How do you update Xcode on OSX to the latest version?

Question

What is the easiest way to update Xcode on OSX?

I see this in the terminal:

$ brew install xxxxxxx
Warning: Your Xcode (4.3.3) is outdated
Please install Xcode 4.6.

But when I go to open up Xcode > Preferences > Downloads, it says there are no updates?

Solution 1

1. Open up App Store

   

2. Look in the top right for the updates section (may also be in lefthand column "Updates"..)

   

3. Find Xcode & click Update

Solution 2

softwareupdate --list see the list of outdated software.

softwareupdate --install --all update all outdated software.

softwareupdate --install <product name> update the software you named.

Solution 3

Sometime I don't see the Xcode update in Updates tab in AppStore
So I search Xcode in AppStore

Then click update and it update

Solution 4

If attempting to download via the App Store leaves you with a little grey spinner and nothing actually happening, then you can go to :

https://developer.apple.com/download/more/

log in with your Apple Developer ID, and the latest Xcode should be available as a .zip download.

Solution 5

In my case (Xcode 6.1, iOS 8.2) I did not see the update in AppStore. I found Xcode 6.2 for download and pressed "Install". Then, it installed and asked for the update (more than 2 Gb). Xcode 6.2 works correctly with iOS 8.2 and iOS 8.1.2

Hopefully this tip will help somebody else...

View more solutions

Comments

[CodeBiker]

Just want to also note that this will only show as an update if you installed your version directly from the App Store. However, if you installed it from elsewhere, you will need to re-download the entire new version of Xcode.

[Josh Bradley]

Is there a terminal solution to forcing xcode to update? I let it update through the app store overnight and Xcode still did not get updated.

[PatrickT]

Good point. there was nothing in the AppStore for me, even though I'm on 6.0 instead of 7.0.

[jose920405]

any idea with this case?stackoverflow.com/questions/35202711/problems-with-xcod‌​e-7-2-1

[Yakob Ubaidi]

In my case, I need to update twice, currently im updating it for the second time. Hope this is the last time I need to update. xcode 6.x to 7.2.1

[Alyoshak]

No Xcode update shows up for me in the Updates section. I've just updated from Yosemite to El Capitan and Xcode is currently version 7.2. But need 7.3 to develop for my iPhone which now is on version 9.3 of iOS.

[Nestor Ledon]

There was no update indicator for me either, had to find the update in the store manually.

[Mohamed Hussain]

Just search for the xcode in the searchbox, there you will get the xcode with the option to update the xcode even if you not installed using appstore. It works for me in Yosemite

[Alexey Podlasov]

I think somehow the update is not detected after OS update, this solution worked for me.

[Americo Savinon]

Searching for xcode on the search box and installing it worked on Sierra too

[Drew LeSueur]

I had to upgrade my macOS first, then Xcode appeared in list of things to update

[Abhinav Kaushal Keshari]

did mine never start updating or is there really no progress indicator?

[alper]

This only allows me to download xCode 9, I want to download 8.2.1 what should I do? @kris

[kris]

@Avatar - that is strange, when I visit developer.apple.com/download/more and scroll down I can also see earlier versions, including 8.2.1 - maybe pursue this with Apple Help

[alper]

I had captain when I update to high sierra problem has been solved. @kris

[Nicolas Manzini]

why appstore keeps hanging on this spinner? I'm sure it spins but actually doesnt do anything behind the wheel.

[Jonathan Cross]

Did not work for me on Sierra. softwareupdate --list Software Update Tool Finding available software No new software available.

[uday]

I had no updates seen by what other answers said. Only this worked! :)

[rhand]

I was asked to install Xcode all over again. Perhaps due to the High Sierra upgrade.. No idea. Had it installed before.

[user2589273]

does not work if you get the following Error: Your Xcode (n.n.n) is too outdated.

[whackamadoodle3000]

Said I had to log in with appleid, and entered it, and it didn't work. It didn't say the id or password was wrong. When I made the password different on purpose, it did. It just loaded, and then sent me back to the username and password

[Jake Sylvestre]

Note once you zap xcode you'll have to reinstall dev tools: gist.github.com/gaquino/87bdf0e6e852e445c0489379d3e9732a

[forresthopkinsa]

Keep in mind that it spun for about 5 minutes for me before downloading

[Andrew Leyva]

Apple is so damn frustrating. The last several OS upgrades have broken so many things. Wasting hours trying to fix everything Mojave broke.

[RAM237]

OK, I'm on Mojave 10.14.5 and my Xcode is 10.1. I see in AppStore the version history shows lastest version as 10.2.1, but still no suggestion to update from it, only OPEN is available, no matter if I try to search for it or whatever else, damn buggy piece of crap... I need this latest version to build my app!

[FaZe Unempl0yedd]

This answer is sadly not helping with the issue (XCode only updatable via Mac App Store)

[Ron Kalian]

Doesn't work on MacOS Catalina 10.15.1. softwareupdate --install Xcode says Xcode: No such update

[sejn]

How can I use another account in Appstore

[Gerry]

The App Store does not show an update for Xcode 11.4, even though I am running 11.1

[DJ.]

Why do you assumed that he DO NOT need to upgrade XCode, Apple Store consistently requires updates of Xcode builds, unless they do not allow you to upload app updates.

[Dale]

After an OS update, it was saying there were no updates, even though 12 was available and I was on 11.5. I went to the app store and searched, it had an "open" button (not an "update" button). But when I clicked into the details, it did have an "update" button.

[Kimi Chiu]

Today is Nov 16, the latest version was released at Nov 12. I still don't see any update in App Store.