no ios simulators in debug VS 2022 17.11.1 and xcode 14.3.1

Question

in 1 project I don't see any simulators anymore. connection from the mac is there and everything works, I can just debug other projects.

I only see start in the list of simulators.

It is possible to remove the simulator settings for this project or enable them again.

I have already tried making a new connection with the mac.

Answer 1

If you're experiencing an issue where iOS simulators are not appearing in Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.11.1) with Xcode 14.3.1, here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

1. Check Xcode Installation

• Ensure that Xcode is fully installed and up to date. Open Xcode directly and verify that the simulators are available and functional.

2. Accept Xcode License

• Sometimes, you need to accept the Xcode license after an update. Open Terminal and run:

    
    sudo xcodebuild -license
  

  • Follow the prompts to accept the license.

3. Ensure Command Line Tools are Set

• Make sure the correct version of Xcode is selected for command-line tools. In Terminal, run:

    
    sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app
  

  • This ensures that Visual Studio is referencing the correct Xcode installation.

4. Reset iOS Simulators

• You can reset the simulators by running the following command in Terminal:

    
    xcrun simctl shutdown all
  

xcrun simctl erase all

  
  - This shuts down and erases all simulator data, which might help Visual Studio detect them.
  
5. **Restart Visual Studio and Mac**

- Restart Visual Studio and your Mac. This often resolves detection issues between Xcode and Visual Studio.

6. **Check Xcode and Visual Studio Compatibility**

- Ensure that the version of Visual Studio 2022 (17.11.1) you are using is compatible with Xcode 14.3.1. Compatibility issues can sometimes arise, so check the [Microsoft Visual Studio release notes](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-notes) for any known issues or necessary updates.

7. **Reinstall Xamarin.iOS**

- If the problem persists, try reinstalling Xamarin.iOS to ensure that all necessary components are correctly installed.

8. **Verify Simulator Device Setup**

- In Visual Studio, check that your project’s platform target is set to **iOS** and that the correct devices are selected under **Debug > iOS Simulator**.

9. **Review Diagnostic Logs**

- If the simulators still don't appear, review the diagnostic logs in Visual Studio:

   - Go to `Help > Xamarin > Open Logs`.
   
      - Look for any errors or warnings that could indicate why the simulators are not being detected.
      
10. **Use Xcode to Run the Simulator**

- As a workaround, try launching the simulator directly from Xcode, then see if it appears in Visual Studio.If you're experiencing an issue where iOS simulators are not appearing in Visual Studio 2022 (version 17.11.1) with Xcode 14.3.1, here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

  1. **Check Xcode Installation**
  
  - Ensure that Xcode is fully installed and up to date. Open Xcode directly and verify that the simulators are available and functional.
  
  2. **Accept Xcode License**
  
  - Sometimes, you need to accept the Xcode license after an update. Open Terminal and run:
  
    ```dockerfile
    
    sudo xcodebuild -license
    ```
    
  - Follow the prompts to accept the license.
  
  3. **Ensure Command Line Tools are Set**
  
  - Make sure the correct version of Xcode is selected for command-line tools. In Terminal, run:
  
    ```dockerfile
    
    sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app
    ```
    
  - This ensures that Visual Studio is referencing the correct Xcode installation.
  
  4. **Reset iOS Simulators**
  
  - You can reset the simulators by running the following command in Terminal:
  
    ```dockerfile
    xcrun simctl shutdown all
xcrun simctl erase all
    ```
    
  - This shuts down and erases all simulator data, which might help Visual Studio detect them.
  
  5. **Restart Visual Studio and Mac**
  
  - Restart Visual Studio and your Mac. This often resolves detection issues between Xcode and Visual Studio.
  
  6. **Check Xcode and Visual Studio Compatibility**
  
  - Ensure that the version of Visual Studio 2022 (17.11.1) you are using is compatible with Xcode 14.3.1. Compatibility issues can sometimes arise, so check the [Microsoft Visual Studio release notes](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/releases/2022/release-notes) for any known issues or necessary updates.
  
  7. **Reinstall Xamarin.iOS**
  
  - If the problem persists, try reinstalling Xamarin.iOS to ensure that all necessary components are correctly installed.
  
  8. **Verify Simulator Device Setup**
  
  - In Visual Studio, check that your project’s platform target is set to **iOS** and that the correct devices are selected under **Debug > iOS Simulator**.
  
  9. **Review Diagnostic Logs**
  
  - If the simulators still don't appear, review the diagnostic logs in Visual Studio:
  
    - Go to `Help > Xamarin > Open Logs`.
    
    - Look for any errors or warnings that could indicate why the simulators are not being detected.
    
  10. **Use Xcode to Run the Simulator**
  
  - As a workaround, try launching the simulator directly from Xcode, then see if it appears in Visual Studio.
  
If my answer is helpful to you, you can accept it. Thank you.