Can I use Windows 10 to develop IOS apps?
Replies
copied from: https://forums.developer.apple.com/message/48542#48542
No.
You will always require a MacOSX environment. You could look at hosted MacOSX solutions or connecting to a virtual session but eventually you will need a Mac. Having said that, you can actually create code within any editor of your choice. However, you are not going to be able to easily debug the code, and you will need a MacOSX environment to submit any project to the App Store.
Note that when choosing a machine you should get one that can support the latest OSX version if possible.
While there are ways to pseudo-code up to a point, Apple's IDE requires macOS if you expect to build and upload to the store.
You can use VMware which allows you to install any OS, you don't need to by a Mac. However, if you were thinking to use win 10 for developing iOS , you can not.
You can't run a MacOS VM on a Windows machine. But you can do the reverse, so if you can only buy one machine, buy a Mac and use Windows VMs 🙂
I was in the Windows system development iOS iOS is also in the Windows system directly upload iOS APP to App Store, as long as the use of this tool Appuploader, you can search for use, can be used free of charge.
Is there a way of developing the program on a mac device (imac, iphone, ipad) but code in Windows 10 and launch the program direct onto an Apple OS Hardware.
Asad:
>Does XCODE as an IDE work multi platform. Thats the real question.
As explained above, and to you in yourother thread same topic, Xcode requires a mac.
Ken
You can do this, you need Xcode on Windows, a Virtual Machine and software that will help redirect the iOS devices to a virtual environment.
precise instruction: https://www.net-usb.com/ios-development-windows/
There are a lot of sites with various programs and extensions claiming to do what you're looking for, several links are even in this topic, but they are all failures. Every last one of them has been abandoned and many may cause harm to your computer. In the very least they will waste space on your hard drive.
I’m confused, what is everyone talking about.
You can absolutely develop IOS apps on windows 10, Windows 11. Visual Studio 2020 and 2022 both support IOS App development. Now , with that says just like most alternatives it uses Xarmarin and you would develop using .net (c#) and while it’s not obj c it would still be native.
with that said you could also (which I do regularly ) use Kotlin and create a multi platform application (design and develop once across all platforms) right inside of android studio on windows 10 and now windows 11 (for testing at the moment)
there are also non native apps that use web view to create hybrid applications that are built specifically with web languages but utilize api that allow you to interact with devices api such as vibrate , contacts, phone calls etc. This particular technology has been around probably longer then some of you “developers” in here apparently
now if your question is “can I develop using Xcode or Obj C “ in windows 10 then that answer is sadly no but considering the OP asked of they could develop iOS apps on windows then there is nothing stopping them from create a utility app or even the next big game on the market.
when it comes to compiling the developed app however you WILL need Xcode because it’s required to digitally sign the developed app and to upload it to the App Store as well.
I personally own a Mac mini specifically for this task. But if you want to jump through 100 hoops and old Mac OS X on windows 10 you can do that too, the only issue is going to be when it comes to the hardware , I’m order to do this (and it absolutely works) you will need to be sure that your specific hardware is compatible with Macs very specific criteria list. There are certain CPUS and Ram and video cards and even hdds that are incompatible with Mac and that will cause issues, I’m some cases you can emulate certain things but again you wouldn’t want to jump through those hoops.
So if you are a .net developer or a web developer do lot let those in here tell you that you can develop for IOS on windows 10.
I would personally recommend the latest Mac Mini (if you want to save money and will only use it for compiling) as a way to compile instead of trying to spend way too much time trying to getting a compatible version of Mac OS X working because (same when it comes to getting a Mac mini) if you get an older model then you can’t use Xcode to upload or compile because of technology changes or policy changes so you want to make sure you have the latest to ensure you can use Xcode (I have an older G4 which obvs wouldn’t work for compiling today)
to everyone in this thread with a resounding no, I’m not sure if you just don’t know and claim “no” or if you don’t know and think your helping Apple while claiming no and pushing a Mac as the only way, you’re not helping Mac. There are actually 10s of thousands of apps on the Apple market that make Apple money that have been developed with Xamarim, as w hybrid app or as a completely web based app running in Web View to appear native while actually completely running on line. Apple makes money off these apps as well.
I don’t want any developer or aspiring developer who has already mastered a language or is mastering a language outside of obj C or had a non Mac machine to feel they can’t be part of this community and contribute to the Apple App Store. The ability to develop cross platform one way or the other using windows has been around for ages! Heck even intel bought out a company about 8 years ago that allowed you to create and compile IOS apps using their sdk! though they no longer exist. This isn’t a new concept.
I personally develop hybrid apps and .net apps because it’s where and how I feel comfortable doing it.
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You’re a legend for this response. Thanks.
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You gave me a hope with this answer! I have a question about this: 'with that said you could also (which I do regularly ) use Kotlin and create a multi platform application (design and develop once across all platforms) right inside of android studio on windows 10' I was referring this link: https://kotlinlang.org/docs/multiplatform-mobile-integrate-in-existing-app.html which has a warning that i will require a Mac with macOS due to Apple requirement, so is there any workaround for that?
Hi, I wanted to provide an update on this because I've been developing primarily on Windows for both iOS and Android. There are now development platforms out there that allow you to test iOS apps from within Windows on your iPhone.
The one I have been using extensively is the Expo SDK which I can use with Expo CLI and the Expo Go app to run my React Native application on my iPhones and Android Devices from Windows.
The only issue I have found is that while I can build iOS apps from Windows, I can not upload them although I haven't done to much research in to this as I just use my Mac to upload via the Transporter app.
Hope this helps.
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Thank you for your answer, I am in the process to create an app, and this information has helped me a lot, thanks a lot again!
You can absolutely develop IOS apps on windows 10, Windows 11. Visual Studio 2020 and 2022 both support IOS App development. Now , with that says just like most alternatives it uses Xarmarin and you would develop using .net (c#) and while it’s not obj c it would still be native.