Is it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport?

Yes, for iOS versions you no longer test on. It's one of the biggest folders Xcode leaves behind, and it never cleans itself up.

What it is

When you connect an iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch for development, Xcode copies debug symbols for that exact software version to your Mac, so it can debug apps and read crash logs. They live in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport, one folder per version, with siblings such as watchOS DeviceSupport for other devices. Each folder is often several gigabytes, and Xcode keeps every version you've ever connected.

What happens if you delete it

Nothing breaks. The next time you connect a device running a version you deleted, Xcode copies the symbols again. That can take several minutes, during which you can't debug on that device yet.

What to keep

• Keep the folders for versions your test devices run right now.
• Delete folders for old versions you no longer test on. Those are usually most of the space.
• If you aren't sure, delete them all. The cost is a few minutes of copying the next time you plug in a device.

How to delete it

From Finder

• Quit Xcode.
• Choose Go › Go to Folder… and enter ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport.
• The folder names include the version, such as 17.5. Move the old versions to the Trash.

From Terminal

rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS\ DeviceSupport/*

This deletes every version permanently, with no Trash. Double-check the path before pressing Return.

How Macaroom handles it

Macaroom groups DeviceSupport by software version, marks it Rebuildable, and moves only the versions you pick to the Trash. It also finds the rest of Xcode's leftovers, such as build data, archives and simulators, and explains each one.

Related guides

• Is it safe to delete Xcode DerivedData?
• How to delete old Xcode simulators and runtimes