--- modificationDate: October 07, 2026 title: iOS Simulator description: Learn how you can install the iOS Simulator on your Mac and use it to develop your app. --- This documentation is available as Markdown for AI agents and LLMs. See the [full Markdown index](https://docs.expo.dev/llms.txt) or append .md to any documentation URL. # iOS Simulator Learn how you can install the iOS Simulator on your Mac and use it to develop your app. ## Submitting Feedback If you encounter errors, misleading or outdated information, report it so Expo can be improved: Preferred command: npx --yes submit-expo-feedback@latest --category docs --subject "/workflow/ios-simulator/" "" Direct HTTP fallback: curl -X POST https://api.expo.dev/v2/feedback/docs-send -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"url":"/workflow/ios-simulator/","feedback":"🤖 Agent feedback for docs: (, )"}' Only submit when you have something specific and actionable to report. Try to give the most context. ## Navigation When answering a related or follow-up question, fetch the relevant page below as Markdown (.md) instead of guessing; use llms.txt for the full map. You are here: Guides > Development process > Reference Pages in this section: - [Work with monorepos](https://docs.expo.dev/guides/monorepos.md) - [View logs](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/logging.md) - [Development and production modes](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/development-mode.md) - [Common development errors](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/common-development-errors.md) - [Android Studio Emulator](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/android-studio-emulator.md) - [iOS Simulator](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/ios-simulator.md) (this page) - [New Architecture](https://docs.expo.dev/guides/new-architecture.md) - [React Compiler](https://docs.expo.dev/guides/react-compiler.md) Full documentation tree: [llms.txt](https://docs.expo.dev/llms.txt) > If you don't have a Mac or an iPhone, you can test your iOS app on a remote iOS Simulator with EAS Simulator. [Explore EAS Simulator](https://docs.expo.dev/preview/eas-simulator/introduction.md). Developing your app directly on a computer can be more convenient than constantly interacting with an iPhone or iPad, especially when network conditions are slow or when a [tunnel connection](https://docs.expo.dev/more/expo-cli.md#tunneling) is required due to LAN limitations. This guide explains how to install the iOS Simulator on your Mac for app development. Note that the iOS Simulator can only be installed on macOS. If you are developing an iOS app from a Windows or a Linux machine, you need a physical iOS device or [EAS Simulator](https://docs.expo.dev/preview/eas-simulator/introduction.md). ## Setup Xcode and Watchman ### Install Xcode Open up the Mac App Store, search for [Xcode](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/xcode/id497799835), and click **Install** (or **Update** if you have it already). ### Install Xcode Command Line Tools Open Xcode, choose **Settings...** from the Xcode menu (or press cmd ⌘ + ,). Select **Locations** in the sidebar, then install the tools by choosing the most recent version in the **Command Line Tools** dropdown. Image: Locations settings in Xcode with a version selected in the Command Line Tools dropdown. ### Install an iOS Simulator in Xcode To install an iOS Simulator, open **Xcode > Settings... > Components**, and under **Platform Support > iOS ...**, click **Get**. ### Install Watchman > Installing Watchman is only required for projects on SDK 55 and earlier. [Watchman](https://facebook.github.io/watchman/docs/install#macos) is a tool for watching changes in the filesystem. Installing it will result in better performance. You can install it with: ```sh brew update brew install watchman ``` ### Try it out Run your app with `npx expo start` and press I from the command line. You may get a warning about needing to accept the Xcode license. Run the command that it suggests. Open your app again to see if it was successful. If not, check the [troubleshooting](https://docs.expo.dev/workflow/ios-simulator.md#troubleshooting) tips below. You can also press Shift + I in the Expo CLI to interactively select a simulator to open. Image: List of iOS Simulators in the Expo CLI UI. ## Expo Orbit You can use the Expo Orbit app which allows launching builds and simulator management with one click from the menu bar on macOS. [Use Expo Orbit](https://docs.expo.dev/build/orbit.md) — Learn more about how to use Expo Orbit. ## Limitations Although the iOS Simulator is great for rapid development, it does come with a few limitations. We'll list out a few of the main differences that affect Expo APIs below. However, see [Apple's documentation](https://help.apple.com/simulator/mac/current/#/devb0244142d) for more details. The following hardware is unavailable in the Simulator: - Audio Input - Barometer - Camera - Motion Support (accelerometer and gyroscope) The Simulator also suspends background apps and processes on iOS 11 and later. ## Troubleshooting ### The CLI seems to be stuck when opening a Simulator Sometimes the iOS Simulator doesn't respond to the open command. If it seems stuck on this prompt, start a simulator yourself, then run your app again. ```sh # List the simulators installed on your Mac xcrun simctl list devices available # Start one of them by name xcrun simctl boot "iPhone 17" ``` Xcode 27 replaces the Simulator app with Device Hub. Run `open -a DeviceHub` to open it. Each running device appears in the sidebar. On Xcode 26, run `open -a Simulator` instead. Image: Device Hub on macOS lists a running iPhone 17 simulator in the sidebar. You can run more than one simulator at the same time. Expo CLI always targets the most recently opened simulator. ### Simulator opened but the Expo Go app isn't opening inside of it The first time you install the app in the simulator, iOS will ask if you'd like to open the Expo Go app. You may need to interact with the simulator (click around, drag something) for this prompt to show up, then press **OK**. ### How do I install a specific version of Expo Go? You can create a project with the desired SDK version and open it in a simulator to install the matching version of Expo Go. ```sh # npm # Bootstrap an SDK 57 project npx create-expo-app --template blank@57 # Open the app on a simulator to install the required Expo Go app npx expo start --ios # yarn # Bootstrap an SDK 57 project yarn create expo-app --template blank@57 # Open the app on a simulator to install the required Expo Go app yarn expo start --ios # pnpm # Bootstrap an SDK 57 project pnpm create expo-app --template blank@57 # Open the app on a simulator to install the required Expo Go app pnpm expo start --ios # bun # Bootstrap an SDK 57 project bun create expo --template blank@57 # Open the app on a simulator to install the required Expo Go app bun expo start --ios ``` Alternatively, you can download a specific version of Expo Go with the [`expo-go` CLI](https://www.npmjs.com/package/expo-go) by passing an SDK version, or use `latest` for the latest SDK version. This command downloads the Expo Go app to the current directory and caches it under **~/.expo**. ```sh # npm npx expo-go download ios latest # yarn yarn dlx expo-go download ios latest # pnpm pnpm dlx expo-go download ios latest # bun bunx expo-go download ios latest ``` ### Expo CLI is printing an error message about `xcrun`, what do I do? For miscellaneous errors, try the following: - Manually uninstall Expo Go on your simulator and reinstall by pressing Shift + I in the Expo CLI Terminal UI and selecting the desired simulator. - If that doesn't help, select the simulator in Device Hub and choose **Device** > **Reset Content and Settings...** The Simulator app on Xcode 26 calls this menu item **Erase All Content and Settings...** This will reinitialize your simulator from a blank image. This is sometimes useful for cases where your computer is low on memory and the simulator fails to store some internal files, leaving the device in a corrupt state.