How do I downgrade the simulator in Xcode?

My app is working as expected in the simulator on iOS 12.1, but not on my iOS 11.x device, and it is just a layout issue. I'm not aware of any major changes in layout constraints from 11 to 12, so I'm perplexed... I upgraded an older device from iOS 10 to 12 and my app layout works on it, so it seems something changed between iOS 11 and 12 regarding layout, but I don't know what that is...


How can I get a simulator running iOS 11.x to debug? I'll start debugging on my actual 11.x device, but I would also like to know how to get a simulator running older iOS versions? xcodebuild -showsdks says I only have 12.1 iphone/simulator 12.1 -- how do I run 11.x in the simulator, or older iOS versions in general in the simulator?

You can download and install simulators all the way back to iOS 8.1. In Xcode:


  1. Xcode > Preferences.
  2. Select the "Components" tab.
  3. Mark the simulators you want.
  4. Press "Check and Install Now".

Thanks! Why isn't this in the Device / Simulators dialog.

What if the "Components" tab does not list any other simulator?
Is there a way to obtain them?
Is there a web link for that? My connection keeps breaking and it won't resume.

At least from xCode 14, now it's in "Windows" menu, "Devices and Simulators". You can download an older iOS SDK and create a simulator with it.

Any advice on how to install a IOS 12 simulator using Xcode 14? I've already tried to install older versions of Xcode but I get an error on every attempt to install the simulator.

In 2023 the answer is similar but different:

  1. Xcode > Preferences
  2. Platforms Tab
  3. Click the lower left hand + button
  4. Select the versions you want to download.

I am using Xcode 15 and there is no ios 14 or ios13 simulator! How can I install ios 14 or ios13 simulators?

Same as guy above, XCode 15 and it only lists 17.0 in the simulator. If I look inside the xcode folders it lists lots of other ios versions, interestingly it doesn't actually list 17, just 8->16.4. How is it this fiddly and wierd to just get a simulator for different versions of ios!? I followed a few guides of downloading other versions of the simulators from github and something else with some commands, don't seem to make any diff, I don't see anything other than ios 17.0.

I just found out how to install another iOS version for simulator in XCode 15:

We can go to Settings > Platforms > Small (+) button on the bottom left corner

What about installing iOS 12 and 13 within XCode 15? For me, the lowest Version I can download from within XCode is 14 :(

How do I downgrade the simulator in Xcode?
 
 
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