Profiles & CI (run_profile)

Last updated 2026-10-07

A profile is a saved setup. Profiles are committed to the repository, so the whole team and CI can run exactly the same build with one command.

Where profiles live

Path	Committed?	Contents
`fastlane/config/profiles/<name>.yml`	Yes	Platforms, environment, action and the per-platform overrides
`fastlane/.setup_state.yml`	No (git-ignored)	Name of the last profile you used on this machine

Profile format

A profile uses the same keys as an environment block in environments.yml. Anything a profile doesn't set falls back to that environment.

fastlane/config/profiles/staging-aab.yml

# Saved by `fastlane setup`. Run with: fastlane run_profile name:staging-aab
platforms:
- android
environment: staging
action: distribute          # build | distribute
android:
  flavor: staging
  build_type: release
  gradle_task: bundleStagingRelease
  artifact:
    type: AAB
    glob: android/app/build/outputs/bundle/stagingRelease/*.aab
  firebase:
    enabled: true
    groups: qa-team
  app_testing:
    enabled: false
  release_notes:
    enabled: true
    source: git
    commit_count: 10
name: staging-aab

Warning: profiles are committed. Never put tokens, passwords or webhook URLs in them. Use ${ENV_VAR} placeholders or leave the value blank so it comes from .env.

Run a profile without prompts

my-app — zsh

~/my-app $ bundle exec fastlane profiles
dev-apk — android · development · APK · build
staging-aab (last used) — android · staging · staging · AAB · distribute
~/my-app $ bundle exec fastlane run_profile name:dev-apk dry_run:true
Cruising over to lane 'android doctor' 🚖
Flavor mode: disabled
Android development configuration is valid.
Cruising over to lane 'android info' 🚖
Gradle task: assembleRelease
Artifact type: APK
Firebase enabled: false
Fastlane completed successfully: run_profile

Captured from a real dry run: the profile's overrides are applied to the existing doctor and info lanes.

Option	Effect
`name:<profile>`	Required in CI. Locally it defaults to the last used profile.
`dry_run:true`	Runs `doctor` and `info` only. Nothing is built or uploaded.

Use profiles in GitHub Actions

Because run_profile never prompts, it can replace hand-written lane options in a workflow. Let the person running the workflow pick a profile through a workflow_dispatch input:

.github/workflows/android-distribution.yml (excerpt)

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      profile:
        description: "Saved setup profile"
        required: true
        default: "staging-aab"

jobs:
  distribute:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
        with:
          bundler-cache: true
      - run: bundle exec fastlane run_profile name:${{ inputs.profile }}
        env:
          FIREBASE_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FIREBASE_TOKEN }}
          FIREBASE_ANDROID_STAGING_APP_ID: ${{ secrets.FIREBASE_ANDROID_STAGING_APP_ID }}

GitHub Actions · run_profile

~/my-app $ CI=true bundle exec fastlane setup
[!] `fastlane setup` is interactive. In CI use: fastlane run_profile name:<profile>

setup and init_project stop immediately in CI instead of hanging on a prompt.

Official documentation

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