GUIDE
Troubleshooting Device Helm
How to fix each setup check, and what to do when a page doesn’t open, Web Inspector doesn’t attach, or permissions don’t stick.
Updated October 2, 2026
Device Helm checks your setup every time it launches, and most checks come with a button that takes you to the fix. Here’s what each one means.
Setup checks
Apple silicon Mac. The beta currently runs on Apple silicon Macs only.
macOS 15 or later. Update from System Settings → General → Software Update.
Xcode. Install Xcode from the Mac App Store, then open it once so it can finish its first-launch setup.
Simulator command tools. Device Helm uses Xcode’s simctl tool. In Xcode, choose Settings → Locations and pick your Xcode in Command Line Tools. Or, from Terminal:
sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.appiOS Simulator runtime. In Xcode, choose Settings → Components and install an iOS platform. Or, from Terminal:
xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOSAccessibility permission. Device Helm needs it to arrange windows and, if you turn on Web Inspector, to open it from Safari’s Develop menu. Turn on Device Helm in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. The check updates on its own as soon as you do.
Safari developer features. Only needed when Web Inspector is turned on in Device Helm’s Settings. In Safari, choose Settings → Advanced and turn on Show features for web developers.
Common problems
macOS says it can’t verify Device Helm
That’s expected for this free beta. Follow the first launch steps to approve it once in Privacy & Security.
Accessibility is on, but Device Helm still asks for it
This can happen after updating from a beta older than 0.2.1, or after moving the app. In System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, select Device Helm, remove it with the − button, then open Device Helm again and allow it when asked. From 0.2.1, every release has the same signature, so the permission carries over to future updates.
The page doesn’t open in the Simulator
- Make sure your development server is running, and that the URL works in Safari on your Mac.
- Right after a cold boot, the Simulator can take a while to accept URLs. Device Helm retries automatically. If it still fails, click Open / Reload.
- For local HTTPS certificates, see HTTPS development servers.
Web Inspector doesn’t attach
- Check that Web Inspector is turned on in Device Helm’s Settings and that the Safari developer features check passes.
- If more than one page is open in the Simulator, Device Helm asks you to choose one in the Workspace section. If you’re in another section, a Choose Page button appears in the status bar.
- Click Open / Reload to try again, or attach it by hand from Safari’s Develop menu, as described in using Web Inspector with the Simulator.
The windows aren’t arranged
Device Helm needs Accessibility permission to move windows. If you’ve moved things around, use Re-tile in the app or the menu bar. When you stop the workspace, windows return to where they were before.
The page doesn’t see the new location
The page has to request location again after you change it, and Safari has to be allowed to share it. See making sure the page sees it.
Still stuck?
Choose Send Feedback in Device Helm’s Settings or menu bar. It opens an email with your app and macOS version already filled in. Add what you tried and what you saw, and it will reach me directly.