The short answer
Yes. Rebuilt or re-downloaded automatically when needed.
What is it?
When you connect an iPhone or iPad running a version of iOS or iPadOS that Xcode has not seen before, Xcode copies that version’s debug symbols to the Mac so it can debug and symbolicate on the device. Each version gets its own folder, named after the OS version and build (often with the device model), and old versions are never removed. Each folder typically takes a few gigabytes.
Debug symbols copied from every iPhone you plugged in. Xcode copies them again when needed.
What happens if you delete it?
If you connect a device running a version you removed, Xcode copies its symbols again, which takes a few minutes before debugging is available. Nothing else is lost.
How to remove it properly
Quit Xcode, open ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport with Finder’s Go › Go to Folder…, and move the folders for iOS versions you no longer debug on to the Trash. Keeping the newest folder avoids waiting for the copy the next time you plug in your current device.
Quit the app that uses it, then move it to the Trash. Empty the Trash when you’re sure.
- MoreRoom keeps the newest 1 and suggests the older ones.
How MoreRoom helps
MoreRoom recognises this item, shows its real size and when it was last used, and labels it “Safe to remove”. In the free version you can move it to the Trash in one click, with Undo; Pro collects every safe item at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to delete iOS DeviceSupport in Xcode?
Yes. Rebuilt or re-downloaded automatically when needed. If you connect a device running a version you removed, Xcode copies its symbols again, which takes a few minutes before debugging is available. Nothing else is lost.
Will iOS Device Support (old versions) come back after I delete it?
Yes. If you connect a device running a version you removed, Xcode copies its symbols again, which takes a few minutes before debugging is available. Nothing else is lost.
How do I remove iOS Device Support (old versions) properly?
Quit Xcode, open ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport with Finder’s Go › Go to Folder…, and move the folders for iOS versions you no longer debug on to the Trash. Keeping the newest folder avoids waiting for the copy the next time you plug in your current device.