What is Plist / Entitlements Inspector?
Plist Inspector decodes Apple property list files used throughout the Apple ecosystem. Property lists store configuration data for iOS apps, macOS preferences, Xcode build settings, and provisioning profiles. This tool reads both XML and binary plist formats, presenting the contents in a navigable tree view.
The entitlements inspector specifically targets the entitlements embedded in provisioning profiles and app binaries. These entitlements control what capabilities an app can access, including push notifications, App Groups, iCloud, Keychain Sharing, and more. Understanding entitlements is essential for diagnosing signing issues and capability mismatches during iOS development.
How to Use Plist Inspector
Paste an XML plist directly into the input editor or import a binary plist file. The tool auto-detects the format and decodes it into a structured tree. Each key-value pair is displayed with its type (string, number, boolean, data, date, array, or dictionary), making it easy to understand the structure at a glance.
For provisioning profiles, drop in the mobileprovision file content. The tool extracts the embedded plist, displays the certificate information, and highlights the entitlements section with explanations for common keys.
Common Use Cases
- iOS development: Inspect Info.plist files to verify bundle identifiers, version numbers, URL schemes, and permission usage descriptions.
- Code signing troubleshooting: Examine provisioning profiles to verify that entitlements match your Xcode project capabilities and resolve signing errors.
- macOS preferences: Decode preference plist files from
~/Library/Preferences/to understand application settings and debug configuration issues. - App analysis: Inspect entitlements of distributed apps to understand their declared capabilities and sandbox permissions.
- Migration and auditing: Review plist configurations when migrating between Xcode projects or auditing app permissions across a team’s portfolio.