Otherwise, skip down to the Addendum for an explanation. If you're comfortable with that, hit Enter. Open Terminal (in the Applications folder) or your favorite terminal appĬopy and paste this line: ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app /Applications So make a symbolic link of it in the Applications folder. Simulator is a standalone app but it's buried deep within the hidden contents of XCode, where you can't get at it, and where Spotlight doesn't see it. It works for watchOS and tvOS as well! Getting Readyįirst install XCode, Apple's developer suit. Here's how to get it up and running with just a few clicks (and some longish download waits). The app is hidden away and you need to go through some hoops to support older versions of iOS, but you don't need special technical know-how. Apple makes iOS testing available for free to all macOS users, with their Simulator app.

Several popular web-based browser testing services make it possible to test iOS's Mobile Safari, but the best of these tools require an additional fee, have limited free features, or restrict the number of users who can use an account at the same time. Part of preparing most websites and web apps for shipment is testing across devices. The next in the series is Set Up a Windows 10 Virtual Machine and Run Internet Explorer 11 and Edge on Mac or Linux. While simulators like the one built-into Xcode and options like TestFlight are pretty good, there are other options out there as well, especially if you’re looking to test your iPhone apps on Windows 10.This article is part of a series on running cross-browser tests directly on your primary computer. Most iOS simulators have been discontinued, or are aimed purely at developers. There aren’t a lot of iOS emulators out there these days. However, Apple has banned the sideloading of iPhone apps on M1 Macs, so your only option is to install the approved apps from the App Store.Įasily Run iOS Apps Using These Emulators Previously, you could also sideload iPhone apps, by using the.

You can find the iPhone apps in a separate section in Mac App Store. These devices run on Apple’s new ARM chipsets and they can run iPhone apps with ease.

If none of the emulators seem to be doing the job for you, currently the best way to run iOS apps on a computer is just by using the new Apple M1 MacBooks and Mac Mini. You can also run multiple instances of emulators with Electric Mobile Studio which can be helpful if you’re trying to test out your app in multiple devices at the same time.ĭownload Electric Mobile Studio ( Free trial, $39.99) Bonus: Apple M1 Macs It comes with WebKit and Chrome debugging tools to allow developers to test out their web apps.

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