Recording UI Automation (Xcode 26+)

Guide to Xcode 26's Recording UI Automation feature for creating UI tests through user interaction recording.

The Three-Phase Workflow

From WWDC 2025-344:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   UI Automation Workflow                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                             │
│  1. RECORD ──────► Interact with app in Simulator           │
│                    Xcode captures as Swift test code        │
│                                                             │
│  2. REPLAY ──────► Run across devices, languages, configs   │
│                    Using test plans for multi-config        │
│                                                             │
│  3. REVIEW ──────► Watch video recordings in test report    │
│                    Analyze failures with screenshots        │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Phase 1: Recording

Starting a Recording

1. Open your UI test file in Xcode
2. Place cursor inside a test method
3. Debug → Record UI Automation (or use the record button)
4. App launches in Simulator
5. Perform interactions - Xcode generates code
6. Stop recording when done

What Gets Recorded

• Taps on buttons, cells, controls
• Text input into text fields
• Swipes and scrolling
• Gestures (pinch, rotate)
• Hardware button presses (Home, volume)

Generated Code Example

// Xcode generates this from your interactions
func testLoginFlow() {
    let app = XCUIApplication()
    app.launch()

    // Recorded: Tap email field, type email
    app.textFields["Email"].tap()
    app.textFields["Email"].typeText("[email protected]")

    // Recorded: Tap password field, type password
    app.secureTextFields["Password"].tap()
    app.secureTextFields["Password"].typeText("password123")

    // Recorded: Tap login button
    app.buttons["Login"].tap()
}

Enhancing Recorded Code

Critical: Recorded code is often fragile. Always enhance it for stability.

1. Add Accessibility Identifiers

Recorded code uses labels which break with localization:

// RECORDED (fragile - breaks with localization)
app.buttons["Login"].tap()

// ENHANCED (stable - uses identifier)
app.buttons["loginButton"].tap()

Add identifiers in your app code:

// SwiftUI
Button("Login") { ... }
    .accessibilityIdentifier("loginButton")

// UIKit
loginButton.accessibilityIdentifier = "loginButton"

2. Add waitForExistence

Recorded code assumes elements exist immediately:

// RECORDED (may fail if app is slow)
app.buttons["Login"].tap()

// ENHANCED (waits for element)
let loginButton = app.buttons["loginButton"]
XCTAssertTrue(loginButton.waitForExistence(timeout: 5))
loginButton.tap()

3. Add Assertions

Recorded code just performs actions without verification:

// RECORDED (no verification)
app.buttons["Login"].tap()

// ENHANCED (with assertion)
app.buttons["loginButton"].tap()
let welcomeLabel = app.staticTexts["welcomeLabel"]
XCTAssertTrue(welcomeLabel.waitForExistence(timeout: 10),
              "Welcome screen should appear after login")

4. Use Shorter Queries

Recorded code may have overly specific queries:

// RECORDED (too specific)
app.tables.cells.element(boundBy: 0).buttons["Action"].tap()

// ENHANCED (simpler)
app.buttons["actionButton"].tap()

Query Selection Guidelines

From WWDC 2025-344:

Best Practices

1. Prefer identifiers over labels
2. Use the shortest query that works
3. Avoid index-based queries (element(boundBy: 0))
4. Add identifiers to dynamic content

Phase 2: Replay with Test Plans

Test plans allow running the same tests across multiple configurations.

Creating a Test Plan

1. File → New → File → Test Plan
2. Add test targets
3. Configure configurations

Test Plan Structure

{
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "iPhone - English",
      "options": {
        "targetForVariableExpansion": {
          "containerPath": "container:MyApp.xcodeproj",
          "identifier": "MyApp"
        },
        "language": "en",
        "region": "US"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "iPhone - Spanish",
      "options": {
        "language": "es",
        "region": "ES"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "iPhone - Dark Mode",
      "options": {
        "userInterfaceStyle": "dark"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "iPad - Landscape",
      "options": {
        "defaultTestExecutionTimeAllowance": 120,
        "testTimeoutsEnabled": true
      }
    }
  ],
  "defaultOptions": {
    "targetForVariableExpansion": {
      "containerPath": "container:MyApp.xcodeproj",
      "identifier": "MyApp"
    }
  },
  "testTargets": [
    {
      "target": {
        "containerPath": "container:MyApp.xcodeproj",
        "identifier": "MyAppUITests",
        "name": "MyAppUITests"
      }
    }
  ],
  "version": 1
}

Configuration Options

Running with Test Plan

# Command line
xcodebuild test \
  -scheme "MyApp" \
  -testPlan "MyTestPla