Can I start the iPhone simulator without "Build and Run"?
XcodeIos SimulatorXcode Problem Overview
I want to delete an app in the simulator before I "build and run". How can I start the simulator so I can do the deletion? If I start it by "build and run" I get a long log output that takes a while because of a bug I'm trying to fix. I'd like to avoid that.
Xcode Solutions
Solution 1 - Xcode
The simulator is just an application, and as such you can run it like any other application.
To run the simulator straight from terminal prepend these locations with the open command
Xcode 7.x, 8.x, and 9.x
In Xcode 7.x, the iPhone Simulator has moved again: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app.
Xcode 6.x
In Xcode 6.x, the iPhone Simulator has moved yet again, and now resides here: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/iOS Simulator.app.
Xcode 4.x, 5.x
In Xcode 4.x (through 4.5 on Mountain Lion) and Xcode 5.0.x on Mavericks, it lives here: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/
In my version of Xcode (4.5.2), I find it quite convenient to use the Open Developer Tool menu from either the dock icon or the Xcode menu:
Xcode 3.x
In Xcode 3.x, it lives here:
/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone Simulator.app
In some future version of Xcode, it will probably move again, it's a squirrelly little app.
Solution 2 - Xcode
From Terminal you can use:
open -a iPhone\ Simulator
open -a iOS\ Simulator
open -a Simulator
This all depends on the application name of the simulator, this can change with each iteration of Xcode.
Solution 3 - Xcode
Since XCode 4.3 the location has changed, the simulator can now be found at:
> /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/
Solution 4 - Xcode
To follow up on that the new command from @jimbojw to create a shortcut with the new Xcode (installing through preferences) is:
ln -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app /Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app
Which will create a shortcut in the applications folder for you.
Solution 5 - Xcode
Use Spotlight.
But only the last simulator will be opened. If you used iPad Air 2 last time, Spotlight will open it. If you wanna open iPhone 6s this time, that's a problem.
Solution 6 - Xcode
To pick a specific simulator you can first open the Simulator application
Then right click on the icon, and select from the devices.
Solution 7 - Xcode
First, add the iOS Simulator to Applications:
ln -s /Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app /Applications/iPhone\ Simulator.app
From there you can open it in Finder or drag it to the launch bar.
Source: http://www.bram.us/2010/05/05/xcode-iphone-simulator-location/
Solution 8 - Xcode
This is an older question, but if you simply want to run the simulator from the Xcode 4.5 UI, you can do: Xcode > Open Developer Tool > iOS Simulator.
Solution 9 - Xcode
The easiest way is start the simulator from the Xcode, and then on the dock, Ctrl + Click on the icon and select Keep in Dock
Solution 10 - Xcode
Without opening Xcode:
open /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/iOS\ Simulator.app/
Solution 11 - Xcode
For Xcode 7.2
open /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/Simulator.app/Contents/MacOS/Simulator.app
sudo ./Simulator
And adding this path in your profile is the best way.