How to Enable or Disable Developer Mode on iOS

If you're developing or testing apps on your iPhone —for example with Xcode or Capacitor— you need developer mode on your iOS device. This guide shows you how to enable developer mode on iPhone and how to turn off developer mode when you don't need it.

Developer mode on iPhone (iOS developer mode) was introduced in iOS 16 as a security measure. It ensures that only users who explicitly enable it can run apps from Xcode or other development tools, reducing the risk of sideloaded apps being installed without your knowledge. Enabling developer mode on your iPhone is required for running development builds and testing outside the App Store.

Enabling Developer Mode on iOS

1. Open the Settings app, scroll down and navigate to Privacy & Security > Developer Mode.

   

2. Enable the Developer Mode options. Tap Restart when prompted.

   

3. Unlock your phone once the device restart is completed. Then the device shows an alert confirming that you want to enable Developer Mode. This is just to ensure that you are aware of the security risk associated with installing a development-signed software.

   

4. Tap Turn On and Developer Mode is now enabled.

How to Disable Developer Mode on iOS

To turn off developer mode on your iOS (or any iOS device), open Settings > Privacy & Security > Developer Mode and toggle developer mode off. After you disable developer mode on iOS, you won't be able to run apps from Xcode on your device until you enable it again.

If you're also building for Android, see our guide on how to enable Developer Options on Android for the equivalent setup on that platform. For other iOS build issues, check the iOS troubleshooting guide for Capacitor.

If you have questions, join the Capawesome Discord server or subscribe to the Capawesome newsletter to stay updated.