How to remote debug Chrome on iOS from Windows, Mac and Linux with Inspect?

Inspect is one of the few tools, that enables you to debug Google Chrome on iOS by giving you an all-in-one developer tool for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

To get you started we have put together this step-by-step guide that outlines how you get going debugging Chrome on iOS with Inspect.

Inspect showing Chrome on iOS
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Context

Before Chrome 115, debugging webpages required building Chrome for iOS from source, as the release version of apps using WKWebView did not support remote Web Inspector debugging.

In iOS 16.4, Apple made it possible for apps using WKWebView to allow Web Inspector debugging, so in Chrome 115, Google introduced a new setting to enable Web Inspector, which makes it possible for Inspect to debug Chrome on iOS, as we can debug any Webkit target on iOS.

Prerequisites

  1. iOS device with iOS 16.4+ or later
  2. Google Chrome for iOS installed
  3. macOS, Windows, or Linux
  4. USB cable or Wi-Fi (on macOS)

Steps

Prepare your computer:
  1. Download Inspect by going to our download page.
  2. Connect your iOS device to your PC via USB cable or Wi-Fi.
  3. Start Inspect and follow the instructions on how to setup your computer.
Enable web inspector in Chrome
  1. Open Chrome on your iOS device

  2. Open Settings

    Chrome on iOS settings

  3. Go to Content Settings

    Chrome on iOS settings

  4. Enable Web Inspector

    Chrome on iOS settings
  5. Relaunch Chrome for iOS

Chrome tabs should now show up in Inspect, and enable you to debug websites and apps within Chrome on iOS.

Happy Inspecting! 🎉

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Relevant docs

  1. https://developer.chrome.com/blog/debugging-chrome-on-ios