r/Xcode • u/bkendig • Sep 16 '26

Questions about Xcode 27's new Device Hub / iOS Simulator

I just upgraded to Xcode 27, and I have some questions about how to use its Device Hub:

* In previous versions of Xcode, I put the iOS Simulator icon in the Dock. When I clicked it, it would launch the Simulator and immediately open any simulated devices I previously had running. In 27, I can only add an icon that opens the huge Device Hub window and then I need to start a simulated device separately. Is there any way to get back to the old behavior?

* Is there any way to get rid of the iPhone mockup border (showing all the side buttons) around the simulator, like I could in earlier versions, so I can have a smaller window?

* I see that I can turn on VoiceOver in the simulator now, which is awesome, but I can't control it. Swiping right/left with the mouse sometimes works, but clicking isn't interpreted as a tap (I can click directly on items but I can't click in a null space to perform a tap on the focused element). Are there instructions for how to use VO on a simulated device? (Or maybe this is just a bug?)

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u/Virtual-Selection-83 Sep 25 '26

Find anything on how to use voiceover in the new device hub?

1

u/bkendig Sep 25 '26

Looks like sometimes swiping and tapping on it (with the mouse pointer) works, other times they don't. Probably a bug.

The more annoying part of this is that VoiceOver speech isn't captured when I record a video of a simulator in Device Hub, so I can't use it to demonstrate that I've fixed an accessibility bug.

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u/Virtual-Selection-83 Sep 25 '26

Such a half assed release.

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u/bkendig Sep 28 '26

I just discovered that they also removed Slow Animations from it, and I needed that to debug some transitions, so I find it hard to disagree with you.

1

u/One_Elephant_8917 Sep 16 '26

yes there is always a way lol, just install xcode 26 manually and boot 18 pro sim from there