Installing Xamarin.iOS on Windows

This article describes how to set up a Windows machine and a Mac build host for Xamarin.iOS development.

Overview

To build Xamarin.iOS apps with Visual Studio 2019 on Windows, you will need:

A Windows machine with Visual Studio 2019 installed. This can be a physical or a virtual machine.

A network-accessible Mac set up with Apple’s build tools and Xamarin.iOS. Visual Studio 2019 accesses this machine over a network connection to use Apple’s build tools, which are required for compiling native iOS applications.

Don’t have access to a Mac?

If you do not have access to a Mac, you can use MacinCloud or MacStadium; both services provide cloud-based Mac hardware that you can use to build Xamarin.iOS projects.

Setup

To get set up for Xamarin.iOS development in Visual Studio 2019, follow these steps:

Set up Windows (Install Visual Studio 2019)

Xamarin.iOS works with Visual Studio 2019 Community, Professional, and Enterprise editions, on a standalone or virtual machine.

Set up Mac (Install Xcode and Visual Studio for Mac)

To build, debug, and sign iOS applications for distribution, Visual Studio 2019 must have network access to a Mac build host configured with both Apple’s developer tools (Xcode) and Xamarin.iOS.

If you would prefer not to install Visual Studio for Mac, Visual Studio 2019 can automatically configure, the Mac build host with the software necessary to build Xamarin.iOS applications. For more information, see Automatic Mac provisioning.

Pair to Mac (Connect Visual Studio 2019 to the Mac)

For Visual Studio 2019 to use the iOS build tools on the Mac, the two machines must connect over a network.

Overview

To build Xamarin.iOS apps with Visual Studio 2017 on Windows, you will need:

A Windows machine with Visual Studio 2017 installed. This can be a physical or a virtual machine.

A network-accessible Mac set up with Apple’s build tools and Xamarin.iOS. Visual Studio 2017 accesses this machine over a network connection to use Apple’s build tools, which are required for compiling native iOS applications.

Setup

To get set up for Xamarin.iOS development in Visual Studio 2017, follow these steps:

Set up Windows (Install Visual Studio 2017)

Xamarin.iOS works with Visual Studio 2017 Community, Professional, and Enterprise editions, on a standalone or virtual machine.

Set up Mac (Install Xcode and Visual Studio for Mac)

To build, debug, and sign iOS applications for distribution, Visual Studio 2017 must have network access to a Mac build host configured with both Apple’s developer tools (Xcode) and Xamarin.iOS.

If you would prefer not to install Visual Studio for Mac, starting with Visual Studio 2017 version 15.6, Visual Studio 2017 can automatically configure the Mac build host with the software necessary to build Xamarin.iOS applications. For more information, see Automatic Mac provisioning.

Pair to Mac (Connect Visual Studio 2017 to the Mac)

For Visual Studio 2017 to use the iOS build tools on the Mac, the two machines must connect over a network.

Xcode for Windows: Develop iOS Apps on PC

Written by Reinder de Vries on February 28 2020 in App Development

How can you run Xcode on Windows and develop iOS apps with a Windows PC? The short answer is: you can’t! You’ve got a few alternatives to get around that, however. In this tutorial, we’ll discuss how you can install Xcode on Windows to build iOS apps.

Here’s what we’ll get into:

• Rent a Mac in the cloud (starting at $20/mo)
• Run and compile Swift directly on Windows/Linux
• Learning to code with a Swift Sandbox
• Build your own “Hackintosh” by installing macOS on a PC
• Run Xcode on Windows by installing macOS on a virtual machine
• Develop iOS apps on Windows with cross-platform tools
• Get your hands on a second-hand Mac (starting at $300)

Xcode for Windows: What & Why

Xcode contains everything you need to build iOS apps, and it only runs on macOS!

That’s when the problems start. You want to make an iOS app with your Windows PC, but you can’t buy a PC or laptop with macOS pre-installed on it. Unlike Windows, Apple doesn’t license its operating system to other computer manufacturers. You can only use macOS on a Mac.

In fact, when you obtain a license to use macOS, which happens when you purchase a Mac computer, you have to agree to only run the operating system on Apple hardware. This effectively limits you to only develop apps on a Mac.

“It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.”
— Steve Jobs (1983)

But… it’s more fun to be a pirate, than to join the navy, right? Let’s discuss a few alternatives that’ll let you run Xcode on Windows and develop iOS apps on a Windows PC!

Rent a Mac in the Cloud

An even easier way to get your hands on macOS, albeit more expensive, is to rent a Mac “in the Cloud”. You can work with Xcode on Windows with this approach, because you’re essentially connected to a Mac that’s elsewhere.

Here’s how that works:

• Someone connects a bunch of Mac’s to the internet
• You sign in on one of those Macs via a Remote Desktop Connection (RDP)
• Done! You can use this Mac from Windows/Linux and build iOS apps

Services like MacinCloud and MacStadium offer affordable rent-a-Mac products, usually paid on a monthly basis. Prices typically start at $20/month and you can choose from several hardware options, including Mac Mini and Mac Pro.

Starting at	Type
MacinCloud	$20/month	Dedicated, Virtual, Server
MacStadium	$79/month	Dedicated, Enterprise
virtualmacosx.com	$9.75/month	Shared (timesharing)
Mac Cloud	$49/month	Virtual
Flow	Premium	Dedicated, Enterprise
HostMyApple	$25/month	Virtual, Dedicated

You connect to those cloud-based Macs via a Remote Desktop Connection (RDP). Windows includes a stock Remote Desktop Client you can use, and so do most Linux operating systems. Once you’re logged on, you can launch Xcode, and start building your iOS app. That way you’re effectively running Xcode on your Windows PC!

Cloud-based Macs usually come in 3 flavours:

• A dedicated Mac, which means you get access to a physical Mac located in a data center, as if you bought a Mac in the Apple Store and put it on your desk.
• A virtual Mac, which means you get access to a virtual Mac in a data center, much like the VirtualBox solution mentioned earlier. Your Mac won’t run on Apple hardware, but it will run macOS.
• A Mac Build Server, which is a specialized kind of Mac that can be used to compile iOS apps. You’ll create those apps on your Mac, and then instruct the Build Server to compile the app for you.

A dedicated Mac is the most convenient, and the most powerful option. A virtual Mac is OK too, but it typically does not perform as well as a physical Mac computer.

Running Xcode via a Mac in the cloud has a drawback: you can’t easily connect your iPhone to Xcode via USB! With Xcode on your local Mac you can run and debug your app on your own iPhone, via the USB/Lightning cable. This obviously won’t work when your Mac is in the cloud…

Don’t worry! There are plenty of solutions for that:

• A simple approach is to run your app on iPhone Simulator, right from within Xcode. You can launch iPhone Simulator in Xcode, and debug your app with it. This is perfect for the development phase of your project.
• An alternative solution are tools like Flexihub, NoMachine and USB Network Gate. They only work with dedicated Mac hardware, and you need to have a dedicated IP address.
• Install your iOS app on your iPhone via TestFlight, and debug it with a tool like Bugsnag. You can monitor and debug live crashes in your app.

An interesting use case for renting a Mac in the cloud comes from the latest developments in Apple’s hardware. Many designers, developers and desktop-publishers have voiced their concerns over Apple hardware lagging behind, offering low-spec computers for a fairly high price.

If you don’t want to take your $3.000 MacBook Pro with you in a coffee shop, or on your next trip to Thailand, why not purchase a low-end Windows or Linux laptop, and connect to your Mac in the cloud? You can either host it at home yourself, co-locate it in a data center, or rent a dedicated cloud-based Mac.

Do you want to learn how to code iOS apps, but don’t want to invest money in a Mac? Rent a Mac in the cloud for the duration of the iOS development course you’re taking! It’s a great way to bootstrap learning iOS development, and you can always buy your own Mac later.

Learn how to code iOS apps

Get started with Xcode and Swift

Ready to get started with iOS development? Learn how to code iOS apps with Xcode and Swift with our immersive iOS development course. Works both on Mac and PC!

5 лучших эмуляторов iOS под Windows

Сегодня я расскажу, как использовать приложения для iOS на своем PC с помощью эмуляторов iPhone . В этой статье я перечислю все эмуляторы iOS , которые в настоящее время доступны для платформы Windows.

Что такое эмулятор iOS?

Эмулятор — это программное обеспечение, с помощью которого можно запускать приложения, предназначенные для других операционных систем: Android , iOS и т. д.

Эмулятор iPhone позволяет запускать iOS-приложения на PC без необходимости использования iPhone . Подобное программное обеспечение полезно для разработчиков, особенно при создании приложений под другие платформы. Если бы при тестировании приложение каждый раз нужно было переносить на iPhone , это занимало бы очень много времени. В таких случаях эмуляторы становятся практически незаменимыми.

Существует много эмуляторов iOS для Windows , но в этой статье я перечислю лучшие из них. Как вы, знаете, iOS — это любимая операционная система разработчиков, и большинство приложений сначала запускаются только для iOS . С другой стороны, iPhone очень дорогой, и многие считают, что он не стоит этих денег. Так что большинство покупает бюджетные смартфоны.

Для Windows существуют десятки эмуляторов iOS на ПК , и для большинства из нас трудно определить лучший из них. Но не волнуйтесь, поскольку наша команда до написания этой статьи тщательно изучила эмуляторы iOS , вы сможете легко выбрать лучшие из приведенного ниже списка.

Лучшие эмуляторы iOS для Windows 7/8/8.1/10

1) iPadian iPhone Emulator

Один из лучших эмуляторов iPhone для Windows. IPadian Emulator доступен в двух версиях. Одна бесплатная, другая стоит 10 долларов. С ее помощью можно запускать любые приложения для iOS, например WhatsApp, Snapchat и т. д., которые нельзя запустить в бесплатном iPad-эмуляторе. Я настоятельно рекомендую купить платную версию. Я лично попробовал iPadian для Windows 8:

Как установить iPad-эмулятор на компьютере с Windows:

Для запуска iPadian iPhone Emulator на компьютере выполните следующие действия.

• СкачайтеiPadian Emulator ;
• Дважды кликните по файлу установщика, который вы загрузили в предыдущем шаге;

• Следуйте указаниям мастера установки эмулятора iOS для Windows ;
• После успешной установки iPadian Emulator на компьютер можно выполнять дальнейшие шаги для запуска iOS-приложений .

Как запускать iOS-приложения на ОС Windows 7/8/8.1 с помощью iPadian Emulator:

• Дважды кликните по иконке iPadian ;
• Теперь в интерфейсе эмулятора нажмите на иконку магазина приложений;
• Загрузите свои любимые приложения и наслаждайтесь эмулятором iOS на PC .

2) MobiOne Studio (проект официально прекращен)

Обновление — этот проект iPhone эмулятора официально прекращен, но его все равно можно установить на свой компьютер, загрузив EXE-файл со сторонних сайтов.

3) Air iPhone Emulator

Еще один отличный эмулятор iOS , который доступен для Windows 7/8/8.1 и т. д. Используя его, можно без проблем запускать iOS -приложения на своем компьютере. Если вы i OS-разработчик , можно использовать этот эмулятор, чтобы бесплатно тестировать приложения. Если вам не понравился iPadian Emulator , особенно его бесплатная версия, тогда можно попробовать данную альтернативу:

4) Xamarin Testflight

Что касается поддержки разработчиков, я должен сказать, что в этом плане Xamarin Testflight — лучший эмулятор iOS для Windows 7 . Хотя это платное программное обеспечение, но оно стоит своих денег:

5. Appetize.Io

Это облачный эмулятор, и вы не сможете загрузить его на свой компьютер. Ранее существовал эмулятор iPhone , известный как App.io , но он больше не доступен. Поэтому, если вы ищете альтернативу App.io , то вам стоит попробовать Appetize.io :

Чтобы использовать его, загрузите файл .ipa и введите свой адрес электронной почты. На указанный ящик вы получите ссылку. Нажмите на нее, чтобы протестировать .ipa-файл в онлайн-эмуляторе Appetize.io .

Заключение

В этой статье мы рассмотрели лучшие эмуляторы iOS на компьютер. Я также рассказал о функциях каждого из перечисленных выше эмуляторов.

Если статья была для вас полезной, просим поставить лайк и подписаться на наш канал . Также посетите наш сайт , чтобы увидеть больше подобного контента.

How to install iOS IPSW firmware file using iTunes on Windows and Mac

Most users update their iPhone and iPad devices via over-the-air directly from their device or using iTunes on their Windows or Mac computers. But advanced users prefer to install iOS updates using the IPSW firmware files that are available to download via the developer console or iTunes (if you know the trick).

If you find yourself frequently switching between beta and public releases on your iPhone or iPad, then it’s best to keep IPSW firmware files downloaded on your computer for easier and quick flashing of iOS updates.

Manually installing iOS update via iTunes using IPSW Firmware File

Time needed: 10 minutes.

Installing an iOS update manually via iTunes may seem overwhelming at first but it’s actually very simple. Follow the step-by-step guide below to install an iOS firmware on your iOS device in less than 10 minutes.

Download the correct iOS IPSW firmware file.

Get the iOS firmware appropriate for your iPhone or iPad model and save it to your computer. If you have a developer account with Apple,
go to developer.apple.com/download, to get IPSW firmware for the latest iOS version.

Open iTunes on your computer.

Download and install iTunes on your Mac or Windows PC. For the purpose of this post, we’ll be using a Windows 10 machine to install iOS firmware via iTunes.

Connect your iPhone or iPad to the computer.

Get the USB to Lightning cable that came with your iOS device, and use it to connect your device to the computer.

Allow your computer to access files on your iOS device.

If a “Trust This Computer” pop-up shows on your device’ screen, select “Trust”. You may also get a “Do you want to allow this computer…” pop-up from iTunes, select Continue to let your computer read/write files to your iOS device.
└ If you’re connecting your iPhone to iTunes for the first time. You may get the “Welcome to Your New iPhone” screen, select “Set up as new iPhone” and click on the “Continue” button.

Press & hold SHIFT and click Update in iTunes.

Once your device appears on the iTunes screen, press & hold the SHIFT key and click the “Check for Update” button in iTunes to select the IPSW firmware file.
└ If you’re on Mac, press and hold the Options key and click on the Update button in iTunes.

Select the IPSW Firmware File

Navigate to the folder where you saved the IPSW firmware file for your device and select it.

Confirm iOS version update.

You’ll get a prompt on PC “iTunes will update your iPhone to iOS (version)..”, hit the “Update” button to continue. iTunes will then start the update process by first extracting the Firmware Image file. You can monitor the progress through the top bar on the iTunes screen.

Enter your Passcode.

When asked for a passcode, pick up your iPhone and “Enter your Passcode” while keeping it connected to the PC.

Wait for iTunes to update your iPhone.

iTunes will now update your iPhone. You can monitor the progress through the top bar on iTunes.

Your iPhone will reboot and continue installation.

Once iTunes part is done, your phone will reboot and continue the installation. You’ll see the Apple logo with a progress bar on your phone’s screen.

When installation is finished, your iPhone will reboot into the system, and you’ll be greeted with an “Update Complete” screen on the phone.

That’s it. Enjoy the new software on your iOS device.