.NET MAUI Apps Require UI Scene Lifecycle for Xcode 27 Compatibility

Xcode 27 Compatibility Requirement

Existing .NET MAUI applications built with Xcode 27 and deployed to iOS 27 devices will fail to launch, displaying a splash screen before disappearing. This issue stems from a new compatibility requirement in Xcode 27 that mandates the adoption of UIKit's scene lifecycle for all iOS applications.

The scene lifecycle, introduced with iOS 13, manages an app's user interface instances, including windows and state transitions. While .NET MAUI supports this model, older projects might still use only the application lifecycle. Updating .NET MAUI or its workloads does not automatically rewrite platform files to include the scene lifecycle.

Migration Process and Tooling

For straightforward applications, the migration involves adding a scene delegate and an entry in the Info.plist file. However, applications with custom implementations like authentication callbacks, deep links, or App Actions require more attention during the migration.

Microsoft provides a 'maui-xcode27-migration' agent skill to guide developers through the project checks, migration, and verification steps. This skill is installed via the .NET MAUI CLI and requires Microsoft.Maui.Cli version 0.1.0-preview.13.26512.5 or later.

Using the Migration Skill

Developers can install or update the necessary CLI tool using the commands: 'dotnet tool install --global Microsoft.Maui.Cli --version 0.1.0-preview.13.26512.5' or 'dotnet tool update --global Microsoft.Maui.Cli --version 0.1.0-preview.13.26512.5'. The .NET MAUI CLI and the migration skill are experimental and are not covered by Microsoft Support Policy.