Xcode stuck on "Waiting to attach [...] on Apple Watch Series 9

Are you using the cable to connect to the iPhone that is paired with the Apple Watch?

I understand how frustrating it can be to encounter this issue with your watchOS widget extension. Here are some additional steps you can try, my apologies if you already tried some:

1. Reset Content and Settings on the Simulator: Go to Hardware > Reset Content and Settings in the simulator menu. This will erase all data from the simulator and set it back to its factory state, but it won't delete your app.

2. Check Developer Certificates and Profiles: Make sure your development certificates and provisioning profiles are valid. You can do this by going to Xcode > Preferences > Accounts. Renew any certificates that are expired or about to expire.

3. Clean Build Folder and Derived Data: Sometimes, build artifacts can cause issues. Try cleaning the build folder (Shift + Command + K) and then deleting the DerivedData folder manually. You can find it at ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData.

4. Disable Simulator Hardware Acceleration: Go to Xcode > Preferences > Locations, select the simulator device you're using, and click the "Settings" button. Disable "Use GPU rendering" and see if that makes a difference.

5. Try a Different Mac: If possible, clone your project to a different Mac and see if the widget extension runs correctly there. This will help determine if the issue is specific to your machine.

6. Create a New Project from Scratch: Create a new project with a watchOS widget extension, but this time, copy over the source code from your existing widget extension. This can help you determine if the issue is related to your project settings or the code itself.

Let me know which of these steps work for you.

Albert Pascual
  Worldwide Developer Relations.

Hi @DTS Engineer, thanks for your answer

I am not using any cable, since I am not using a physical device, I am only using the Xcode Simulator. As I mentioned in my 1st post, 1., 3. and 6. have been done. Checked 2. and 4. doesn't make a difference.

However, I tried on a different computer, I have the same issue too. More surprising, I have the same issue with a scratch project on a different computer. Could it be a general Xcode 16.2 issue ?

I am completely clueless with this issue, and it has been ongoing for weeks now, I can't more forward with my app. I really don't know what to do next.

Thanks for your help

Hi @DTS Engineer , thanks for your answer

I am not using any cable, since I am not using a physical device, I am only using the Xcode Simulator. As I mentioned in my 1st post, 1., 3. and 6. have been done. Checked 2. and 4. doesn't make a difference.

However, I tried on a different computer, I have the same issue too. More surprising, I have the same issue with a scratch project on a different computer. Could it be a general Xcode 16.2 issue ?

I am completely clueless with this issue, and it has been ongoing for weeks now, I can't more forward with my app. I really don't know what to do next. Thanks for your help

This could be an issue on Xcode 16.2 as you have said. You also mentioned that you have created a new project and demonstrated the same issue. Is there any possibility that you could share that project with us?

Do you get the same results with just the relevant code in a small test project? If so, please share a link to your test project. That'll help us better understand what's going on. If you're not familiar with preparing a test project, take a look at Creating a test project.

Albert Pascual
  Worldwide Developer Relations.