How can I launch the iOS Simulator from Terminal?

Question

I can build using the Xcode command line tools, is there any way I can actually run the application using them? (E.g. the equivalent to pressing Cmd+R in Xcode)

Solution 1

First decide what device you want to use:

xcrun simctl list

This will give you a list of devices:

-- iOS 9.0 --
    iPhone 4s (56632E02-650E-4C24-AAF4-5557FB1B8EB2) (Shutdown)
    iPhone 5 (ACD4DB7B-9FC9-49D5-B06B-BA5D5E2F5165) (Shutdown)
    iPhone 5s (A8358B76-AD67-4571-9EB7-FFF4D0AC029E) (Shutdown)
    iPhone 6 (1D46E980-C127-4814-A1E2-5BE47F6A15ED) (Shutdown)
    iPhone 6 Plus (FD9F726E-453A-4A4C-9460-A6C332AB140B) (Shutdown)

Choose the ID (eg. FD9F726E-453A-4A4C-9460-A6C332AB140B) you want (you can create your own device using xcrun simctl create if you want).

Boot the simulator with that device (replacing YOUR-DEVICE-ID with the ID)

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app/Contents/MacOS/Simulator -CurrentDeviceUDID <YOUR-DEVICE-ID>

Now you should be able to use simctl to install and launch commands.

xcrun simctl install <YOUR-DEVICE-ID> <PATH-TO-APPLICATION-BUNDLE>
xcrun simctl launch <YOUR-DEVICE-ID> <BUNDLE-ID-OF-APP-BUNDLE>

xcrun simctl help for more details. Note that booting a device using simctl does not currently (Xcode 7.2) allow you to do anything else with that device such as launch or install applications. You need to launch the device in the simulator to actually do anything interesting. Also, you cannot delete a device that is in use by the simulator, so you will have to quit/kill the simulator before attempting to delete anything.

Solution 2

Type this in terminal: open -a Simulator.app

Solution 3

open -a simulator 

it worked for me

Solution 4

As of this date (2022) it will work:

open -a simulator 

it is the easiest way.

Solution 5

Open your terminal and paste this code:

open /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app

View more solutions

Comments

[Alex Chesters]

That will just launch the Simulator, I'm looking for a way to do the same as Cmd+R in the terminal, launching the Simulator AND running the app

[Llogari Casas]

The app must be installed trough Xcode to the simulator. Once you have done that at least once, you app will be saved on the simulator and accesible either from Xcode or Terminal. You can not compile by any means your code without Xcode @AlexChesters

[Alex Chesters]

@Llorgi you can build your code from the terminal without Xcode

[Llogari Casas]

Sure you can compile your code trough terminal. But you are still using Xcode Command Line Tools. Example xcodebuild test -scheme MyiOSApp -destination 'platform=iOS,name=iPod touch' @AlexChesters

[Palleraccio]

A little tip.. once the device is booted, you can use the keyword booted instead of <YOUR-DEVICE-ID>.

[Mark Pieszak - Trilon.io]

This is the simplest way to do it. :+1:

[kosiara - Bartosz Kosarzycki]

You can find compiled application bundle in: /Users/username/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/YourApp-‌​cuozdynseabctdefrjse‌​jhldxden/Build/Produ‌​cts/Debug-iphonesimu‌​lator

[MAhipal Singh]

@Kuldeep Can you explain why this answer is not appropriate to the question?

[MAhipal Singh]

@Benjith Kizhisseri , this answer was already posted here: stackoverflow.com/a/49992522/6898523 please avoid duplicate answers.

[Kuldeep]

@MAhipalSingh, I didn't see any not appropriate word in comment and As a reviewer there's predefine options where you only able to select from them.

[yshahak]

I can't see why this "does not provide an answer to the question". This is the shortest answer to the question in this page and therefore this is a useful answer.

[C-lio Garcia]

Simple and fast :)

[code-8]

@kosiara-BartoszKosarzycki Is there a command line to show that path ?

[dmaclach]

It doesn't answer the question because it doesn't run the application. The poster wanted something that would run an app for them, not just launch the simulator.

[sgdesmet]

open -a Simulator --args -CurrentDeviceUDID <YOUR-DEVICE-ID> also works for starting the simulator

[MNFS]

What is<PATH-TO-APPLICATION-BUNDLE> and <BUNDLE-ID-OF-APP-BUNDLE> ?

[dmaclach]

An example of path-to-application-bundle is /MyDrive/MyFolder/MyApp.app An example of bundle-id-of-app-bundle is com.mycompany.myapp

[Antonio Carlos]

When using only open -a Simulator --args -CurrentDeviceUDID <YOUR-DEVICE-ID> though I replaced the device id it was launching the same device. In the end, I had to use xcrun simctl boot <YOUR-DEVICE-ID> to boot another device.

[Dami]

It still works. If you have to open a specific simulator try the open -a simulator command. Let it open whatever the simulator it is going to open by default. Then with top bar menu, select, File > Open Simulator. ( or you create new one with New Simulator )

[Alann Maulana]

simply run directly into a selected device

[Alejandro Giraldo]

Pretty simple solution

[Thiago]

The easiest way is - (open -a Simulator.app)

[ICW]

@MAhipalSingh "simulator" != "Simulator.app" // true

[friederbluemle]

It should be noted that this does boot the simulator, but does not actually open the UI. For that, you still need open -a Simulator.

[sejn]

list command shows the error xcrun simctl list 2021-12-06 18:20:20.358 xcodebuild[12224:520286] [MT] DVTAssertions: ASSERTION FAILURE in /Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/IDEXcode3ProjectSuppor‌​t/IDEXcode3ProjectSu‌​pport-18132/Xcode3Co‌​re/LegacyProjects/Fr‌​ameworks/DevToolsCor‌​e/DevToolsCore/Found‌​ation/Specifications‌​/XCSpecification.m:1‌​504 Details: propertyList should be an instance inheriting from TSPropertyListDictionary, but it is nil Object: <XCSpecificationProxy: 0x7fca68666110> Method: -loadedSpecification Thread: <NSThread: 0x7fca667098d0>{number = 1, name = main} Hints:

[sejn]

My list displays the error xcrun simctl list 2021-12-06 18:20:20.358 xcodebuild[12224:520286] [MT] DVTAssertions: ASSERTION FAILURE in /Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/IDEXcode3ProjectSuppor‌​t/IDEXcode3ProjectSu‌​pport-18132/Xcode3Co‌​re/LegacyProjects/Fr‌​ameworks/DevToolsCor‌​e/DevToolsCore/Found‌​ation/Specifications‌​/XCSpecification.m:1‌​504 Details: propertyList should be an instance inheriting from TSPropertyListDictionary, but it is nil Object: <XCSpecificationProxy: 0x7fca68666110> Method: -loadedSpecification Thread: <NSThread: 0x7fca667098d0>{number = 1, name = main} Hints:

[Rohit Singh]

Unable to find application named 'MyApp.app'

[Rohit Singh]

I simply dragged and dropped in my simulator and it installed the app for me.

[William Humphries]

what do you have to download to use the command?