iPhone is busy: Making Apple Watch ready for development

Since I upgraded to iOS 15, watchOS 8 and Xcode 13, after I turned off and on my Mac, every first time I want to launch an app from Xcode to my iPhone appear this message (even if I'm not developing for watchOS):

iPhone is busy: Making Apple Watch ready for development

The Mac stays stuck on it for at least 20 minutes.

The only solution I found (until now) is to switch off WiFi on my Watch.

Is there a better solution?

Same problem, is very annoying! I tried unpair and pair my watch and WiFi out and Airplane on, but did not work. Bluetooth out on iPhone worked for me.

Same problem I'm running: Xcode Version 13.2.1 (13C100) macOS Monterey 12.1 (21C52) MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) Apple M1 Max 64GB

iPhone 12 Pro - iOS 15.2 (19C56)

Watch Model: MJ463TY/A aka Series 6 - WatchOS 8.3 (19S55)

When does Apple plans to solve this issue?

I can't believe we still have to fight this crap. For me it stays that way but after around 30 seconds the app start running on iPhone.

This issue needs to be solved quick. Can't run my iPhone app at all because of this stupid message. It's not even an Apple Watch app! Tried restarting Xcode, the iPhone & the watch. Nothing is working.

same problem here. Very annoying. Slowing down my development work considerably. Please fix

Quite frustrating, any chance we can get this fixed for the new year? Driving us all bananas.

This needs to be fixed - Its taking me hours to test code changes

Same thing happening for me. I've never tried to develop for Apple Watch, not sure why it insists on preparing it for development.

What worked for me is disabling Bluetooth

Same here... xCode: Version 13.2.1 (13C100) | MacOS: 12.1 (21C52) | iPhone X: 15.2 | iWatch: 8.3 (19S55) "Fetching debug symbols for the watch p.... Installing Simbols for watchOS 8.3 (19S... Fetching debug symbols for myWatch pai..."

Apple, why do you hate us so much?

Had the same problem. I've updated my Apple Watch, waited for 10min and it worked.

Yes, I believe there is a much better solution, based on my personal experience.

I found that following the steps listed in the solution titled "Solution 2" along with the steps listed in the solution titled "Solution 3" of this post on StackOverflow: https://stackoverflow.com/a/47448911/13910236, in conjunction with the single step given in the first comment to that post on StackOverflow which I'll link to here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/46316373/fixing-xcode-9-issue-iphone-is-busy-preparing-debugger-support-for-iphone#comment83623898_47448911 , fixed the problem for me. But I find I have to follow the same set of steps to solve the problem again after it re-occurs - however, I believe it only ever re-occurs after I quit Xcode and turn my computer off and on again (and possibly unplug my iPhone from my Mac computer) and then open Xcode and attempt to Build & Run my application on my iPhone.

Please let me know how you go with those steps.

Turning off Bluetooth on my iPhone worked for me. This causes the watch to completely disconnect from the iPhone and Xcode no longer tries to prepare it for development.

Same problem here. I finally just turned the Watch off and stopped using it, since getting work done is more important to me than wearing a Watch. I never cease to be amazed at the ways Apple can waste my time with BS like this.

Same problem

  • MacOS: 13.1
  • IOS: 15.2.1
  • WatchOS: 8.3
  • Xcode:13.2.1

Can't get it to work with Watch on airplane mode and closed bluetooth :(

Unfortunately, same issue. I can't even wear my Apple Watch anymore. Had to turn it off and put it away to get any work done.

The best solution (at least, it worked for me) is: find your watch and tap "Trust" on the prompt that is present. This "Preparing" error seems to be tied to a prompt on the Watch, so it will be spinning until you tap Trust.

Complete radio silence from Apple as usual? How is this still an issue after 5 months, it's now virtually impossible for our team to develop anything on an actual device since we actually need to use bluetooth AND the watch.

Putting the watch on Airplane mode and turning off Bluetooth on the phone worked for me. Just turning the bluetooth off wasn't enough because the watch could still connect to the phone via WiFi (and may be cellular) - I checked it by buzzing the phone.

Same thing for my iPhone 7. Tried out everything that i found out on the internet. I also tried on a different machine.

  • MacOS: 11.6.1
  • XCode: 13.2.1
  • iOS: 15.3

Xcode 13.2.1 iPhone7 iOS 15.3

Same error. Nothing helped. However iPhone 11 with iOS 15.2 works good. So the problem it with device or iOS 15.3.

I facing this issue too. This is because the latest xcode only support until iOS 15.2 sdk, but my phone's iOS version is 15.3. Thus, xcode is downloading the iOS 15.3 sdk from your phone that's why takes time (I knew the message is not saying that)

However, I do some testing and it works for me.

Just worked for me:

  1. Unplug iPhone
  2. Switch flight mode on the Watch
  3. Switch off Bluetooth on the Watch
  4. Plug the iPhone back in and build

Good luck!

Same here with latest iOS, Apple Watch OS and Xcode 13.1. What is funny is that in my app I need to test with AirPods, so I can't disable Bluetooth. And like everyone, I don't need to deploy anything on my Apple Watch...

SOLVED with:

  1. Unplug iPhone
  2. Switch off Bluetooth on the Watch
  3. Plug the iPhone back in and build

P.S.: No need for watch on AirplaneMode or WifiOff, the bluetooth on watch was the only problem.

iPhone is busy: Making Apple Watch ready for development
 
 
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