Xcode 12 at a Glance
The newest Xcode 12 release is Xcode 12.5.1, build 12E507, released June 21, 2021 with Swift 5.4.2 and the iOS 14.5 SDK.
The line began with Xcode 12.0 Beta 1 on June 22, 2020; Xcode 12.0 shipped on September 17, 2020 after 7 pre-release builds. 8 releases and 20 betas and release candidates in all.
It needs macOS Catalina 10.15.4 at first, rising to macOS Big Sur 11.0 by its last release, and it moved Swift from 5.3 to 5.4.2.
| Latest release | Xcode 12.5.1 (12E507) |
| Released | June 21, 2021 |
| Requires | macOS Big Sur 11.0 or later |
| Swift | 5.4.2 |
| SDKs | iOS 14.5, macOS 11.3, tvOS 14.5, watchOS 7.4 |
Every Xcode 12 Release
Shipped releases only, newest first. The minimum macOS is what Apple's installer enforces; the SDK column is the iOS SDK, and the other platforms move in step with it.
| Version | Build | Released | Requires | Swift | iOS SDK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.5.1 | 12E507 | June 21, 2021 | macOS 11.0 | 5.4.2 | 14.5 |
| 12.5 | 12E262 | April 26, 2021 | macOS 11.0 | 5.4 | 14.5 |
| 12.4 | 12D4e | January 26, 2021 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3.2 | 14.4 |
| 12.3 | 12C33 | December 14, 2020 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3.2 | 14.3 |
| 12.2 | 12B45b | November 12, 2020 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3.1 | 14.2 |
| 12.1 | 12A7403 | October 20, 2020 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3 | 14.1 |
| 12.0.1 | 12A7300 | September 24, 2020 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3 | 14.0 |
| 12.0 | 12A7209 | September 17, 2020 | macOS 10.15.4 | 5.3 | 14.0 |
Xcode 12 Betas and Release Candidates
Every pre-release build Apple published for Xcode 12, with its date — the record of how long each version spent in testing.
| Version | Build | Released |
|---|---|---|
| Xcode 12.5 RC | 12E262 | April 20, 2021 |
| Xcode 12.5 Beta 3 | 12E5244e | March 2, 2021 |
| Xcode 12.5 Beta 2 | 12E5234g | February 16, 2021 |
| Xcode 12.5 Beta 1 | 12E5220o | February 1, 2021 |
| Xcode 12.4 RC | 12D4e | January 21, 2021 |
| Xcode 12.3 RC | 12C33 | December 8, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.3 Beta 1 | 12C5020f | November 12, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.2 RC | 12B5044c | November 5, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.1.1 RC | 12A7605b | October 30, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.2 Beta 3 | 12B5035g | October 13, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.1 GM seed 1 | 12A7403 | October 13, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.2 Beta 2 | 12B5025f | September 29, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.2 Beta 1 | 12B5018i | September 17, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 GM seed 1 | 12A7209 | September 15, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 6 | 12A8189n | August 25, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 5 | 12A8189h | August 18, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 4 | 12A8179i | August 4, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 3 | 12A8169g | July 22, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 2 | 12A6163b | July 7, 2020 |
| Xcode 12.0 Beta 1 | 12A6159 | June 22, 2020 |
How to Get Xcode 12
The current release is in the Mac App Store. Every version, including betas and older releases, is on Apple's developer download page at developer.apple.com/download/all, which needs a free Apple Account; that is the route for keeping more than one Xcode installed side by side, each renamed in the Applications folder.
Check the macOS requirement first: the installer refuses to run on anything older than macOS Big Sur 11.0 for the latest Xcode 12 release. Which Xcode runs on which macOS covers every version.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest version of Xcode 12?
Xcode 12.5.1, build 12E507, released June 21, 2021.
When was Xcode 12 released?
Xcode 12.0 shipped on September 17, 2020. The first beta, Xcode 12.0 Beta 1, came out on June 22, 2020.
What macOS does Xcode 12 need?
macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or later for the first release, and macOS Big Sur 11.0 or later for the latest.
Which Swift version comes with Xcode 12?
Swift 5.3, 5.3.1, 5.3.2, 5.4, 5.4.2, across its releases — Swift 5.4.2 in Xcode 12.5.1.
Which iOS SDK is in Xcode 12?
iOS 14.0, 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, depending on the release. The table on this page lists the SDK for each one.
Other Xcode versions
Source: Apple's downloads and release notes, as recorded by xcodereleases.com. Updated automatically.