Testing apps for Windows Phone 8

[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]

This topic provides a checklist of recommended steps for testing your app and preparing it for submission to the Windows Phone Store.

We recommend that you test your app frequently throughout the development cycle, and especially before you submit the app to the Store. Windows Phone SDK provides a variety of tools and features that make testing easy and provide actionable feedback.

This topic contains the following sections.

 

Test how your app responds to different settings

The following tests help to determine how your app responds to different settings on the phone.

Test how your app responds to this setting

More info

Different resolutions

Multi-resolution apps for Windows Phone 8

Change in orientation

Quickstart: Screen orientation for Windows Phone 8

Change in state

How to test app state changes for Windows Phone 8

Change in language

How to test a localized app for Windows Phone 8

Change in region

How to test region settings in the emulator for Windows Phone 8

Test how your app uses special features

The following tests help to determine how your app uses special features of the phone.

Test how your app uses this feature

More info

Copy-and-paste

How to test copy-and-paste in the emulator for Windows Phone 8

Location data

How to test apps that use location data for Windows Phone 8

Accelerometer

How to test apps that use the accelerometer for Windows Phone 8

Photo chooser or camera capture task (for apps that target Windows Phone OS 7.1 only)

How to test apps that use the photo chooser or camera capture task for Windows Phone 8

Test your app’s reliability and resource usage

The following tests help to determine how your app performs under real-world conditions and how it uses resources.

Use these steps to test your app

More info

Test your app’s methods by running unit tests.

Unit testing apps for Windows Phone 8

Test how your app handles a bad network connection or an interruption.

Simulation Dashboard for Windows Phone 8

Watch how your app uses resources while it’s running in the emulator.

Frame rate counters in the emulator for Windows Phone 8

Monitor your app’s responsiveness and resource consumption.

App monitoring for Windows Phone 8

Profile your app’s performance and memory usage.

App profiling for Windows Phone 8

Test your app before submitting it to the Store 

The following tests help to test your app before you submit it to the Windows Phone Store.

Use these steps to test your app before you submit it to the Store 

More info

Test your app on a phone, not only on the emulator.

How to deploy and run an app for Windows Phone 8

Test your app’s native image.

How to test the retail version of your app for Windows Phone 8

Test whether your app meets the requirements of the Store.

Windows Phone Store Test Kit for Windows Phone 8

Prepare your app and its files for the Store 

The following steps help to prepare your app and its files for submission to the Windows Phone Store.

Use these steps to prepare your app and its files for the Store 

More info

Review the certification requirements for apps.

App certification requirements for Windows Phone

Choose your app’s display name and other settings including supported resolutions and supported languages. Specify these settings on the Application UI page and the Packaging page of Manifest Designer.

How to modify the app manifest file for Windows Phone 8

App manifest file for Windows Phone 8

Identify your app’s required capabilities and hardware requirements. Specify these settings on the Capabilities page and the Requirements page of Manifest Designer. Clear any requirements that your app doesn’t need.

How to determine app capabilities for Windows Phone 8

App capabilities and hardware requirements for Windows Phone 8

Prepare your app’s icon and tile images. These images become part of the XAP file that you submit to the Store. Specify these settings on the Application UI page of Manifest Designer.

App submission requirements for Windows Phone

Prepare your app’s image and optional screen shots for the Store. Specify these images when you submit your app to the Store.

How to create screenshots for the Store for Windows Phone 8

App submission requirements for Windows Phone

What’s next?

After you develop and test your app, you’re ready to submit it to the Windows Phone Store.

Get ready to publish your app

More info

Review the steps for publishing your app.

Submit your app

Submit your app.

Submit app

See Also

Other Resources

App performance considerations for Windows Phone 8