Locating the iPhone and iPad Simulators on Mac

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iPhone Simulator

I recently received a new MacBook Pro and started configuring debugging tools I had debugged ages ago on my personal machine.  In doing so, I completely forgot that the iOS Simulator provided by XCode isn't added directly to the Applications directory;  instead, you have to dig into the following directory to get to it:

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app

Since I don't like hassles, and you probably don't either, I quickly created a symbolic link for the Applications directory to alleviate the pain:

ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app /Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app

And with that bit of help, I can easily get to my iOS emulator, and then open iWebInspector and other mobile debugging tools.  Sweet!

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Discussion

  1. Alex

    Just letting you know I’m currently designing/coding a full Metro (Win8) interface using mootools.
    Win8 FTW!

  2. Thats really awesome, i have always wondered if there was a way to do that.
    The one thing I did was to open xcode, then launched the emulator then the emulator shows up on the dock so I right clicked on it and went to options/keep in the dock. That keeps the emulator on the dock so this way I can just click on it.

  3. Great help this, thanks!
    Only one question: In the title you say “…and iPad Simulators…”.
    I don’t seem to be able to find the iPad one.
    Any help would be appreciated.
    Cheers.

    • Sjenkinsdc

      I’m also looking for the iPad emulator and although it is in the title of this article, I only see instructions for iPhone emulator.

  4. Thorsten

    The iPhone Emulator contains the iPad Emulator. Just klick on “Hardware” within the Menubar of Mac OS X and chose your desired Device from the Menu Item “Device”.

  5. Eduard

    or you can grab the Simulator.app via Finder. Just go to Applications folder > Xcode.app > right click > Show Package Contents > Contents > Developer > Platforms > iPhoneSimulator.platform > Developer > Applications > iPhone > iOS Simulator.app (the path may different, I’m using Mountain Lion)

    To create a shortcut:
    Drag the iOS Simulator.app to sidebar where you already put your personal folder e.g. “Desktop” (wait until the arrow sign appears on it’s icon then drop)

    The simplest way:
    Drag the iOS Simulator.app to your Dock.

  6. Or – in XCode, open (in the Xcode application menu) Xcode/Open Develope Tool/IOS Simulator – then pin it to the dock.

  7. Binesh Dobhal

    hi can we find any simulator of iphone for the ipad
    i want to test my iphone applicatiion on the ipad because i don’t have iphone and mac pc

  8. Marcus

    how to install apps?

  9. I can’t find the application on my computer. I’m running 10.6.8. Help!

  10. went into applications folder – no xcode.app?
    Any help? I am running 10.7.5

  11. ah – you have to install xcode from the app store first.

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