How can I add files to the iOS simulator?
IosIos SimulatorIos Problem Overview
Ios Solutions
Solution 1 - Ios
Since none of the given solution worked for me on Simulator of iOS 13/Xcode 11, (trying to add a file, dragged from the Finder would just give an error), I found a workaround.
This takes a bit of setting up at first, but you get free access to the actual folder right from the Finder.
When I drag a file to the Simulator (providing no other App handles the file), the Files App would open, but when I save, I get "Invalid argument error".
The solution:
The folder named "On my phone" in the Simulator is called "File Provider Storage". The aim is to find it in the Finder.
The full path:
username/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/device_hash_folder/data/Containers/Shared/AppGroup/hash_folder/File Provider Storage/
(Note:
Up until to current version (13.1), the Simulator does not work for picking files. You can see the files, but nothing happens on click.)
Here are the steps:
- Open the Files app on the Simulator and navigate to "On my phone" folder.
- (Still in the Simulator) Create a folder with a unique name.
2a. You need to drag the screen down to reveal a '...' button. Pressing that will give you an option to create a new folder.
From here there are two ways
The short:
(In the Finder)
3a. Navigate to: username/Library/Developer/Core Simulator/Devices.
3b. Search for the folder you created. It should be in "File Provider Storage". That is the "On my phone" folder.
If the search does not find for any reason:
3a. Run an App and print (from Xcode) the path to documentDirectory
(using FileManager
).
3b. Open it in Finder and navigate back to "Containers folder".
3c. Navigate to Shared/AppGroup.
3d. You're looking for Shared/AppGroup/some_hashFolder/File Provider Storage/your_folder.
3e. Either look for modified date (folder created) of search for the folder name.
Solution 2 - Ios
updated answer:
since xcode11/sdk13 dragging files over the simulator does not work for whatever reason. you can send media files (jpg, png, mov, etc) via terminal with xcrun simctl addmedia <device> <path>
.
therefore, this command will add an image right into Photos app with no questions asked:
xcrun simctl addmedia booted pic.001.jpg <== booted is the current running simulator.
in my case, i wanted to send root certificates to allow connecting to local servers, which doesnt work with addmedia
. the solution was to force the simulator to navigate to the full macOS local path to the .cer file with safari
xcrun simctl openurl booted 'file:///Users/my.user/Desktop/my.cer'
as it turns out, launching safari and typing file:///Users/my.user/Desktop/my.cer
in the address bar will also work. use this for pdfs and other types.
original answer:
On XCode 9 simulator, if it's an image/video, simply drag it over the simulator. It adds it to the Photos app. Other types of files seem to randomly open the file browser and generally fail. :P
Solution 3 - Ios
The easiest solution can be found here: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/299565/140768
Short summary: You need an application which is able to handle/store "documents". As suggested in the linked post just create an empty "Document based" app and run it once.
Solution 4 - Ios
You can upload files to iCloud Drive of the account you are logged in with on the simulator, and access them by navigating to Browse/iCloud Drive inside the Files app or a file upload dialog.
Solution 5 - Ios
Multiple steps but works
- Create a new project Document Based app and run it on the same simulator.
- Now open safari in simulator and google for pdf. Select save to files option from action sheet and then select you newly created app folder.
Solution 6 - Ios
Solution 7 - Ios
Dragging and dropping a file from Filer onto the simulator has an issue with macOS Catalina (I am currently on 10.15.5 and seeing it). Apparently, if the source file is in a "restricted" directory (such as Downloads), it won't transfer.
Put the file in your $HOME directory and then drag it (or use Share button to share to simulator). See thread: https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/126307
Solution 8 - Ios
Just open Safari and download something.
Solution 9 - Ios
Just drag and drop on the simulator window. That's it.
Solution 10 - Ios
Maybe I am a bit late but after reading all complex answers, here's the simple and quick solution. Since you are using simulator and you want to access some of the files/images via simulator, follow these steps,
- Minimize your current applications and search for photos app,
- Open photos app in simulator, it will just look like real iPhone
- Now, just drag and drop an Image or File of any type. If it is an image it will appear in Photos else it will open the Files app it self and will ask you the permission to save file on device. Something like this, ]
Simple, now use it just like it acts on real device.
Solution 11 - Ios
Simple answer:
- Put the simulator into home screen
- Drag and drop a file onto the simulator home screen
- If the file is associated with an app, it will open that app and you can save the file using that app. If not associated with any app, then the Files app will open and you can choose to save "On My iPhone" or elsewhere.
Side note: I was working on an app that had the file association, but did not save the file. So I deleted my app from the simulator, copied the file into the Files app, then restored my app to the simulator. Mention in case it helps others.
@Palli Kominak gave this answer but left it in a comment under one of the other answers.
Solution 12 - Ios
I found one easy way to do it with a little help from Python3 (I suppose all Macs should have it installed by default.
Here are the steps.
- Open your terminal app
- Go to the directory which contains your file(s), e.g.
(I need to transfer a self-signed certificate to the simulator)
- Run
python3 -m http.server
to launch an HTTP server - Open Safari in your similator, and open http://localhost:8000, you should see a list of file(s), e.g.
- Download the file(s) you need from Safari
Solution 13 - Ios
You can put files in your APP's local /documents folder. To get the directory name in your APP do
NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES); NSString *fileNam = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"myImage.JPG"]; NSString *filePath = [[paths objectAtIndex:0] stringByAppendingPathComponent: fileNam];
you will also need to enable file sharing by putting
in info.plist
You can copy any file you like into the simulator's local documents directory.
Solution 14 - Ios
In my case I wanted to upload the proxy certificate with shell without any confirmation dialog, so I came up with this:
SIM_UDID=$(xcrun simctl list devices | grep Booted | awk -F'[\(\)]' '{print $2}')
find ~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/$SIM_UDID/data/Containers/Shared/AppGroup/ -name "File\ Provider\ Storage" -exec cp path_to_some_file {} \;
First line is simply getting the UDID of a booted simulator and the second one is finding all File Provider Storage
directories inside booted simulator and then copies the file to them.
Copied file should appear inside Files app.
Of course if one wants to specify the simulator or multiple simulators are booted, grep Booted
can be changed to grep <name_of_the_device>
UPDATE
this lines can copy the file directly just to LocalStorage, no other directories in the contrary to the previous solution.
SIM_UDID=$(xcrun simctl list devices | grep Booted | awk -F'[\(\)]' '{print $2}')
FILES_PATH=$(xcrun simctl listapps $SIM_UDID | grep LocalStorage | awk -F'"' '{print $4}' | sed -e "s/^file:\/\///")
cp path_to_some_file $FILES_PATH/File\ Provider\ Storage
This approach makes use of xcrun simctl listapps
command which return the AppGroup id of FileProvider.LocalStorage
Solution 15 - Ios
You can browse to Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices/Your App ID/data
This is basically your phone's storage. You can copy the files to any of the location you like and it will appear in your simulator.