Apple Watch won't show in device list on Xcode after 10.4 upgrade

Developer Tools & Services Xcode WatchKit Xcode watchOS

cmmmmmmmmmm OP

Created Mar ’24

Replies 23

Boosts 12

Views 5.6k

Participants 18

Hello,

The Apple Watch's connectivity to Xcode has always been finicky. Sometimes it would start doing "transport errors" and you'd have to repair the watch/phone to xcode to resolve it. Now after the 10.4 upgrade, it seems that there are cases where the watch doesn't even show in the device list. Here's what I've observed:

The watch will connect the first time you launch xcode(after 10.4 install or a new restore).
If you unpair the watch, it will never show in the device list again. This is despite any remediation efforts, such as unpairing the phone from xcode, restarting the watch/phone, and clearing trusted devices.
Erasing the watch and restoring it will allow it to connect again to xcode, but only if you never unpair it. If you unpair the watch, it will repeat the behavior of not showing in the device list again.

So, the only solution is to erase/restore the watch to get it to show in the device list on xcode. Every single time.

Again, this is new behavior for Watch OS 10.4

Boost

MAdboy OP

Apr ’24

I'm stuck in the same position. This is fundamental to the way we develop, especially on a long haul flight without internet connectivity. Come on Apple, this is elementary that developers develop - unless youre intentionally driving us to the cloud !!

gabrielbiga OP

Apr ’24

We are totally stucked here. The Apple Watch 10.4 does not connect to Xcode!!

WaldoTJ OP

Apr ’24

not sure if it's meaningful, but my latest attempt at least did somethings differently. odd thing was when watch was being paired (on the iPhone app) it popped a message that an UPDATE was required. not so (unless they're counting any "beta' releases). so it spun a bit - but it appears to do Nothing. but maybe it thought it OUGHT?

anyway - still broke.

featherless OP

Apr ’24

I'm attempting to aggregate and summarize the scale of the problem here in https://forums.developer.apple.com/forums/thread/750801#750801021. This seems to be a set of major regressions with respect to Apple Watch development.

antemodal OP

May ’24

I just bought an Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen (WatchOS 10.4.1) specifically to develop on it and I am having this issue. No matter all the times I've tried unpairing, rebooting, re-enabling Developer Mode on the iPhone SE 3rd Gen (iOS 17.4.1), it will never show up in Xcode

dmorneault OP

May ’24

installing watchOS 10.5 and iOS 17.5 seems to have fixed this issue for me.

jmc63 OP

May ’24

Doesn't see to work with me

Extroscope OP

Jun ’24

I found a solution. Privacy was turn on in the wi-fi settings, Turning them off gave me a trust prompt. Then I un-paired my phone, and paired it again. Now my watch appears and connects.