Building an Electron app is only half the job. To ship it to real users, you need to package your application, create installers for Windows and macOS, sign your releases, and deliver updates safely.

For most Electron projects, Electron Forge or electron-builder can automate much of this process. The right setup depends on whether you want a simple downloadable installer, automatic updates, or distribution through an app store.

This guide covers the complete release workflow, including Windows .exe installers, macOS .dmg files, code signing, notarization, CI/CD, and common packaging errors.

Electron does not include a complete installer and distribution workflow in its core runtime. You need an additional tool to turn your application into distributable files. Electron's packaging guide explains the available approach.

Which should you choose?

For this tutorial, we'll use electron-builder to demonstrate a practical Windows and macOS release pipeline.

Before packaging, make sure your application starts correctly in development and that its production files are ready.

Your exact structure may differ if you use React, Next.js, Vite, or another frontend framework.

Ensure your package.json contains the application entry point, a valid application name, and a version.

Keep your renderer build separate from your Electron main process where appropriate, and ensure production asset paths work after packaging.

Add a build configuration and release scripts to your package.json. The following is a starter configuration for electron-builder v26-style settings.

Replace the Electron version placeholder with the version already installed in your project. Adjust files to include all production assets, dependencies, and built renderer files your app requires.

The appId should be a stable, reverse-domain identifier for your product. The productName controls the display name used in the packaged application.

Refer to the electron-builder Windows documentation and macOS documentation for additional target and configuration options.

The exact filename depends on your configuration.

For most desktop applications distributed directly from a website, NSIS is a useful default. It supports a familiar installation experience, including choosing an installation location and creating shortcuts.

Before releasing the installer, test it on a clean Windows machine or virtual machine.

An installer is generally preferable for production applications because it can create shortcuts and manage installation and uninstallation. A portable build may be useful for users who do not want a traditional installation, but it can require additional decisions about updates and data storage.

A .dmg file is a common format for direct macOS distribution. Users open the disk image and typically drag the app into their Applications folder.

A .zip archive is useful for direct downloads and certain update workflows.

Important: Creating a DMG does not automatically make your app trusted by macOS. For a public release outside the Mac App Store, you should code-sign the application and complete Apple's notarization process. These steps are covered in the next section.

Code signing establishes the publisher's identity and helps operating systems verify that an application has not been tampered with. Apple's notarization service performs additional automated security checks on software distributed outside its store. Electron's code-signing guide explains the distinction.

Obtain a suitable Windows code-signing certificate and configure electron-builder to use it. Keep the certificate and password in your CI/CD secret store rather than committing them to source control.

These are example environment variable names, not values to publish. Use your actual secret-management configuration and follow the signing method supported by your electron-builder version.

For direct distribution, you'll generally need an Apple Developer Program membership, a Developer ID Application certificate, and credentials for notarization.

For automated releases, an App Store Connect API key is another supported notarization authentication method. Configure the appropriate credentials and signing settings for your build tool.

Never commit certificates, passwords, API keys, or private signing material to your repository. Store them as protected CI/CD secrets and restrict access.

See Apple's notarization documentation for the official requirements.

Building both platforms manually for every release becomes repetitive and error-prone. A CI/CD pipeline can install dependencies, run tests, package the application, sign the release, and upload the resulting files.

For reliable releases, use Windows and macOS runners where appropriate. Cross-platform packaging can be possible in some configurations, but native runners make platform-specific signing, testing, and troubleshooting more predictable.

Store release artifacts in a controlled location, such as your download server or a release repository. Publish only after validation succeeds.

For teams that need to distribute updates after launch, see Electron's distribution overview and application updating guide.

A successful build only confirms that the packaging process completed. It does not prove that the application works correctly on a customer's computer.

Test on the architectures you intend to support, such as Windows x64 and macOS Apple Silicon. If you also support Intel Macs, build and test that target explicitly.

Packaging is only one part of shipping a reliable desktop application. A production-ready release also needs secure architecture, platform-specific testing, signing, update handling, and a maintainable delivery pipeline.

At Software Studio Pro, we help businesses build custom web, desktop, and mobile software with a focus on production readiness, performance, and long-term maintainability.

Explore our custom software development services to discuss your desktop application or release pipeline.