The iOS Simulator is a virtual iPhone or iPad inside Xcode that runs and tests your app right on the Mac. Since Xcode 27 shipped on September 14, 2026, simulators open in the Device Hub app and cover iOS 17 and later, and they don't replicate a real device's camera or performance.
What the iOS Simulator is
A simulator shows your app on the Mac's screen the way it would look on an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV or Vision Pro. It simulates the software side and doesn't reproduce iPhone hardware. Apple says plainly that simulators don't replicate the performance or features of a physical device, and recommends running on a phone to verify the app behaves exactly as intended (Xcode documentation).
Since Xcode 27, released on September 14, 2026, simulators run inside the Device Hub app. At WWDC26 in June 2026 Apple called it your home for working with both devices and simulators (Get the most out of Device Hub). That is also where you pair your own iPhone, with a cable or over the network if it runs iOS 27.
Where the simulator lives in Xcode
You pick a device in the run destination menu in Xcode's toolbar, next to the scheme name. A custom model and iOS version combination is added in Device Hub with the + button in the sidebar. Device Hub opens from Manage Devices… in the same menu or from Xcode › Open Developer Tool › Device Hub.
Runtimes, the actual iOS versions for the simulator, download separately from Xcode in Xcode › Settings › Components, under Other Installed Platforms. That screen also shows how much space each one takes, and you can delete the ones you don't need. On an Apple silicon Mac, Xcode downloads a lighter variant for that chip only to save disk space (Xcode Help).
What the simulator can and can't do
| Feature | In the simulator |
|---|---|
| iOS versions | iOS 17 and later in Xcode 27, iOS 15 and later in Xcode 26 |
| Remote push notifications | since Xcode 14, for iOS 16 on macOS 13, Apple silicon or T2 Mac, via the APNs sandbox |
| Push from a file | drag an .apns file onto the screen, since Xcode 11.4 |
| Purchases | locally with a StoreKit file, no App Store servers |
| Camera | no access, test on a device |
| Two-finger touch | not sent by Device Hub in Xcode 27 |
| Game controller | visionOS simulator only |
| Screenshots | at full device resolution, saved to the Desktop |
| Video recording | simulators only, Record button |
| Screen size | Enter resize mode for any iPhone size |
| iPhone Duo | poses and orientations, since Xcode 27.1 on October 15, 2026 |
Per the Xcode version table, the Xcode 27, Xcode 14 and Xcode 11.4 release notes, the AVCam sample and screenshot help, checked October 16, 2026.
Since Xcode 26, simulator runtimes ship without Intel Mac support by default, and in Xcode 27 they include a prebuilt cache of system libraries, so a simulator's first launch is much faster. In the Settings inspector of a running device you switch appearance, the Liquid Glass look, text size and location and watch how your app adapts.
Push notifications and purchases in the simulator
The quick way to test a notification is an .apns file. It holds JSON with an aps key and a Simulator Target Bundle field set to your bundle ID. You drag the file onto the simulator screen, which has worked since Xcode 11.4. Real remote notifications reach the simulator since Xcode 14, as long as the Mac runs macOS 13 on Apple silicon or a T2 chip and the simulator runs iOS 16 or later. Your server sends them through the APNs sandbox (Xcode 14 release notes).
Purchases are tested without App Store Connect or a network. A StoreKit configuration file describes products and subscriptions, and since Xcode 14 it can sync with App Store Connect (Xcode Help). Creating the file and turning it on in the scheme is covered on the StoreKit 2 page.
How to test your app in the simulator, step by step
- Open Xcode › Settings › Components and download an iOS runtime if you don't have one. Without it the app can't run.
- Pick an iPhone model in the run destination menu. For an older or less common model, add your own simulator in Device Hub.
- Press Run or choose Product › Run. Device Hub opens a compact window with the phone, and you use the mouse and trackpad for gestures.
- In the Settings inspector, switch on dark appearance, large text and a different location to see how the screen adapts.
- Test pushes with an .apns file and purchases with a StoreKit file selected in the scheme.
- Take screenshots with the Screenshot button, and the files land on your Desktop at full resolution.
- Check the camera, sensors and performance on your own iPhone, paired in Device Hub.
Common mistakes
- Measuring performance in the simulator. It runs on your Mac and, as Apple notes, doesn't replicate a device's performance, so a smooth screen there says nothing about an older iPhone.
- Testing the camera in the simulator. It has no camera access. A camera screen should show a clear placeholder there, and actual capture gets tested on a device.
- Expecting iOS 15 and 16 in Xcode 27. Its simulators start at iOS 17. Older versions need Xcode 26 or a real device.
- Two-finger pinch. Device Hub in Xcode 27 doesn't send two-finger touches. Trackpad pinch and rotate work on standard UIKit components, but test your own gesture on a phone.
Appto runs your app in the simulator itself, walks through every screen and fixes what it finds, and the screenshots of those screens later become your App Store images. More on the code page.
Questions
Is the Xcode simulator an emulator?
No, it's a simulator. Apple says it doesn't replicate the performance or features of a real iPhone, so the final check happens on a device.
Where did the Simulator app go in Xcode 27?
Simulators now open in Device Hub. Launch it from Xcode › Open Developer Tool › Device Hub or with Manage Devices in the run destination menu.
Which iOS versions does the Xcode 26 simulator support?
Xcode 26 runs simulators for iOS 15 and later, while Xcode 27 starts at iOS 17 (Xcode version table as of October 16, 2026).
Do push notifications work in the iOS simulator?
Yes. You can drag an .apns file onto the screen since Xcode 11.4, and real remote pushes arrive since Xcode 14 in iOS 16 and later on macOS 13 with Apple silicon or T2.
Can I test in-app purchases in the simulator?
Yes, with a StoreKit configuration file. The purchase runs locally, with no App Store servers and no real money.
Does the simulator have a camera?
No. Per Apple's documentation the simulator has no access to device cameras, so camera screens get tested on an iPhone.
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