Hello,
I’m new to macOS after many years on iPhone, and I’m trying to run a simple app on my iPhone directly from Xcode. The app builds fine in the simulator, but deploying to a real device fails with this error:
The tunnel connection failed while the system tried to connect to the device.
Domain: com.apple.dt.CoreDeviceError
Code: 4
Failure Reason: The tunnel connection failed while the system tried to connect to the device.
User Info: {
DVTErrorCreationDateKey = "2025-10-02 16:55:53 +0000";
"com.apple.dt.DVTCoreDevice.operationName" = connect;
}
--
The tunnel connection failed while the system tried to connect to the device.
Domain: com.apple.dt.RemotePairingError
Code: 4
--
I get the same error via command line, e.g. for
xcrun devicectl device info apps --device "..."
My setup:
- macOS Version 26.0.1 (Build 25A362)
- Xcode 26.0.1 (Build 17A400)
- iPhone 13 on iOS 26.0.1
- iPhone is paired with the Mac (I can see it in Finder and in Xcode alongside the simulator).
- Developer Mode is enabled on the iPhone.
- I also see my Apple Watch listed in Xcode.
- I might have enabled Multipath networking in the past - but in iOS 26.0.1, the setting is missing in the Developer settings - so there is no way to check if it's enabled or to disable it. I know this was the solution to a similar problem: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/737907
What I tried:
- Restarted both Mac and iPhone, unpaired them, paired them again.
- Disabled and re-nabled development mode
- Tried both Wi-Fi and wired connection (Apple-certified cable).
- Reset privacy and network settings on the iPhone.
- Verified I’m not running any VPN.
Despite this, deployment always fails with the same tunnel connection error.
Has anyone encountered this before or found a solution/workaround?
Thank you very much, Martin