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How to capture logs/screen recordings to assist iOS app troubleshooting

  • Updated

When you're helping us troubleshoot an issue, the two most useful things you can send us are the app's diagnostic logs from around the time the issue happened, and a screen recording showing it happen. This guide walks through both.

Part 1: Enable Developer Mode

Developer Mode needs to be turned on so your iPad exposes full diagnostic detail (rather than redacted/limited logs) when we ask you to capture logs for an issue.

Note: The Developer Mode toggle only appears in Settings once your iPad has been paired with a computer (e.g. connected via USB and "trusted"). If you don't see it yet under Privacy & Security, connect your iPad to a Mac with a cable first, tap Trust This Computer on the iPad, then check Settings again.

Steps:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security.
  3. Scroll down and tap Developer Mode.
  4. Toggle Developer Mode on.
  5. Your iPad will prompt you to Restart. Tap Restart.
  6. After the iPad restarts, unlock it as usual.
  7. A confirmation alert appears warning that Developer Mode reduces some security protections. Swipe up and tap Enable.
  8. Enter your device passcode to confirm.

Developer Mode is now on. You only need to do this once, you won't need to repeat it for future troubleshooting sessions unless you turn it off.

Reference: Apple Developer Documentation – Enabling Developer Mode on a device

Part 2: Capture the App Logs

There are two ways to get logs, depending on whether you have access to a Mac.

Option A: No Mac needed (easiest)

  1. Reproduce the issue in the app, and note roughly what time it happened.
  2. Open Settings on your iPad.
  3. Go to Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data.
  4. Look for a log entry starting with the app's name, matching the time you reproduced the issue (crash logs look like AppName_<date-time>).
  5. Tap the log to open it.
  6. Tap the Share icon to export and attach to your ticket

Option B: Using a Mac (for live/real-time logs)

  1. Connect your iPad to a Mac with a USB cable, and tap Trust This Computer if prompted.
  2. On the Mac, open the Console app (Applications > Utilities > Console).
  3. Select your iPad in the Console sidebar.
  4. Reproduce the issue on your iPad, noting the exact time.
  5. In Console on the Mac, look for log entries around that time, you can select and export the relevant portion to attach to your ticket.

Reference: Apple Developer Documentation – Acquiring crash reports and diagnostic logs

Part 3: Record Your iPad Screen

A short screen recording alongside your logs makes it much easier for us to see exactly what happened.

Step 1: Add Screen Recording to Control Center (one-time setup)

If you don't already see a Screen Recording button in Control Center:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down and tap Control Center.
  3. Under More Controls, find Screen Recording.
  4. Tap the green + next to it to add it to your Control Center.

Step 2: (Optional) Turn on microphone audio

If you want to narrate what you're doing while you record:

  1. Open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen).
  2. Press and hold the Screen Recording button.
  3. Tap Microphone to turn it on (it will turn red when active).

Step 3: Start recording

  1. Open Control Center.
  2. Tap the Screen Recording button (a plain circle icon).
  3. Wait for the 3-second countdown.
  4. Close Control Center, recording has started, and a red bar/dot will appear at the top of the screen.
  5. Go ahead and reproduce the issue.

Step 4: Stop recording

  • Tap the red indicator at the top of the screen and choose Stop, or
  • Open Control Center again and tap the Screen Recording button (now red).

Step 5: Find your recording

Your recording is saved automatically to the Photos app, in your camera roll/library.

Attach this to your ticket.

References:

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