iPhone setup
How to turn on Developer Mode on iPhone
Updated · By the Geovo team
Open Settings › Privacy & Security, scroll down to Security and turn on Developer Mode. The iPhone asks to restart; after it restarts and you unlock it, confirm with Turn On and your passcode. If the switch isn't there, the iPhone hasn't been used for development yet: once a developer tool or development app is set up on it, the switch appears.
Turn on Developer Mode, step by step
Developer Mode is a switch Apple added in iOS 16. It lets an iPhone run apps and services meant for developers, including the location simulation that Xcode and tools like Geovo use. Turning it on takes about a minute and one restart.
- Open Settings › Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down to the Security section and tap Developer Mode.
- Turn the switch on. iOS warns that Developer Mode reduces the security of the device; tap Restart.
- After the restart, unlock the iPhone. An alert asks whether to turn on Developer Mode: tap Turn On and enter your passcode.
Apple describes the same steps in Enabling Developer Mode on a device. On iPad it's the same switch in the same place.
Why is Developer Mode missing from Settings?
The switch is hidden until the iPhone has been used with a developer tool. Apple's documentation says Developer Mode only appears in Settings once you start pairing the device with a Mac or have paired it before. Until then, there's nothing to turn on.
To make it appear with Geovo, on a Mac or a Windows PC:
- Download Geovo and open it.
- Plug in the iPhone with a data cable, unlock it and tap Trust This Computer.
- In Geovo, click Install Geovo on iPhone and sign in with your Apple ID (it goes only to Apple; Geovo never stores the password). A development-signed app on the iPhone is what makes iOS show the switch.
- Close Settings completely (swipe it away in the app switcher), open it again and go to Privacy & Security. Developer Mode is now listed under Security.
If you build apps, running an app on the iPhone from Xcode does the same.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does it erase anything? | No. It restarts the iPhone once; apps and data stay as they are. |
| Does it affect App Store or TestFlight apps? | No. Apple says it doesn't affect ordinary installs such as App Store or TestFlight apps. |
| What does it allow? | Running development-signed apps (for example from Xcode or installed with your Apple ID) and developer services such as location simulation. |
| Is it needed to change the iPhone's location without a jailbreak? | Yes. Xcode, Geovo and other no-jailbreak tools all use Apple's developer location service, which needs Developer Mode on iOS 16 and later. |
| Can I turn it off later? | Yes. Turn the switch off in Settings › Privacy & Security and restart. |
Is Developer Mode safe?
Developer Mode is an official Apple setting, not a hack, and turning it on doesn't modify iOS. Apple's warning is about trust: with it on, the iPhone will run development-signed apps that haven't been through App Store review. Only install development apps you trust, and turn Developer Mode off when you no longer need it.
Geovo doesn't jailbreak the iPhone or change iOS. It uses the developer location service that's built into every iPhone, and restarting the iPhone always brings the real location back.
How to turn Developer Mode off
Go to Settings › Privacy & Security › Developer Mode, turn the switch off and restart the iPhone. After that, development-signed apps (including the Geovo iPhone app) and location simulation won't run until you turn it back on.
What to do next
With Developer Mode on, you can change the iPhone's location from a computer or from the iPhone itself:
- From a Mac or PC: how to change your iPhone's location.
- On the iPhone, with nothing plugged in: change location without a computer.
- The full setup, with pictures: set up Geovo on your iPhone.
Geovo needs an iPhone or iPad on iOS 17.4 or later. Free for 30 minutes every day with every feature, after a 10-minute try without an account. Pro is unlimited: $5.99/week, $11.99/month, $24.99 for 3 months, $69.99/year ($5.83/month) or $99.99 once for lifetime. See pricing.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Developer Mode on iPhone?
- In Settings › Privacy & Security, near the bottom under Security. It only appears once the iPhone has been used for development, for example after installing the Geovo iPhone app or running an app from Xcode.
- Why can't I find Developer Mode on my iPhone?
- iOS hides the switch until a developer tool asks for it. Install a development app on it, for example the Geovo iPhone app from Geovo on a Mac or PC, or an app run from Xcode. Then close Settings completely and open Privacy & Security again.
- Does turning on Developer Mode delete my data?
- No. The iPhone restarts once and asks you to confirm with your passcode. Your apps and data stay as they are.
- Can I turn on Developer Mode without a computer?
- Usually not at first: the switch appears only after the iPhone has been connected to a developer tool or has a development-signed app. Once it's visible, you turn it on and off on the iPhone itself.
- Do I need Developer Mode to change my iPhone's location?
- Yes, for every method that doesn't need a jailbreak. They all use Apple's developer location service, which requires Developer Mode on iOS 16 and later.
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