vphone-ws
A native macOS app for managing virtual iPhones - browse, create, and boot iOS research VMs from a single window.
What is it?
What it is
A native macOS SwiftUI application designed for managing virtual iPhones.
Why it exists
To provide a graphical user interface for vphone-cli, allowing users to browse, create, and boot iOS research VMs from a single window.
Who should use it
macOS users interested in iOS research, security researchers, and developers needing a GUI for managing virtual iPhones on Apple Silicon.
Who should avoid it
Intel-based Mac users, users on macOS versions older than Sequoia, and users who do not require virtualized iOS environments.
How it works
A quick walkthrough in plain English
How vphone-ws works
Step 1 of 3
You interact with it
Open vphone-ws, send a request, or connect it to your stack.
Features
Advantages
- Native macOS app built with SwiftUI for seamless integration and performance
- Single-window interface for browsing, creating, and booting iOS research VMs
- Direct integration with vphone-cli leveraging Apple's Virtualization.framework and PCC research VMs
- Clear, actionable feedback for host readiness checks to simplify setup
- Exportable logs from the create wizard facilitate debugging and issue reporting
- Supports a range of iOS variants (Less, Regular, Developer, Jailbreak, Experimental) for flexible research
Disadvantages
- Requires Apple Silicon Mac and macOS 15 (Sequoia) or newer, limiting compatibility
- Dependent on external vphone-cli tool which must be installed separately
- Research-focused functionality may be overkill for general users
- Requires enabling research guests and bypassing AMFI, which involves system-level changes and potential security trade-offs
Installation
FAQ
How do I install vPhone Workstation on my Mac?
Open Terminal and run `brew install zqxwce/tap/vphone-ws`. This installs the macOS app and its dependencies via Homebrew.
What are the minimum system requirements for vPhone Workstation?
You need an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 15 (Sequoia) or newer, and the command‑line tool `vphone-cli` installed (e.g., via `brew install zqxwce/tap/vphone-cli`).
How do I create a new virtual iPhone VM?
Launch the app and use the Create wizard: choose a name, pick a variant (Less, Regular, Developer, Jailbreak, Experimental), select a firmware pairing, and allocate CPU, memory, and disk resources. The wizard streams live progress from `vphone-cli` and lets you export a log for issue reports.
How can I start, stop, or bring a VM to the front?
In the Library view, each VM shows its current state. Use the lifecycle controls to start or stop the VM, and to bring the running iPhone window to the foreground.
How do I export or delete a VM?
Select the VM in the Library, then use the Manage menu to clone, rename, export (as a `.tar.xz` archive), or delete the VM. Exported archives can be shared or backed up.
Featured in Videos
YouTube tutorials and walkthroughs for vphone-ws
Alternatives
Similar projects ranked by category, topics, and text overlap.
