can sign iOS apps.”

Apple applications use Apple's controlled signing ecosystem and credentials.

“Android requires a public CA certificate.”

Android app signing uses an application signing key and certificate model, not the normal Windows public CA model.

“A certificate and signing identity are the same thing.”

A certificate can be one component of a signing identity. The private key and platform context also matter.

“The same private key should be reused everywhere.”

Even when technically possible, broad key reuse can increase compromise impact and complicate access control.

“Signing and distribution are the same process.”

Signing establishes cryptographic identity and integrity. Distribution can add notarization, provisioning, store, reputation, or platform authorization controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

What certificate is required for Windows code signing?

Windows software commonly uses a publicly trusted code signing certificate with the associated private key and an Authenticode-compatible signing workflow. The certificate, chain, algorithms, timestamp, and Windows verification environment all matter.

What certificate does PowerShell use for script signing?

PowerShell script signing uses the Windows Authenticode model. A suitable code signing certificate and private key are used to create the signature, while PowerShell execution policy is a separate control.

Does Java require a code signing certificate?

Java JAR signing uses a certificate-backed key pair. The credential is normally managed through a keystore and used with tools such as jarsigner.

What certificate is required for macOS apps?

macOS uses Apple signing identities backed by Apple-issued certificates and associated private keys. Applicable distribution scenarios can also involve Developer ID, notarization, entitlements, and Gatekeeper.

Does Android require a code signing certificate?

Android application signing uses an app signing key and certificate tied to application identity. It does not normally use a publicly trusted CA-issued code signing certificate in the Windows sense.

What certificate is required for iOS apps?

iOS applications use Apple signing certificates and identities within Apple's developer and distribution ecosystem, together with provisioning, Bundle IDs, entitlements, and the applicable distribution workflow.

Can one code signing certificate work across platforms?

Only where the certificate, signing technology, artifact format, and trust ecosystem all accept it. Windows and PowerShell are closely related, while Apple and Android use platform-specific signing systems.

What is the difference between a certificate and a signing identity?

A certificate represents public identity and key information. A signing identity is the usable credential context that combines the certificate with its associated private key and, on some platforms, additional authorization information.

Which platforms use a public CA code signing model?

Windows commonly does. Java can use certificate-based signing but has its own trust and signing model. Apple and Android use platform-controlled signing ecosystems rather than the normal public CA model.

Do all platforms require timestamping?

No. Timestamping is not implemented identically across platforms. Confirm the requirements of the target signing format and ecosystem before adding or omitting timestamping.

Related Platform and Signing Guides

Cross-Platform Code Signing Certificate GuideDesigning one signing strategy across multiple platform-specific identities.

Code Signing Standards and RequirementsIndustry, CA, cryptographic, timestamping, and platform requirements.

Windows Code Signing: Complete GuideWindows certificate, Authenticode, signing, and verification workflow.

Microsoft Authenticode: Complete GuideHow Authenticode applies signatures to Windows software.

PowerShell Code Signing: Complete GuideScript signing, certificates, execution policy, and verification.

Java Code Signing: Complete GuideJAR signing, keystores, certificates, and Java verification.

macOS Code Signing: Complete GuideApple signing identities, Keychain, entitlements, notarization, and Gatekeeper.

Android App Signing: Complete GuideApp signing keys, APK/AAB, Play App Signing, and update continuity.

iOS Code Signing: Complete GuideApple certificates, provisioning, entitlements, and distribution.

How to Choose a Code Signing CertificateChoosing a certificate profile after the platform and identity model are known.

What Is PKI and How Does It Secure Code Signing?The broader infrastructure behind certificates, keys, trust, and lifecycle.

Code Signing Certificate Chain ExplainedCertificate hierarchy and trust-path fundamentals.

Choose the signing identity for the platform, not the other way around

Start with the target platform and artifact. Then select the identity, private-key protection model, signing tool, trust path, and distribution controls that the ecosystem actually requires.

Compare Code Signing Certificate Providers →