It also helps protect unaware consumers from installing compromised apps that use the development mode. If you’re looking to take advantage of the new Developer Mode in iOS 16 then here’s how you can turn it on your iPhone.
Enable or Disable Developer Mode in iOS 16
Enabling or disabling the Developer Mode will require a restart on your iPhone. Though you won’t be losing any data in this process.
Enable Developer Mode
Here’s how you can enable Developer Mode on your iPhone. Use the guide below to help you along the way. Keep in mind that a restart will be required to finish this process, so you should save any important work you might have open on your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app and tap Privacy & Security.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Developer Mode.
- Tap and turn on the toggle for Developer Mode at the top.
- Now tap Restart to restart your iPhone.
- Your iPhone will now restart, and you will get a prompt to turn on Developer Mode. Tap Turn On and then enter your passcode to confirm your choice.
Disable Developer Mode
Disabling developer mode is a similar process and requires a restart as well. Use the steps below to get you started.
- Navigate to the Developer Mode in the Privacy & Security page of the Settings app as we did before.
- Now tap to turn on the toggle for Developer Mode.
- Tap Restart to restart your iPhone.
Use Developer Mode on iPhone
You can mainly use Developer mode for running your Xcode builds without having to connect your device to your computer again and again. Previous versions of iOS did not allow you to enable Developer Mode without a computer. With the release of iOS 16, this has changed, and you can now deploy and test builds directly from your device. Another way you can use Developer Mode is by installing third-party apps currently unavailable in the App Store. This way, you can text betas, unreleased apps, and much more. However, we recommend you exercise caution when using apps signed by a third-party developer certificate. This gives the app creator additional controls over your iPhone, which can compromise your privacy and security.
Is your iPhone less secure with Developer Mode enabled?
Yes, with Developer Mode enabled, apps with developer certificates can be installed on your iPhone. This means that someone with malicious intent can install third-party apps not available on the App Store on your device. This makes your iPhone less secure, which would otherwise reject such apps.
What if there is no Developer Mode option?
Sometimes, the Developer Mode option can fail to show up for certain users. You can trigger Developer Mode on your iPhone by trying to sideload an IPA from your computer. You can use the Apple Configurator or third-party apps like Sideloadly to help you get started.
Final Words
Developer Mode is a great way of allowing developers more control over their test devices while protecting normal consumers in the process. Apple seems to be moving towards third-party app stores lately, and iOS 16’s developer mode seems another step in this direction. I hope you were able to turn on Developer Mode easily using the guide above.
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