[HOW TO] Launch iOS Simulator for Mac without XCode

July 26, 2022

Whether you are in to iOS App development or testing, it is important for you to learn to launch iOS Simulator for Mac device without using XCode. As many of the developers use to develop an IOS app without XCode specifically while developing a hybrid app where they usually consider React Native or Flutter as an alternative to XCode. In such cases they need to code it via VS code Editor and launch iOS Simulator from the command line.

Steps provided in this blog will help you to launch the iOS Simulator in a straight line without needing you to open XCode SDK.

Table of Contents

How to Launch iOS Simulator for Mac without XCode

To being with the process you must get XCode App installed from the Apple app store on your Mac device. Since XCode is not an included application for Mac, you have to install it anyway. Beside that you should also download the iOS Simulator (bundled with Xcode SDK) from the App Store.

After getting these apps installed on your Mac, it becomes fairly easy to launch iOS Simulator for without Xcode. You just have to simply perform the two-step process given below:

2-Step process to Launch iOS Simulator for Mac Device without XCode

Step 1: Head to the Spotlight Search (cmd + space) and type “Simulator” to launch the default simulator. As an alternative to this, you can also go to the Applications tab present in the finder Window and then select Simulator from the list of available applications.

Step 2: Launch the iOS Simulator from the command line for deployment of the app as well as its direct testing via the iOS Simulator.

Note: As the recent update in Mac OS allows it to access the simulator Via Spotlight Search, you need not have to go inside the Xcode.app package to create a shortcut.

In Conclusion

This way you can open iOS Simulator for Mac without XCode. As a developer or tester working with Mac, the above mentioned 2 step process would be of great help. However if you work with a different device, you have to open XCode for sure.