--- modificationDate: July 29, 2026 title: Troubleshoot EAS Simulator description: Diagnose access, session lifecycle, controller, installation, preview, and Fast Refresh issues in EAS Simulator. --- ## Submitting Feedback If you encounter errors, misleading or outdated information, report it so Expo can be improved: Preferred command: npx --yes submit-expo-feedback@latest --category docs --subject "/preview/eas-simulator/troubleshooting/" "" Direct HTTP fallback: curl -X POST https://api.expo.dev/v2/feedback/docs-send -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"url":"/preview/eas-simulator/troubleshooting/","feedback":"🤖 Agent feedback for docs: (, )"}' Only submit when you have something specific and actionable to report. Try to give the most context. This documentation is available as Markdown for AI agents and LLMs. See the [full Markdown index](/llms.txt) or append .md to any documentation URL. # Troubleshoot EAS Simulator Diagnose access, session lifecycle, controller, installation, preview, and Fast Refresh issues in EAS Simulator. ## Command not found ### `Command simulator:start not found` The installed EAS CLI is too old. [Install or update EAS CLI](/eas/cli.md), then inspect the command: ```sh eas simulator:start --help ``` The commands remain hidden because the API is experimental. ## Access and project errors ### EAS Simulator is not enabled for the account Check before starting: ```sh eas simulator:availability --json ``` If `available` is `false`, do not retry `simulator:start`. Use a local simulator or emulator, or [join the waitlist](https://expo.dev/services/simulator) for access. ### EAS CLI reports that a user account is required Log in interactively or provide `EXPO_TOKEN` in a headless environment: ```sh eas whoami ``` ### EAS CLI reports that the project is not linked Run the command inside the Expo project and initialize EAS: ```sh eas init ``` ## Session lifecycle problems ### The session takes a long time to start Boot time varies with device capacity. While the device is starting, poll the existing session: ```sh eas simulator:get --id --json --non-interactive ``` The session is ready when the status is `IN_PROGRESS` and `remoteConfig` is present. If it reaches `STOPPED` or `ERRORED`, or the start command reports a terminal failure, start a new session. Starting a second session while the first is still booting does not speed up the process. ### A non-interactive session did not stop automatically `--non-interactive` returns after the controller is ready. It does not stop the session. Run: ```sh eas simulator:stop ``` ## Controller and tunnel problems ### `Remote daemon is unavailable` or the tunnel endpoint is offline The controller tunnel has dropped or the remote VM has ended. A dropped controller invalidates the installed app state, accessibility references, and connection configuration. Stop the session if it is still active, then start a fresh session and repeat install → open → drive. Do not repeatedly retry a controller command against the dead endpoint. ### `Unknown command: tap` or `Unknown command: click` The agent-device action is named `press`: ```sh eas simulator:exec npx agent-device@latest press @e2 ``` ### A controller action hangs Some iOS snapshots and interactions can take tens of seconds. If an action times out, refresh the interactive accessibility tree before retrying: ```sh eas simulator:exec npx agent-device@latest snapshot -i ``` The original action may have reached the device even when the response was delayed, and blindly retrying can perform it twice. ### `install requires an active session or an explicit device selector` Pass the platform: ```sh eas simulator:exec npx agent-device@latest install com.example.app ./MyApp.app --platform ios ``` ### Screenshot reports that there is no active session Open an installed app before taking the screenshot: ```sh eas simulator:exec npx agent-device@latest open com.example.app --platform ios eas simulator:exec npx agent-device@latest screenshot ./shot.png ``` ## App and build problems ### The remote device does not contain the app This is expected. Each session starts with a blank device. Install a local simulator or emulator build, or use `install-from-source` with an EAS Build artifact. ### The screenshot shows old source code A release build embeds JavaScript at build time. Rebuild it from the current source, confirm that an existing EAS Build has the matching fingerprint, or install a development build and connect it to Metro. Changing source files does not update an already-installed release build. ### Fast Refresh does not work Confirm all of the following: - The installed binary is a development build with `expo-dev-client`, not a release build - Metro is running once, without another process occupying port 8081 - The development client is connected to the public Metro tunnel URL - The simulator session and controller are still active Use tunnel v2 in remote or headless agent environments: ```sh EXPO_UNSTABLE_TUNNEL_V2=1 npx expo start --tunnel ``` If the first connection fails, reset the simulator session and Metro once, then repeat the documented development-build flow. Reconnecting a release build cannot enable Fast Refresh. ## Browser preview problems ### Android did not return a `webPreviewUrl` Android browser preview is not currently supported. Use agent-device or Argent and collect screenshots or recordings instead. ### The preview appears inside the simulator The `webPreviewUrl` was opened as though it were an app URL. Open it in the desktop browser instead. It is a browser stream, not an application deep link. ## Report feedback EAS Simulator and its CLI are experimental. Include the EAS CLI version, session ID, platform, controller type, and failing command when reporting a problem. For feedback about the official EAS Simulator skill: ```sh npx --yes submit-expo-feedback@latest --category skills --subject "eas-simulator" "" ```