Is it safe to manually edit Package.swift (iOS Version & Orientation) for SSC 2026?

Question

roaziy OP

Created 1d

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Hi everyone,

I am working on my submission for the Swift Student Challenge 2026 using a Swift App Playground (.swiftpm).

The default project was set to iOS 16, but I manually edited the Package.swift file to change the minimum version to iOS 18.0 so I can use the latest APIs. I also modified the supportedInterfaceOrientations to lock the app to Portrait mode only.

I know the file contains a warning saying "Do not edit it by hand," so I am worried about two things:

Disqualification: Will manually changing the iOS version from the default 16.0 to 18.0 cause any issues with the submission validator or the judging environment?

Orientation: Is it acceptable to strictly force .portrait mode for the challenge, or are we required to support landscape/responsive layouts for the judges' iPads?

I want to make sure these manual changes won't technically invalidate my playground.

Thanks for your help!

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Answer 1

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

1d

Thanks for the post. It's great to hear you are working on your submission for the Swift Student Challenge! I would like to prefix I’m not familiar with the Swift Student Challenge and their rules but some engineers here are more familiar and they can provide you better inside.

Saying that, manually changing the iOS version in the file could potentially raise issues. Apple typically encourages developers to avoid manual changes to default configuration files, as these files can be regenerated or altered by Xcode when needed.

In the other hand. It is generally acceptable to lock an app to portrait mode for contests like these, especially if your design and functionality are optimal in that orientation. However, keep in mind that many iPad users expect apps to be responsive and support multiple orientations.

Always refer to the latest submission guidelines, as they will provide the most accurate information about what is or isn't acceptable for your challenge. Best of luck with your submission! I invite other engineers to provide their insights here.

Albert Pascual   Worldwide Developer Relations.

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