# How to Turn On Developer Mode on iPhone (iOS 16 and Later)

> Where to find Developer Mode on iPhone, why the switch is sometimes missing, which test builds need it, and how to turn it off again when you’re done.

Last updated: 2026-11-10
Canonical: https://buildferry.app/enable-developer-mode-iphone

Developer Mode is a switch Apple added in iOS 16. It protects people from installing harmful software by accident, so iOS keeps it off until you need it.

If you open a test app and see **Developer Mode Required**, this is the setting it means.

## Turn it on

1. Open **Settings**, then **Privacy & Security**.
2. Scroll down to **Security** and tap **Developer Mode**.
3. Turn on the switch. iOS warns that this reduces the security of your iPhone.
4. Tap **Restart**.
5. After the restart, unlock the iPhone. When asked to turn on Developer Mode, tap **Turn On** and enter your passcode.

Open the app again. It should start normally.

## Why the switch isn't there

Apple only shows Developer Mode once the iPhone has been paired with a Mac, for example by connecting it to Xcode. Testers without a Mac report that the switch also appears after they try to open an app that needs it. So open the app once, then look again.

## Which apps need it

| How the app was installed | Developer Mode |
| --- | --- |
| App Store | Not needed |
| TestFlight | Not needed |
| Enterprise (in-house) apps | Not needed, according to Apple |
| Run from Xcode, or a development-signed build | Needed |
| An .ipa installed with Apple Configurator | Needed |
| Ad hoc builds | Apple doesn't say. Firebase's documentation says iOS 16 and later can ask for it. |

If you're a developer and want testers to avoid the switch, TestFlight is the route Apple names as unaffected. [How the profile types differ](https://buildferry.app/provisioning-profile-types).

## Turn it off again

Turn off the switch in **Settings**, **Privacy & Security**, **Developer Mode**, and restart. Apps that need Developer Mode won't open until you turn it back on, and you can't run apps from Xcode on the iPhone.

## It's a different problem if the app won't install

Developer Mode only matters once an app is installed. If the install itself fails with "Unable to Install" or "integrity could not be verified", the build isn't signed for your iPhone. [Fix that error](https://buildferry.app/app-integrity-could-not-be-verified).