iOS App Testing Tutorial: Manual & Automation

iOS App Testing is the process which ensures that your application performs as expected on all iOS versions.

As a large customer base transition from android to iOS devices, it is very important to test mobile apps on the actual Apple devices to detect the functionalities, UI, response time, and performance bottlenecks of the application. With different versions of OS, it has become very important to test iOS applications on all OS versions.

There are a lot of common bugs which happen now and then in iOS applications such as app crashing, memory leakage, application incompatibilities, and security breaches.

Due to bugs or memory leakage applications start crashing. Sometimes it happens that an application works smoothly on one version of iOS but when upgraded it start causing errors.

All the above-mentioned pointers should be avoided when developing an iOS application.

Effective and regressive manual and automation testing is a prerequisite to making the application more robust.

Let’s dive in the iOS app testing tutorial, designed for testers build reliable and secure applications.

Understanding iOS Testing

There are 4 important pillars when you start with iOS testing. They are Hardware, Software, Functionality, and UI. Under hardware, we test out the application on all Apple devices such as iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Under Software, we test app crashes, security vulnerabilities, and memory leakage.

Under Functionality, all the product use cases are tested, and it is made sure that they are no lingering bugs. Under UI iOS application is tested to make sure that it is user-friendly and has smooth navigation. It is also made sure that the application runs without any issues on both landscape and portrait mode.

General Test Cases for iOS App Testing

Testing an iOS application means checking the aspect, which guarantees seamless performance, security, and user experience. Here is a detailed breakdown of how general test cases should be executed when you are inspecting an iOS application.

1. Installation & Launch Testing

Before the functionality of an iOS app is tested, you have to make sure its installation and launch process is correct across different devices and OS versions.

Installation Process:

• Ensure that all the applications are installed smoothly without any possible interruptions.
• Make sure that apps are not taking too much time to be installed and show an error message if the downloading process gets interrupted. 
• Ensure that an error message is displayed if the device says the storage space is not enough during the installation process.
• Ensure the app cannot be installed if someone tries to install it on an unsupported OS. 

Post-Installation Validation:

• The app icon and name should appear correctly in the installed applications list. 
• The program should open and run without crashing or freezing after installation. 
• Validate that the splash screen works correctly and within the acceptable time. 
• Ensure that the app does not prompt for unnecessary permissions at launch.

2. UI & Navigation Testing

User interface (UI) and navigation are critical for the delivery of a pleasant user experience. These test cases guarantee that the app layout, design, and the responsiveness meet the user’s expectations.

UI Consistency:

• Ensure that the UI controls, such as buttons, icons, labels, and images, are properly aligned.
• Verify that the app is designed in accordance with the Apple Human Interface Guidelines (HIG). 
• Make sure that the size, color, and font remain identical regardless of the different devices being used.

Screen Orientation & Responsiveness:

• Run the app in both portrait and landscape modes to see how it behaves. 
• In addition, the version must also be responsible and enable all UI elements to respond and, should the screen be rotated, adapt the display accordingly. 
• Validate that navigation and animations work smoothly on both iPhone and iPad screen sizes, ensuring a seamless user experience on iOS devices.

Touch & Gesture Interactions:

• First check the tap, swipe, pinch, and long-press operations if they are working well.
• Make sure that all the buttons give an instant response to the user’s actions.
• Test multi-touch gestures and check if they perform as expected.

3. Functional Testing

The core functionality of an iOS application must be tested thoroughly to ensure that it performs as expected for all user actions.

Basic Functional Tests:

• Verify that all core features of the app work as intended.
• Ensure that users can register, log in, and log out successfully.
• Test input fields for valid and invalid data inputs.
• Verify that search functionality provides accurate and relevant results.
• Ensure that form validation works correctly (e.g., email formats, password strength).

Error Handling & Notifications:

• Make sure that the correct error messages are shown whenever an invalid action is performed. 
• See to it that the right asks for confirmation of certain operations like the submission of the form or data deletion. 
• Check whether the notifications appear correctly when the push notifications are enabled. 

4. Network & Connectivity Testing

Because an iOS application typically relies on an Internet connection, it is best to test the app when the network signal strength varies. 

Offline Mode Testing:

• Check what happens when there is no good internet connectivity in the app. 
• Make sure that the offline functionality of the app works as expected. 
• Ensure there are no unresponsive pages or app crashes due to internet unavailability.

Network Strength Variations:

• Determine how the app is rendered with a view to low network speed (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi). 
• Establish that the loading indicators or error messages are present while the network is slow. 
• Check if the app is able to carry out its activities smoothly once the connection is enabled again. 

API & Data Synchronization:

• The APIs should be capable enough to guarantee the validity and time of the response.
• Verify that the app also correctly shares data with cloud services when Internet access is restored.
• Run the test sessions to check session timeouts and the automatic re-authentication when reconnected.

5. Performance Testing

By performance testing you can verify whether the app remains fast, responsive, and reliable under different load conditions.

App Launch & Loading Speed:

• Verify that the application can be launched within a certain time limit (3 seconds is more of an acceptable time here).
• Check that home and splash screens do not take too long to load.

Response Time & Smoothness:

• Measure the response time of various user interactions (e.g., screen transitions, button clicks, etc.). 
• Attain optimum smooth scrolling and animations, mainly in terms of apps featuring a lot of content.

Memory & CPU Usage:

• Be certain that the application is not taking away too much system resources from the memory by monitoring it.
• Perform proper tests for memory leaks and excessive background processes.
• Ensure that background activities do not significantly drain the device battery.

Stress & Load Testing:

• Conduct high user traffic simulations to validate the performance of the app. 
• See to it that the application can perform multiple background processes without lagging.
• Test the app’s behavior under simultaneous API requests.

6. Security Testing

iOS app security is a vital aspect and is highly required to take care of users’ sensitive data.

Authentication & Authorization:

• Verify that all kinds of user authentications(email, phone, Face ID, Touch ID) are really up and running correctly. 
• Test session expiration policies to ensure automatic logout after inactivity.
• Running a test to validate the session expiration policy and at the same time keeping the app’s forced logout in case of inactivity. 

Data Encryption & Secure Storage:

• Ensure that sensitive user data is encrypted during storage and transmission.
• Validate that the app is not keeping user credentials in the plain text. 
• API communications should be safe (HTTPS instead of HTTP).

Permission Handling & Data Privacy:

• Verify that camera, location, microphone, and contacts permissions are correctly requested.
• Developers need to make sure that users are able to go the settings to revoke their permissions.
• Validate compliance with Apple’s App Store security policies.

7. Compatibility Testing

An iOS application should be designed in such a way that it can work seamlessly on different Apple devices and OS versions.

Device Compatibility:

• Test the app on different iPhone and iPad models to ensure consistent behavior.
• Validate that UI elements do not break on different screen resolutions and aspect ratios.

OS Version Compatibility:

• Ensure that the app is fully functional on the latest and previous iOS versions.
• Validate app behavior when upgrading from an older iOS version to a new one.

Backward Compatibility:

• Check if new updates do not cause crashes or functional failures on older devices.

8. Battery & Background Mode Testing

Battery Consumption Analysis:

• Monitor the application’s battery drain rate during prolonged use.
• Ensure that the app does not drain excessive battery when running in the background.

Background & Multitasking Behavior:

• Make sure the application loads the state where the user left off when reopened.
• Test app notifications functionality in the background and make sure that app properly works when running idly in the background. 
• Try out the app if it correctly goes into sleep mode when not in use.

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Testing iOS Apps on Different Devices

For the multitude of iPhone and iPad varieties, testing across multiple devices and OS is necessary. The operating system applications should perform well on different screens of various sizes, resolutions, different hardware settings, and performance levels. 

Testing on numerous devices clearly detects device-specific bugs, which will then be optimized for better performance across hardware platforms and a more consistent user interface.

Why is Multi-Device Testing Important?

Screen Size & Resolution Variations

• The iOS system comes in varying screen displays and resolutions and extends from the compact “iPhones” to the large-screen “iPads”. 
• UI components must be dynamic across different devices, without breaking and still keeping the design attractive.

Hardware & Performance Differences

• Devices that are older may have limited processing speed and RAM, which in turn might lower the functioning of some applications. 
• The testing is to make sure that the app is going to run optimally across low-end as well as high-end devices.

iOS Version Compatibility

• Apps must operate on the older and latest versions of iOS because customers are not always quick to upgrade.
• Some APIs that are deprecated in newer versions may, if not well-handled, trigger app failures.

Gesture & Interaction Differences

• In terms of authentication devices with Face ID (iPhone X and later) are different from devices with Touch ID.
• iPads are configurable with multi-window with split-screen multitasking, which should be tested for compatibility.

Testing Strategies for Different iOS Devices

To achieve a solidly built app and to stay away from app crackles, a plethora of real devices, simulators, and emulators should be made use of while testing. 

1. Testing on Real Devices

• It accurately creates the user experience, consisting of network behavior, gestures, and battery consumption.
• It detects performance bottlenecks that are device-specific. 
• It is very important for testing the camera, GPS, biometrics (Face ID, Touch ID), and push notifications.

2. Using Simulators & Emulators

• Simulators are a great help for early-stage development due to the fact that they offer a virtual environment for testing out basic app functionality. 
• Emulators are a great help for debugging and analyzing UI layouts. 
• Nevertheless, testing on real devices is always needed before the arrival of the product. 

3. Cloud-Based Testing Platforms

• Platforms such as BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, AWS Device Farm are the best for testing your app on a wide range of remote devices. 
• It allows testers to validate app performance for all versions of iPhone and iPad layouts, etc., without the physical instantiation of the device.

Checklist for Testing iOS Apps on Different Devices

• Test for the latest versions of the iPhone (iPhone 14 and 15) together with the older ones (iPhone X, XR, SE). 
• Validate the app performance on different iPads, including the iPad Mini and iPad Pro. 
• Make sure that the elements of the user interface render properly on different screen sizes. 
• Ensure that the application can handle different gestures across devices (Face ID vs. Touch ID). 
• Check for the difference in network performance when you use Wi-Fi and B4G or 5G data.
• Test if it is possible for the app to work smoothly on iOS 16, iOS 17, and the current versions of iOS.

Explore Further: Complete iOS App Testing Checklist

Testing iOS Apps on Real Devices

Having real device testing is of crucial importance to keep the performance accurate, with valid security and usability in check. When compared to simulators, real devices are able to replicate real-life situations, including network fluctuations, background processes, hardware-specific behaviors, and user interaction. 

This section provides you with a step-by-step guide on how to conduct real-device testing and describes what should be ensured to the quality of the testing process.

Why Test iOS Apps on Real Devices?

Accurate Performance Analysis

• Simulations aren’t able to reflect hardware limitations, which can result in faulty performance tests. 
• Real hardware can find memory leaks, CPU usage spikes, and slow response times.

Network & Connectivity Testing

• Validating the app under different connected network conditions (Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, 5G, Airplane Mode). 
• Guarantees the uninterrupted transmission of data by enabling synchronization as well as offline functionality. 

Push Notification Testing

• Real hardware can be used to test push notifications in real-time to make sure that they are received and displayed properly.

Battery Consumption & Background Processes

• Measures the app’s effect on battery life. 
• Validates if the app can recover properly after being in sleep mode. 

Security & Privacy Compliance

• It makes sure that the app meets Apple’s security and privacy policies. 
• Shows the authentication methods are secure, such as Face ID, Touch ID, and 2FA.

Step-by-Step Guide to Testing iOS Apps on Real Devices

1. Set Up the Testing Environment

• Register test devices using the Apple Developer Account. 
• Install the application through Xcode or TestFlight to have real-world testing. 
• Link your devices to debugging tools like Instruments and Console Logs.

2. Execute Functional Tests on Real Devices

• Check app launch, navigation, and user interactions.
• Test basic core functions like login, forms, search functionality, and payments.
• Ensure that the app supports both light and dark modes.

3. Conduct UI & Compatibility Testing

• Check the various screen sizes and resolutions so that the UI renders correctly.
• Run various gestures like multi-touch, swipes, and scrolling quickly.
• Split-screen mode will be functional on iPads according to the user’s demands.

4. Perform Network & Performance Testing

• To assess app behavior that occurs in very slow connections and unreliable ones. 
• Check API response time for smooth application interactions. 
• Keep a check on app crashes and memory leaks by using iOS Instruments.

5. Security & Compliance Testing

• Make data transmission secure by making use of HTTPS and encryption techniques.
• Examine the app’s permission specifically for camera, microphone, GPS, and other connections. 
• Largely, session management and data retention policies have to be validated.

6. Real-World Usability Testing

• Get user feedback through beta testing in capturing software. 
• Solve the identified issues to make the application easy to navigate, responsive, and intuitive to the customer.

Few pointers need to be kept in mind while developing an iOS application testing strategy. We need to create a test bed of devices on which the iOS application has to be tested.

Also, a market analysis should be done and the devices which are widely used should be selected. The second is the platform on which test cases will be executed such as real devices and emulators.

2 types of testing need to be performed for iOS applications.

• Automated Testing
• Manual Testing

Let’s look at what is manual and automation testing in detail for iOS applications.

Automated Testing for iOS App

Automated testing plays a very important role as one can easily find bugs during the development process. Since there are large sets of scenarios that are impractical to execute manually in a short interval of time, automation reduces the manual burden. The automated suite can be executed on multiple devices with different OS versions to avoid wastage of time. It also helps in saving the cost of development by detecting bugs early in the SDLC.

Let’s take a look at different types of app testing methods that can be used for automated testing.

• Unit Testing

OCUnit framework is used to execute unit test cases on iOS applications. OCUnit framework helps in developing object-oriented tests with low overhead and has the same language as installation.

• UI Testing

For automating Ui functionalities, Appium is used which is like selenium. Test scripts can be written in various programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, and JavaScript. Appium server is launched and XCode is used in identifying element properties. Other tools which can be used for automation testing of UI are UFT, Ranorex, Tricentis Tosca, Espresso, and Squish.

• Performance Testing

It is very important to validate the response time of APIs and different screens of the application. Many tools are available in the industry. Some of them are JMeter, Blazemeter, Gatling, Eggplant, and others.

• Security Testing

iOS devices are very secure, and it becomes very important for testers to make sure that applications are not vulnerable to security breaches. There are tools available that can help in identifying security bottlenecks. ZAP, QARK, Drozer, and Micro Focus are some of the known tools used for the security testing of iOS applications.

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Manual Testing for iOS App

Even though we have automation tools, many use cases need to be tested by an individual to test real-time experience. Exploratory testing is very important as ad-hoc testing helps in finding edge test cases that can introduce bugs. No test plan is needed as part of exploratory testing, and it can discover some of the potential bugs which can cost a hefty amount to businesses.

User Testing is another subcomponent of manual testing. Usability testing is covered as part of this type of testing. It analyses the ease with which the application can be used. iOS app Beta testing is also performed under user testing in which feedback from customers is gathered and then the final product is released in the industry.

Conclusion

With these insights, you are now equipped with the proper strategy that needs to be followed for iOS app testing. Some best practices need to be kept in mind such as real devices should be preferred over emulators for better analysis, usage of console logs for better debugging, and finally, crash reporting with log details for analysis of not so easy reproducible bugs. Applications can be tested on simulators too. But there are hardware, framework, and UI limitations. Adopt these practices and elevate your testing process to ensure the delivery of flawless, high-quality applications.

If you still have any doubts, get a free estimation from us to help make your iOS application more robust with minimum bugs.