Debugging Capacitor Apps

Find which layer is broken (web, bridge, native, OS config), prove it with the right inspector, then fix the smallest thing.

When to Use

TRIGGER when:

• App shows a white/blank screen, crashes on launch, or freezes after a native call.
• Error "<Name>" plugin is not implemented on ios|android or "<Name>.<method>()" is not implemented on ....
• Network calls fail on device only: net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED, ATS "requires the use of a secure connection", CORS errors.
• Permission prompts never appear or always deny.
• Live reload (cap run --url, server.url) shows a blank page or "Webpage not available".
• After updating to Capacitor 8.5+ / Xcode 27: appUrlOpen silent, universal links open the app but do nothing, JS pause/resume or custom AppDelegate code no longer runs.
• User asks "how do I debug / inspect my Capacitor app".

Do not use:

• Only need to stream, filter, or save logs or crash reports -> ios-android-logs.
• Performing the AppDelegate -> SceneDelegate migration itself -> capacitor-uiscene-migration.
• Setting up deep links, AASA, assetlinks from scratch -> capacitor-deep-linking.
• Jank, slow startup, bundle size, memory tuning -> capacitor-performance.
• Sentry / Crashlytics / Datadog in production -> capacitor-native-observability.
• Writing unit/E2E tests -> capacitor-testing. AI/MCP device automation -> capacitor-mcp.
• Gradle/Xcode build failures from version bumps -> capacitor-app-upgrades; Pods/SPM resolution -> cocoapods-to-spm.
• Push token/delivery issues -> capacitor-push-notifications; keyboard overlap -> capacitor-keyboard; notch/insets -> safe-area-handling.

Triage Workflow

1. Collect facts before touching code: platform(s), simulator vs device, debug vs release, Capacitor version (npx cap doctor), what changed last (upgrade, plugin added, config edit), exact error text.
2. Classify the layer:
   • JS exception, failed fetch, bad route -> web layer: open the WebView inspector (Safari / chrome://inspect). See references/webview-inspection.md.
   • plugin is not implemented -> bridge/registration: the native code is not in the binary or JS cannot be injected. See Error Handling below.
   • Process dies / EXC_BAD_ACCESS / FATAL EXCEPTION -> native layer: run from Xcode / Android Studio with the debugger attached. See references/native-debugging.md.
   • Works on Android but not iOS after 8.5/Xcode 27, link/lifecycle related -> UIScene. See references/uiscene-regressions.md.
3. Reproduce with a fresh sync: npm run build && npx cap sync then rebuild native. Stale public/ assets and un-synced plugins cause most "works in browser, broken on device" reports.
4. Read the native console for Capacitor's own messages. iOS prints ⚡️ Loading app at ..., ⚡️ [log] - ..., ⚡️ ERROR: Unable to load ... to stdout (visible in Xcode's console, simctl launch --console-pty, devicectl ... launch --console; not in Console.app). Android logs under tag Capacitor and JS console under Capacitor/Console. Log commands live in ios-android-logs.
5. Report the root cause and proposed fix to the user before invasive changes (deleting ios//android/, editing project.pbxproj, disabling ATS globally).
6. Apply the fix, then run the Verification steps.

Tool Matrix

Need	iOS	Android
Inspect DOM/JS/network	Safari > Develop > device > app	chrome://inspect/#devices
Native breakpoints	Xcode (npx cap open ios), LLDB	Android Studio debugger (npx cap open android)
Run on target from CLI	npx cap run ios --target <id>	npx cap run android --target <id>
List targets	npx cap run ios --list	npx cap run android --list
Open URL / deep link	xcrun simctl openurl booted <url>; device: xcrun devicectl device process openURL --device <id> <url>	adb shell am start -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "<url>" <appId>
Reset/grant permissions (sim)	xcrun simctl privacy booted reset all <appId>	adb shell pm revoke <appId> android.permission.CAMERA / adb shell pm clear <appId>
Fake push (sim)	xcrun simctl push booted <appId> payload.json	send a real FCM message
Launch with stdout	xcrun simctl launch --console-pty booted <appId>; device: xcrun devicectl device process launch --console --device <id> <appId>	adb logcat
Profile	Instruments / xcrun xctrace record --template 'Time Profiler'	Android Studio Profiler

Details and caveats: references/device-cli.md.

Live Reload Quick Path

• Capacitor 9 (@next): npx cap run ios --url http://192.168.1.68:5173. The old -l/--live-reload, --host, --port, --https flags are removed.
• Capacitor 8.5 (stable): npx cap run ios -l --host 192.168.1.68 --port 5173 (add --https for an https dev server).
• Android emulator/USB: --forwardPorts 5173:5173 runs adb reverse so http://localhost:5173 works.
• Dev server must bind to 0.0.0.0; phone and Mac on the same Wi-Fi; iOS may ask for Local Network access; if denied the page never loads (re-enable in Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network).
• Never ship server.url / server.cleartext in capacitor.config.*; grep before release.

Error Handling

Error / symptom	Likely cause	Fix
"Foo" plugin is not implemented on ios	Plugin not in native project, or JS injection blocked	npm i <plugin> -> npx cap sync ios. SPM: check ios/App/CapApp-SPM/Package.swift lists it; CocoaPods: check ios/App/Podfile. Remove WKAppBoundDomains from Info.plist or set ios.limitsNavigationsToAppBoundDomains: true.
"Foo" plugin is not implemented on android	Gradle not synced, or a service worker intercepts the page	npx cap sync android, then File > Sync Project with Gradle Files. Disable/unregister service workers in the native build.
"Foo.bar()" is not implemented on web	Calling a native-only method in the browser	Guard with Capacitor.isNativePlatform() / Capacitor.isPluginAvailable('Foo').
⚡️ ERROR: Unable to load .../index.html / white screen	webDir wrong or never copied	Build web, verify webDir matches output folder, npx cap copy.
White screen, no native error	JS crash before first render, or bad <base href> / absolute asset paths	Inspect WebView console; use relative/root paths that resolve under capacitor://localhost / https://localhost.
net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED	Android blocks HTTP (API 28+)	Use HTTPS. For dev only: server.cleartext: true or a network_security_config.xml scoped to the dev host.
"The resource could not be loaded because the App Transport Security policy requires the use of a secure connection."	iOS ATS	Use HTTPS. For dev only: NSExceptionDomains for the dev host, not global NSAllowsArbitraryLoads.
CORS error from API on device only	Origin is capacitor://localhost (iOS) / https://localhost (Android)	Allow those origins server-side, or enable CapacitorHttp (plugins.CapacitorHttp.enabled: true) to route fetch/XHR natively.
Crash on permission request (iOS, This app has crashed because it attempted to access privacy-sensitive data without a usage description)	Missing NS*UsageDescription	Add the key to ios/App/App/Info.plist.
Permission always denied on Android	Missing <uses-permission> or user chose "Don't allow" twice	Add to AndroidManifest.xml; guide user to settings.
No such module 'Capacitor' (Xcode)	Opened .xcodeproj with CocoaPods, or SPM packages not resolved	Pods: open App.xcworkspace, npx cap sync ios. SPM: File > Packages > Reset Package Caches. Deeper -> cocoapods-to-spm.
Unable to boot device in current state: Booted	Simulator already running	Not an error; use booted as the device id.
appUrlOpen / universal links silent on iOS only after 8.5	AppDelegate open url / continue userActivity no longer called	See references/uiscene-regressions.md.
JS pause/resume stop firing	Custom SceneDelegate missing proxy forwarding, or logic left in applicationDidEnterBackground	See references/uiscene-regressions.md.

More symptom-specific fixes: references/common-failures.md.

Verification

After any fix, prove it:

1. npx cap doctor shows matching @capacitor/core, cli, ios, android versions.
2. npm run build && npx cap sync completes with no warnings about missing plugins.
3. Native console shows ⚡️ Loading app at capacitor://localhost... (iOS) / no Capacitor/Console errors (Android).
4. WebView inspector console is clean on launch.
5. Re-run the exact repro on both a simulator/emulator and a physical device, in a release build if the bug was release-only (cap run builds Debug by default; iOS accepts --configuration Release, Android release builds go through Android Studio or Gradle).
6. For link/lifecycle fixes: test cold (app killed) and warm (app backgrounded) launch with simctl openurl / adb shell am start, and background/foreground once to see pause and resume.
7. Before shipping: grep -n "server" capacitor.config.* shows no url/cleartext left over.

References

Only load a reference when its topic is in play.

File	Load when
references/webview-inspection.md	Attaching Safari/Chrome inspectors, inspector shows no app, debugging release builds, early-startup JS errors
references/native-debugging.md	Native crash, breakpoints in plugins, LLDB, Android Studio debugger, Instruments/xctrace, memory leaks
references/device-cli.md	Driving simulators/devices from the terminal: install, launch, open URLs, permissions, push, app containers
references/uiscene-regressions.md	iOS deep links, universal links, cold-start URL, pause/resume, or AppDelegate code broken after Capacitor 8.5 / Xcode 27
references/common-failures.md	Detailed fixes for white screen, plugin not implemented, networking, permissions, live reload

Resources

• https://capacitorjs.com/docs/ios/troubleshooting
• https://capacitorjs.com/docs/android/troubleshooting
• https://capacitorjs.com/docs/guides/live-reload
• https://capacitorjs.com/docs/updating/8-5
• https://capacitorjs.com/docs/cli/commands/run