Developer mode allows you to run unsigned code on your iPhone or iPad. Enable it and you can download and run apps that aren’t from the App Store (or alternative app markets) or in TestFlight, Apple’s tool that lets developers invite users to beta test new apps.
If you want to write your own apps in Xcode, you’ll need to enable developer mode on your iPhone or iPad before running the app.
Developer mode is also necessary if you want to sideload apps onto your device from a Mac using an app like Sideloadly. This could include apps that are not allowed in the App Store (like the porn app Hot Tub) or apps that are no longer available from their original developers, like Apollo (the now defunct Reddit client). You will need to turn on developer mode for sideloading to work.
Read on to learn how to enable developer mode on your iPhone or iPad, as well as the potential security implications.
How to Enable Developer Mode on iPhone and iPad
Developing iPhone apps is very simple. Apple’s own Swift coding language is modern and praised for its ease of use. And Apple’s SwiftUI framework makes it very easy to create user interfaces. Thanks to Apple’s developer tools, you can use the same code to build native apps for iPhone, iPad, Mac — and even Apple Watch, Vision Pro, and Apple TV.
You can do your development using Xcode, Apple’s integrated development environment. Xcode is completely free and offers powerful tools (source code editor, debugger, etc.) that you can use to create your own application.
“Xcode offers the tools you need to develop, test, and distribute applications for Apple platforms, including predictive code completion, generative intelligence using best-in-class coding models, advanced profiling and debugging tools, and simulators for Apple devices,” Apple says.
Xcode comes with built-in simulators that allow you to run apps on a virtual iPhone on your Mac. But nothing beats using the real thing. To run apps on your own iPhone, you must first enable developer mode. Here’s how to do it.
Turn on developer mode in Settings
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Enabling Developer Mode on an iPhone is as simple as flipping a switch (although it’s buried in Settings).
To find it, go to Settingsscroll down to privacy and security, and then tap on Developer mode at the very bottom. Enable Developer mode. A warning will appear: “When Developer Mode is enabled, your device’s security will be reduced. Please restart your device to enable Developer Mode.”
Tap Restartand your iPhone will immediately restart with developer mode enabled; tap Cancel and nothing happens.
After restarting, enable it again
Screenshot: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
After restarting you will be asked again if yes really you want to enable developer mode. Select by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Knocking Turn on last time and enter the passcode to enable it. Otherwise, you can tap Do not activate and remains off.
To turn off developer mode later, go back Settings > Privacy & Security > Developer Mode and uncheck Developer mode. The change will take place immediately.
Developer mode security
Once you enable developer mode, your iPhone’s security will only be compromised to the extent that any app you install on your device using Xcode or sideloading will run unchecked. If you’re just learning Swift or testing an app you’ve written, turning on developer mode won’t make your device vulnerable to malware, unless you’ve strangely decided to write malware for yourself in Xcode.
However, some malicious Xcode projects copy or mimic legitimate open source projects only to secretly add spyware. If you’re following the instructions to install an app and you’re here because you need to enable developer mode to complete the installation, you should carefully consider whether you can trust the source. This could be using private APIs or violating App Store rules. It’s possible that you’re being forced to install something you shouldn’t.
Do your research to double-check that the app you’re installing isn’t some kind of scam.
More tips for iPhone pro
We originally published this article in iPhone Developer Mode on August 24, 2022. We updated the article with new information on February 2, 2026.
D. Griffin Jones is a writer, podcaster and video producer for Cult of Mac. Griffin has been an avid computer enthusiast since he got his first PC in 2002 – but hasn’t turned back since he got a Mac in 2008. His graphic and web design skills, along with video and podcast editing, have been self-taught for over 20 years. Griffin has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and has written several (unpublished) apps for Mac and iOS. His vintage computer collection consists of more than 40 desktops, laptops, PDAs and devices dating back to the early 1980s. All of these creative and technical skills, along with a deep knowledge of Apple history, he brings to his work for Cult of Mac.