What’s new in Xcode 26

Xcode 26 introduces several new features and improvements to enhance the development experience. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Debugging Swift Concurrency: Xcode 26 makes debugging Swift concurrency code easier by following execution into asynchronous functions, even if it requires switching threads. The debugger UI now shows task IDs, and the Variables view provides easy-to-read representations of concurrency types like tasks, task groups, and actors. What’s new in Xcode (18:03)

2. UI Testing Enhancements: Xcode's UI testing has been significantly upgraded with a new code generation system for UI Automation Recording, making it easier to implement UI tests. What’s new in Xcode (30:00)

3. Build System Improvements: Explicitly built modules for Swift code are now enabled by default, improving build efficiency and reliability. This feature splits the processing of each compilation unit into three phases, optimizing the build pipeline. What’s new in Xcode (27:50)

4. Metric Recommendations: Xcode 26 introduces metric recommendations, comparing your app's metrics with similar apps and historical data to provide reference points for performance optimization. What’s new in Xcode (26:47)

5. Voice Control for Swift Code: Xcode 26 improves accessibility by allowing developers to use voice control to write Swift code, understanding Swift syntax and naturally reading it aloud. What’s new in Xcode (02:49)

6. Smaller Download Size: Xcode 26 is 24% smaller, with optimizations to text input and loading performance, making it faster to load workspaces. What’s new in Xcode (00:58)

These updates are designed to make developers more efficient and productive, whether they are writing code, debugging, or testing their applications. For more detailed information, you can refer to the What’s new in Xcode session.