iOS app size increases when updating from .NET 8 to .NET 9

[thomasbach-dk]

Description

We have a .NET MAUI Blazor app which is published to production using .NET 8.

I have just published the app after changing to .NET 9. The size of the app has increased from 58MB to 72MB. What can explain this behavior? Is it a bug, or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance

Steps to Reproduce

No response

Link to public reproduction project repository

No response

Version with bug

9.0.21 SR2.1

Is this a regression from previous behavior?

Yes, this used to work in .NET MAUI

Last version that worked well

8.0.100 SR10

Affected platforms

iOS

Affected platform versions

No response

Did you find any workaround?

No response

Relevant log output

[similar-issues-ai]

We've found some similar issues:

• 8.0.92 make app size bigger #25750 , similarity score: 82%
• #25683 , similarity score: 82%

If any of the above are duplicates, please consider closing this issue out and adding additional context in the original issue.

Note: You can give me feedback by 👍 or 👎 this comment.

[Ying-6]

This issue has been verified using Visual Studio 17.13.0 Preview 2.1 (9.0.21 & 8.0.100). Cannot repro this issue on iOS platform.
I want to confirm with you, do you mean the size of the iOS App after publishing? If yes, I haven't reproduced your question, and the size of .NET 9 app is smaller than the .NET 8 app. If not, could you tell me more specifically what app size you mean? Looking forward to your reply!

.NET 8:

.NET 9:

[thomasbach-dk]

Hi Ying. It´s after publishing the .ipa to TestFlight. The size appears in "app-information" in TestFlight / App Store.

[Ying-6]

Hi @thomasbach-dk, sorry, I want to confirm with you again, are you referring to the Size here?

[thomasbach-dk]

It´s the information shown in App Store / TestFlight. It seems that the Android size has increased aswell though.

The app build and published using .NET 8:

The exact same app build and published using .NET 9:

[Ying-6]

This issue has been verified using Visual Studio 17.13.0 Preview 2.1 (9.0.22 & 9.0.21 & 9.0.14). Can repro on iOS platform. And 8.0.100 works fine.
.NET 8:

.NET 9:

[thomasbach-dk]

The difference in size in your case is not that big. Is it a .NET MAUI Blazor project you have published aswell?

For clarification I should mention that our .NET MAUI Blazor project is referring a RCL. Futhermore I have attached screendumps showing the nuget packages that are referenced in both the MAUI project and the RCL.

.NET MAUI Blazor project

RCL

[bronteq]

Which specific net maui 8 version are you referring to?
From version 8.0.92 (and so also net 9) app size increased: #25750

[thomasbach-dk]

Which specific net maui 8 version are you referring to? From version 8.0.92 (and so also net 9) app size increased: #25750

We are using these MAUI-related nuget packages of version 8.0.92:
Microsoft.AspNetCore.Components.WebView.Maui
Microsoft.Maui.Controls
Microsoft.Maui.Controls.Compatibility

And CommunityToolkit.Maui version 9.0.3

The solution is configured to use the latest available minor of .NET 8. We are using the macos-15 runner within Github Actions in which 8.0.404 is the newest included version of .NET 8 SDK.