Xcode 27.2 RC: What’s New, Known Issues & Fixes

What’s new

Project format

• JSON-based .xcproj format — Xcode now supports a readable, merge-friendly project file format that coding agents can edit more reliably. Enable it in the File inspector; projects using .xcproj also open in earlier Xcode 27 versions.

Device Hub (simulator-focused)

• New simulation controls — Slow Motion Animation, Simulate Shake, Simulate Fall, and Simulate Memory Pressure are now available for simulators.
• Screenshot workflow — Context menu for screenshots, improved drag-and-drop for the screenshot icon, and configurable screen-capture save location.
• Window & input options — Hide device bezels, customize quit behavior for booted simulators, adjust keyboard shortcut behavior, toggle Secure Keyboard Entry, and simulate hardware keyboards.
• App Settings — Quick access to per-device app settings.

Coding Assistant

• GetCodeCoverage MCP tool — Reports code coverage from the most recent test run, optionally filtered by target or file.

SDKs & language

• Swift 6.4 included.
• SDKs for iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2, macOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2.
• On-device debugging supported for iOS 17+, tvOS 17+, watchOS 10+, and visionOS.
• Minimum host OS: macOS Tahoe 26.6 or later.

Known issues and workarounds

iPhone Duo screenshots and recordings may be black after boot

Screenshots and recordings in the iPhone Duo simulator can appear black for up to a few minutes after booting the device. (187146039)

Accessibility tools cannot read iPhone Duo screen content

VoiceOver, the Accessibility Inspector, and other accessibility tools fail to convey screen content on an iPhone Duo within Device Hub. (187148389)

Text size customization unavailable for iOS 18 and earlier

Device Hub is unable to customize the text size for devices running iOS 18 or earlier. (189261485)

Modifier keys stop working when switching iPhone Duo displays

When switching between the inner and outer display of the iPhone Duo simulator, modifier keys such as Shift and Command might stop working. Workaround: Click with the mouse on the currently visible screen. (189465196)

Mac Catalyst compile errors with iOS 27.1 APIs

Projects that use APIs specific to iOS 27.1 show compile errors when building for Mac Catalyst (“undeclared identifier”, “not found”, etc.). Workaround: Wrap affected code in build-time conditionals — #if !targetEnvironment(macCatalyst) (Swift) or #if !TARGET_OS_MACCATALYST (Objective-C). (185924957)

SDKs incorrectly list 27.1 as a valid deployment target

macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS SDKs in Xcode 27.2 incorrectly report 27.1 as a valid deployment target. Builds and other functionality might behave unexpectedly if this target is used. Mac Catalyst builds with a 27.1 or 27.2 deployment target might be unable to use newly introduced API. (187160501)

CarPlay in Device Hub requires USB connection

Device Hub support for CarPlay requires devices to be physically connected via USB cable (not over the network). iOS Simulator is not supported for CarPlay. (179494052)

Cloning a simulator device on runtime 27.2 may fail

Cloning a simulator device running runtime 27.2 might fail due to incorrect file permissions. Workaround: Run find ~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/<SOURCE_UDID>/data -name '*.sb-????????-??????' -delete. (188407822)

Resolved issues worth knowing

Device Hub

• Modifier keys (Shift, Control, Option, Command) now route to the correct device when multiple device windows are open. (177181719)
• Physical devices no longer remain stuck in “hardware keyboard” mode for up to two minutes after disconnecting while “Simulate Hardware Keyboard” was active. (182553164)
• Device Hub no longer stops sending touch and button input after a period of inactivity. (182695157)
• Input support added for iOS 17 Simulator devices. (187484157)
• Selecting a Vision Pro Simulator no longer crashes Device Hub when a visionOS runtime is unavailable. (188313956)
• The Device → Simulate Memory Warning menu item now works. (188326513)

Instruments

• Hovering over the top ruler in the timeline now reliably shows all tooltips for the hovered timestamp. (168530263)

Interface Builder

• UIStackView.spacing is no longer incorrectly encoded as 0 in toolchain compilation mode. (186354589)
• UIButtonConfiguration.contentInsets now encodes correctly in toolchain compilation mode. (187747632)

Memory Gauge

• Memory usage needle no longer rotates beyond the meter when swap is used. (187611943)

Previews

• Selecting a preview from a preview group’s thumbnail grid on macOS now correctly 1-ups the right preview. (183475595)
• Clearer error with recovery steps when previews fail because another user account owns the Previews JIT directory. (184564292)
• Clearer error when the selected platform does not support a preview’s content. (185436582)
• Previews no longer fail in source files that use Windows-style (CRLF) line endings. (186255376)
• RenderPreview MCP tool now returns available render destinations and lets the caller specify which destination to use. (186442676)

Simulator

• Simulator runtimes are now completely deleted when removed, preventing re-appearance after reboot. (141290052)
• Re-installed simulator runtimes no longer show as unavailable in Xcode. (187950199)
• Device Hub no longer terminates unexpectedly when running on earlier macOS 27.2 betas. (190126101)
• In the iPhone Duo simulator, an app using CameraCaptureAccessory can use both displays simultaneously without an active camera capture session. (190155353)

XCTest UI Automation

• Tests utilizing .rotateDigitalCrown no longer fail due to the device not registering the action. (188422137)

Should you update?

Update now if:
– You want to adopt the new JSON-based .xcproj format for better merge behavior and agent-friendly editing.
– You rely on Device Hub for simulator workflows — the new simulation controls, screenshot improvements, and input fixes are significant quality-of-life upgrades.
– You need Swift 6.4 or the latest 27.2 SDKs for platform feature work.
– You test on iOS 17+ simulators and need reliable hardware keyboard simulation or memory pressure testing.

Wait if:
– Your project uses Mac Catalyst with iOS 27.1-specific APIs — you’ll hit compile errors until you add the suggested conditionals.
– You depend on iPhone Duo accessibility testing (VoiceOver, Accessibility Inspector) — screen content is not conveyed in Device Hub.
– You frequently clone simulator devices on the 27.2 runtime — the permission issue requires a manual workaround.
– You target macOS, watchOS, tvOS, or visionOS and might accidentally select deployment target 27.1 — the SDK incorrectly exposes it.

Before updating, check your project for:
– Deployment target settings — ensure you’re not inadvertently set to 27.1 on affected platforms.
– Mac Catalyst code paths — audit for iOS 27.1 APIs and add #if !targetEnvironment(macCatalyst) guards.
– Simulator device cloning scripts — incorporate the .sb file cleanup workaround if you automate device provisioning.

FAQ

Does Xcode 27.2 RC run on macOS Sequoia (15.x)?

No. Xcode 27.2 RC requires a Mac running macOS Tahoe 26.6 or later. It will not install or run on macOS Sequoia or earlier.

Can I open .xcproj projects in Xcode 27.0 or 27.1?

Yes. Projects using the new JSON-based .xcproj format also open in earlier versions of Xcode 27, so team members on slightly older releases can still collaborate.

Is the GetCodeCoverage MCP tool available for CI pipelines?

The release notes describe it as an MCP tool that reports coverage from the most recent test result, filterable by target or file. It is intended for integration with coding assistants and automation that speak the MCP protocol; consult the MCP documentation for CI wiring details.