So you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 26 and now running your Flutter app on a real device feels… slow. Like, painfully slow. The build goes through, the app installs, but everything lags — hot reload, debugging, even log streaming.
If this sounds familiar, don’t panic. The problem isn’t your code or Flutter itself. It’s how you’re connecting to your iPhone.
🐢 The Culprit: Wireless Debugging
Apple made wireless debugging possible a while back, and it’s super handy. No cables, just Wi-Fi. But here’s the catch: Flutter builds are big. They’re moving compiled Dart code, assets, and symbols to your device every time you run.
Over Wi-Fi, that transfer speed is much slower compared to USB. With iOS 26, it feels even worse — almost like every reload is dragging its feet.
⚡ The Fix: Use a Cable
The solution is almost laughably simple: plug your iPhone directly into your Mac with a USB-C or Lightning cable.
Steps:
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a proper cable (preferably the one it shipped with).
- On your phone, tap Trust This Computer if you haven’t already.
- Back in your terminal, confirm the device is now connected via USB:
flutter devices
You should see your iPhone listed without the little “wireless” tag.
Run your app again:
flutter run
And boom 💥 — your builds and hot reloads should be much snappier.
🔍 Why This Works
Wireless debugging is fine for small apps or log checks, but Flutter apps push a lot of data across the connection. Even a strong Wi-Fi setup can’t compete with the raw bandwidth of a direct USB-C cable.
With wired debugging:
- Installs are faster
- Hot reload feels instant again
- Debug logs don’t lag behind
🧑💻 Pro Tips
Profile mode for speed
If you want to see how your app actually performs, run:
flutter run --profile
Release and profile modes are way smoother than debug.
Use a good cable
Cheap USB-C cables (or those only meant for charging) can bottleneck data transfer. Stick to Apple’s cable or a certified one.
✅ Final Word
If your Flutter app on iOS 26 feels sluggish on a physical device, don’t overthink it. Wireless debugging is the bottleneck. Just grab a cable, plug in, and you’ll notice the difference instantly.
Sometimes the old-school way is still the fastest way. 🔌⚡
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