Ndtyjky

I am following the Get Started tutorial.

I can install everything, flutter doctor returns all checkmarks but in the end there is a message:

idevice_id returned an error:

ERROR: Could not connect to lockdownd, error code -2

Same message appears if I try to run the app using flutter run or if I try to list the devices using flutter devices.

The tutorial also states that:

Note: If the Run & Debug buttons are disabled, and no targets are listed, Flutter has not been able to discover any connected iOS or Android devices or simulators. You need to connect a device, or start a simulator, to proceed

I have two devices listed my Android phone and an iPhone simulator. Run and Debug buttons are ENABLED!

How can I run my app using flutter? It can be either using the command line or IntelliJ IDE.

Disconnect all iOS devices, then:

brew uninstall ideviceinstaller

brew uninstall libimobiledevice

brew install --HEAD libimobiledevice

brew link --overwrite libimobiledevice

brew install --HEAD  ideviceinstaller

brew link --overwrite ideviceinstaller

sudo rm -rf /var/db/lockdown/*

Connect an iOS device, and choose "Trust" when prompted, after that:

sudo chmod -R 777 /var/db/lockdown/

I was having similar issues, and resolved them using the below. Hopefully this will help you. flutter doctor was telling me the answers, but they were a bit buried. Look for something like this:

[-] iOS toolchain - develop for iOS devices (Xcode 8.3.3)

    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer

    • Xcode 8.3.3, Build version 8E3004b

    ✗ libimobiledevice and ideviceinstaller are not installed or require updating. To update, run:

        brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies libimobiledevice

        brew install --HEAD libimobiledevice

        brew install ideviceinstaller

    • ios-deploy 1.9.1

    ✗ ios-deploy out of date (1.9.2 is required). To upgrade:

        brew upgrade ios-deploy

    • CocoaPods version 1.2.0

There are four brew commands in there to run. When I did them, this problem disappeared for me. Good luck!

This workaround worked for me when loosing the connection:

• close everything (Visual Studio Code, Xcode, Simulator)


• disconnect any physical device


• Start Visual Studio Code


• connect a physical IOS phone


• Start XCode


• build from XCode (it will work)


• Disconnect your physical device


• Start without debug


• You will be prompted to connect to a device

and from there it worked again!

This just to help to debug the loos of connection bug. I have also observed that it begins just after the "stop debugging" command from Visual Studio Code.