Xcode debugger doesn't pause on breakpoints (simulator SDK < iOS 17)

Hello. I'm seeing an inconsistent behavior where breakpoints I set in my (Swift) iOS app behave normally when I'm debugging on a device or on a simulator running iOS 17.x, but when I try using simulators of iOS 16 or 15 the breakpoints get ignored completely. I also observe that the breakpoints remain solid blue and do NOT adopt the dotted blue outline, as experienced by other users.

I've seen a few posts on here and on SO about the general issue of ignored breakpoints (with no conclusive answer AFAIK), but I haven't seen any where the behavior varies with the SDK being used. The behavior is repeatable and predictable (within the same app at least). I am not adding the breakpoints after building/running, and I'm sure the logic reaches the lines with the breakpoints (and again, whenever I switch to an iOS 17 simulator, execution does pause as expected with the exact same breakpoints).

Things I've tried and looked into:

  • Clean up project build folder
  • Delete and re-install simulators (iOS 16.4 and 15.5)
  • Deleted the entire derived data directory, as well as the CoreSimulator one.
  • Confirm the build configuration is Debug, and the "Debug executable" option is checked.
  • inspect various build flags mentioned in other posts:

{Swift compiler - Code generation - Optimization level - Debug: -0none; Debug information format: DWARF (I also tried DWARF with dSYM with no impact)}.

Most of my settings are on the plain vanilla/out of the box side, with only a couple of SPM dependencies, and I've been maintaining the same app for about 5 years and don't think I've come across this behavior before.

Currently using Xcode 15.1. Deployment target is 14.0.

Thank you.

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Posted by
Osprey1
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  • Yup I have also noticed the same issue it’s as if the debugger is not connected to the sim.

    —
    MobileTen
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Yep. I see the same thing. Ive been banging my head for 2 days trying to figure out why the debugger isnt stopping on break points. Glad to see it isnt just me

Posted by
vt-cwalker
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Same here. Deployment target of iOS 16, no working breakpoints. Change it to 17, and breakpoints work again.

Posted by
markd2
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Same here. Xcode 15.1 and 15.2 don't stop at breakpoint for older iOS simulators. Only solution was to use old Xcode 15.0.

Posted by
occlusion
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Can confirm breakpoints do not work in Xcode 15.1 and 15.2 with older iOS Simulator connected, we tested mainly with 15.2. Opened a feedback for this: FB13529134.

Posted by
mkj-is
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Hey folks! There's a number of these threads open and now a bug number. I'm cross-posting for visibility and will update if I find more:

Posted by
Slif
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Hey guys. There is temporary (I hope) solution to this issue:

  1. Scheme -> Edit Scheme
  2. Select Wait for executable to be launched
  3. Launch an app manually

Posted by
AlexBlack
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  • Thanks, I'm glad it worked for you. I'm getting an even weirder behavior when I do this, where it now crashes with an exception at the first breakpoint, wherever I set it. Running a 16.4 iPhone 14 Plus simulator on Xcode 15.2. I guess it's different at least, but yeah it's unfortunate that something this big was missed in both 15.1 and 15.2. Here's hoping...

    —
    Osprey1

  • Worked for me. Thanks for saved time!

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    o12348oijwe23

  • Does not work for me. Leads to the same dotted breakpoints :(

    —
    hassaands

I have been struggling with this problem for a long time, but it seems to be completely fixed in macOS Sonoma 14.4 and Xcode 15.3. Everything works fine in my environment.

Mac Studio 2022 (M1 Max)

Posted by
yastam
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