Download Xcode simulator directly
Solution 1
Clicking on Download in Xcode didn't do anything - the progress bar did not progress (does that make it a regress bar?).
This is what worked for me:
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Open Xcode, open preferences, go to the Components section.
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Open the Console App, clear the console.
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Go back to the Xcode preferences. Start the simulator download, then cancel it.
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Now in the Console, you will see something about the cancellation with the download URL.
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Copy the URL from the Console. Then in Terminal in some suitable scratch folder, download it:
curl [the url you copied] -O(the letter O, not a zero) -
Finally, copy this file to ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode/Downloads
Remove all *.dvtdownloadableindex files (maybe it doesn't matter, but I removed them). -
In Xcode, in the Downloads section, start the Simulator download again, it should find the file you downloaded and install it.
How easy was that! Only 7 steps, hah!
Solution 2
To add iOS Simulator in XCode perform below steps:
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Download iOS Simulator from Below Link:
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After download completes, copy this file to ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode/Downloads In some cases, we have to remove all *.dvtdownloadableindex files (maybe it doesn't matter, I didn't remove them).
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In case directory ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode don't have download folder then, just click
Show package contentcreate Downloads folder, before moving the dmg file. -
In Xcode, in the Downloads section, start the Simulator download again, it should find the file you downloaded and install it.
(Newest on top. only the latest revision is kept in the list.)
- Simulator Link:
iOS 15.2
iOS 14.5
iOS 14.4
iOS 14.3
iOS 14.2
iOS 14.1
iOS 14.0
iOS 13.7
iOS 13.6
iOS 13.5
iOS 13.4
iOS 13.3
iOS 13.2
iOS 13.1
iOS 13.0
iOS 12.4
iOS 12.2
iOS 12.1
iOS 12.0
iOS 11.4
iOS 11.3
iOS 11.2
iOS 11.1
iOS 11.0
iOS 10.3.1
Solution 3
If someone is searching in 2019, I have a better solution than looking at messy Console app.
1/ Open Terminal and run sudo /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/MacOS/Xcode
to open Xcode in sudo mode.
2/ Xcode > Preferences > Components > Download then cancel the simulator you want to download.
3/ Go back to Terminal, it will log the Downloadable with the Simulator link, copy that to Safari to download it.
Solution 4
Follow these steps to add a (new) simulator (Xcode 9 onwards)
- Click on Simulator icon and open simulator list.
- At the end of list, there is an option to add new simulator "Add Additional Simulator". That will open 'Device & Simulator' window.
- Switch to 'Simulator' tab.
- There are three field in simulator tab.
- Click on '+' icon, on left bottom corner of window.
- Simulator Name: Enter simulator name here
- Device Type: Select iPad from this dropdown list
- OS Version: Select OS version from this dropdown list
- Click on 'Create'
A new simulator will be added in your Simulator option list.
Look at this snapshot to understand flow of above steps:
And if there is no simulator/OS version in simulator list, you're looking for,
- Click on Simulator icon and open simulator list.
- At the end of list, there is an option to add new simulator "Download Simulator". That will open 'Component' window (from Xcode >> Preferences).
- Select/click simulator from list, which you need to download.
Look at this snapshot:
Solution 5
So a quick tip for the people who use a download manager to download the .dmg file and didn't manage to get it work.
Once you place the file inside the 'Downloads' folder, Copy and paste the url somewhere and copy the file name alone.
( for me I was downloading iOS 9.3 so the url was - https://devimages.apple.com.edgekey.net/downloads/xcode/simulators/com.apple.pkg.iPhoneSimulatorSDK9_3-9.3.1.1460411551.dmg
and rename the file you just copied to the 'Downloads' folder, even if it looks exactly the same.
I wasted 2 to 3 hours trying to figure this out. The problem is that the filename looks exactly the same. But there was an extra space somewhere.
Another Tip: Also to get the download url - open system console. Make sure all messages are selected and search for xcode inside the Search box. Go to xcode simulator download screen, start and stop the download for the simulator you want and check inside console log. You should find the url there.
HardikDG
Updated on July 05, 2022Comments
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HardikDG almost 2 years
I have downloaded Xcode 6.2 today which replaced previous Xcode 6.1 now to use simulator 7.1 & 8.1 it asks to download both simulators , but for some reason after trying 4-5 times it shows network issues in downloading or request time out (note: in n/w diagnostic after it shows net is working properly)
so is there any direct link from where i can download the simulator package directly or somewhere at least it shows progress in percentage/size instead just a bar
if it's not possible i have read about copying the older simulator to new Xcode so how can i place the old simulator(7.1 & 8.1) in Xcode 6.2 that it works directly without downloading again
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HardikDG over 9 yearsdoes copying only iPhoneSimulator folder will work or should i need to copy other folders also , as it not shown in list of new Xcode
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ɲeuroburɳ almost 9 yearsWorked great! I experimented by not removing the
*.dvtdownloadableindexfiles in step 6, and the simulator installed fine. -
Semyon Vyskubov almost 9 yearsThat's also helped to download it at all. I have not very fast connection at home. So downloading was always incomplete with "timeout". This solution helped in my case as well. Thank you!
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Prajeet Shrestha over 8 yearsDoesn't show any message in console area, you are referring to xcode's debug console right?
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Tash Pemhiwa over 8 years@PrajeetShrestha, he's referring to MacOS's
Consoleapp - you can find it by pressing cmd+space and typingconsole -
Tash Pemhiwa over 8 yearsI do not have a Downloads folder in my ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode directory
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phatmann over 8 years@TashPemhiwa: just create a Downloads folder in ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode before moving the dmg file. I did this and it worked perfectly.
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Parth Pandya over 8 yearsyes copying only iPhone simulator folder does not showing that simulator in Xcode. do we have to copy any other folders? I am trying with Xcode 7.0 -
Chris Vasselli over 8 years@emp One suggestion: instead of using curl, open the URL in Safari. This way you'll be able to resume the download if it fails midway through.
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neelabh about 8 years@PrajeetShrestha cancel the download to see in the console.
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GeneCode almost 8 yearsChris Vasselli is right. Just download from Safari - a lot easier to manage. Plus you can see the speed in Download popup. Easy to stop and resume, etc. -
The iOSDev over 7 yearsHi @emp I tried the same 7 steps but didn't work for me. Does it is required to do the download on my Mac system? I have downloaded the simulators on the other system I have experimented with Xcode 8.2.1 and simulator for iOS 9.3 and iOS 8.4 plus try to install the Guides and Sample code. But no luck I am not able to install any of them with the above mentioned 7 steps Please help me. -
kvanbere almost 7 yearsJust to clarify, they don't mean the Xcode Console but the Console application (not the system Terminal either). Use spotlight to find it.. it's under Utilities/.
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bauerMusic over 6 yearscom.apple.dt.Xcode is now a bundle, not a folder. Same, with 'Show Package Contents', and create a 'Download' folder right there. -
Yitzchak about 6 yearscurl is GREAT.. could resume when download hanged!! And the best part that it's fun to trick XCode - I Love That Solution!!! -
Ali Yousefi over 5 yearsi dont have com.apple.dt.Xcode folder in caches, please help me where is the location now -
Gary over 4 yearsFYI: as of Xcode 11 (11/2019)
sudo /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/MacOS/Xcodewith "Xcode >> Preferences >> Components", download/cancel (thanks @superquanganh) to read off the download URL along withcp com.apple.pkg.*.dmg ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode/Downloads/(thanks @emp) still works. -
Renetik about 4 yearsApple is so cool to not support resuming of downloads while it is so common that 3GB file gets interrupted. Thanks you helped me out. -
Renetik about 4 yearsWhy someone's upvoted this ? I don't get it. It didn't answer question at all.
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rrr ppp about 4 yearsI followed the above steps but i got this error 'Could not download and install iOS 13.1 Simulator. Failed to mount image: no mountable file systems' Could you please help me to resolve it .
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Suraj Sonawane about 4 yearsWhich Xcode you are using and for that which simulator you are downloading? -
Petr Peller about 4 yearsThanks, the URL list saved my life.
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freezing_ almost 4 yearsIs there a link for iOS14 ?
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Hemang about 3 yearsHi @SurajSonawane, is there any link for iOS 12.5.1 simulator? If you know please share.
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Suraj Sonawane about 3 years@freezing_ URL updated for iOS 14. Please check now
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XeusKing almost 3 yearsThis package is incompatible with this version of macOS. -
Ehsan Saddique almost 3 yearsSimpler than the original answer. Thanks. -
Fausta Leonardo almost 3 yearsMuch better solution :)
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AmerllicA almost 3 years@NsaghaKingsly, I have this issue too, I have a M1 MacBook Air, I think this issue relates to new Apple Arm Architecture. -
joanis over 2 years12 upvotes tell me this answer provides useful information for people finding this question, even if it does not directly answer the question itself.
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Dhaval H. Nena over 2 yearsThank you Suraj! -
cohen72 over 2 yearsThank you kind sir, this saved me hours of waiting to update via Xcode
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PJ1405 over 2 years@Gary it's not working for me, I've Xcode 13 with M1 chip. It's directly downloading even I've kept the .dmg inside the ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode/Downloads/. I've also noticed nothing is getting downloaded in Downloads folder while the simulator is trying to download the simulator.
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Abdullah over 2 years@phatmann I don't even have com.apple.dt.Xcode folder in Caches
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Najam Ul Saqib over 2 yearsfor iso 15.0 simulator devimages-cdn.apple.com/downloads/xcode/simulators/… -
phatmann over 2 years@Abdullah just create it manually.
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Abdullah over 2 years@phatmann i did try by creating these folders manually but still Xcode do not detect the downloaded .dmg file for iOS 13.7 simulator
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phatmann over 2 yearsPerhaps new Xcode version works differently. Maybe someone will chime in with more info.
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K.R. about 2 yearsI dont have such folder at all
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bentz123 almost 2 yearstip: if you want to make your life a little easier as downloading the dmg directly takes forever, i suggest using aria2. brew install aria2 && aria2c -x10 <DMG_LINK>
