Is there any reliable way to debug iPhone Safari on Windows?

General Discussions
1

Hello Comm!!

I’m currently facing a persistent challenge in our testing workflow. I’m encountering bugs on an iPad Pro and iPhone 7 Plus that I simply cannot reproduce on Windows or Android browsers, making them incredibly difficult to debug.

I’ve attempted to use the RemoteDebug iOS WebKit Adapter to bridge Safari debugging into Chrome or VS Code. However, despite enabling Web Inspector, trusting the iOS devices in iTunes, and installing all required dependencies, the devices are consistently not being detected by the adapter. The server launches properly, yet no devices appear in the debugger.

I’m aware of information suggesting this might not work on iOS versions above 11, but the adapter repository claims support for iOS 12.2+ as of January 2. My specific target for debugging issues is iOS 13.3.

I’m seeking guidance on whether anyone has managed to successfully debug iPhone Safari on Windows under these conditions. Are there any reliable workarounds that don’t involve purchasing a Mac?

2

Hello @Shielagaa! The struggle with debugging iPhone Safari on Windows hits close to home. I’ve certainly run into the same challenge trying to get anything to work reliably locally!

Eventually, I made a critical switch: I moved my debugging efforts to LambdaTest. This platform gave me direct access to actual iPhones and iPads with real Safari browsers via the cloud.

The experience was seamless. I could interact with my application, inspect elements thoroughly, and even simulate different network conditions, all without needing a Mac. It was significantly more stable and reliable than relying on that RemoteDebug adapter.

Hope this provides a practical and effective workaround for your iOS debugging needs on Windows!