# iPad - Appium Inspector unable to inspect child elements under DockFolderViewService on iOS Simulator -iPAD

**URL:** <https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [January 29, 2026, 12:44pm UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077 "2026-01-29T12:44:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/1/43a26b/32.png) [@121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/u/121himanshu)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2026, 12:44pm UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/1 "2026-01-29T12:44:45Z")

</div>

Hello Appium Team,

I’d like to report an issue observed while inspecting **Dock folders on an iPad Simulator created from Xcode** , using Appium Inspector with XCUITest.

### Environment

- Platform: **iPadOS Simulator (created via Xcode)**

- Device: iPad Simulator

- iOS/iPadOS Version: 26.1

- Automation: XCUITest

- Appium & Appium Inspector: Latest versions

### Issue Summary

When opening a **Dock folder on the iPad Simulator Home Screen** , Appium Inspector identifies the root container as:

- `XCUIElementTypeApplication`

- `name = DockFolderViewService`

However, **the UI hierarchy under this node does not expose any actionable or semantic child elements** , despite app icons being clearly visible in the UI.

### Inspector Observation (from attached screenshot)

The hierarchy expands only as follows:

```auto
XCUIElementTypeApplication (DockFolderViewService)
 └─ XCUIElementTypeWindow
     └─ XCUIElementTypeOther
         └─ XCUIElementTypeOther
             └─ XCUIElementTypeOther
                 └─ XCUIElementTypeOther

```

All child nodes:

- Are `XCUIElementTypeOther`

- Have `accessible = false`

- Do not contain `name`, `label`, or any identifying attributes

- Do not expose app icons as `XCUIElementTypeIcon` or similar elements

As a result:

- Appium Inspector cannot show or interact with individual app icons inside the Dock folder

- XPath and iOS predicate locators only match anonymous container nodes

- Standard automation is blocked without coordinate- or image-based workarounds

### Questions

1. Is this a **known limitation of WebDriverAgent / XCUITest on iPadOS** , specifically for `DockFolderViewService`?

2. Is this behavior **by design in SpringBoard accessibility on iPad** , or a potential WDA gap?

3. Are there any **recommended capabilities or approaches** to surface Dock folder icons on iPad simulators?

Any guidance or confirmation would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,  
Himanshu Pal

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/1/43a26b/32.png) [@121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/u/121himanshu)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 8:26am UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/2 "2026-01-30T08:26:13Z")

</div>

Hi @mykola-mokhnach @wreed , can you please help me on this issue?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/user_avatar/discuss.appium.io/aleksei/32/6267_2.png) [@Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/u/Aleksei)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 9:00am UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/3 "2026-01-30T09:00:15Z")

</div>

Pls add

- your driver capabilities when you start session.
- appium + xcuitest driver versions

This can help identify issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/1/43a26b/32.png) [@121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/u/121himanshu)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 9:24am UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/4 "2026-01-30T09:24:16Z")

</div>

Hi @Aleksei Here is the required information -  
Below driver capabilities are set during starting the session.  
Appium version - 3.1.1  
XCuitest version - 10.5.1

 ![image](https://discuss.appium.io/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0f2eaa61b86363184cc7b748e2b2ae474621c70c.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/user_avatar/discuss.appium.io/aleksei/32/6267_2.png) [@Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/u/Aleksei)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 2:30pm UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/5 "2026-01-30T14:30:32Z")

</div>

> [@121himanshu](#):
>
> `DockFolderViewService`

how about change “defaultActiveApplication” [setting](https://appium.github.io/appium-xcuitest-driver/10.18/reference/settings/) in driver to “com.apple.springboard” ?

or check what active app Appium sees as active with command below →

```auto
[`mobile: activeAppInfo`](../reference/execute-methods.md#mobile-activateappinfo) helps to understand what application (bundleId) is considered as active for the XCUITest driver.

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/1/43a26b/32.png) [@121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/u/121himanshu)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 11:03am UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/6 "2026-02-02T11:03:27Z")

</div>

> [@Aleksei](#):
>
> `mobile: activeAppInfo`

Hey @Aleksei ,  
I got the below response after running the command “ mobile: activeAppInfo”

 ![image](https://discuss.appium.io/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5266cfad6c9f1cbb5fcbacf516e1bb3ea312dc48.jpeg)

I am not sure how it can be helpful in this scenario !  
Could you please share more insight on it ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/user_avatar/discuss.appium.io/aleksei/32/6267_2.png) [@Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/u/Aleksei)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/7 "2026-02-02T14:47:41Z")

</div>

So can you add into settings after driver open set active app bundleID to above on screen and try again?

Or in driver capability →

Try add

```auto
"appium:settings[defaultActiveApplication]": "com.apple.DocumentManager.DockFolderService"

```

check mine typos! 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/1/43a26b/32.png) [@121himanshu](https://discuss.appium.io/u/121himanshu)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 8:42am UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/8 "2026-02-03T08:42:18Z")

</div>

> [@Aleksei](#):
>
> So can you add into settings after driver open set active app bundleID to above on screen and try again?
> 
> Or in driver capability →
> 
> Try add
> 
> ```auto
> "appium:settings[defaultActiveApplication]": "com.apple.DocumentManager.DockFolderService"
> 
> ```

Hi @Aleksei , on what basis this setting will be applied as, if I go to other screens this setting must be rolled back to the normal to continue working for other applications?  
Also, I can’t hardcode app bundleID as the test case will not be specific to any one application. Please suggest.

Moreover, I have tried below -  
appiumOptions.AddAdditionalAppiumOption(“appium:settings[defaultActiveApplication]”, “com.apple.DocumentManager.DockFolderService”);  
but this doesn’t help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/user_avatar/discuss.appium.io/aleksei/32/6267_2.png) [@Aleksei](https://discuss.appium.io/u/Aleksei)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 2:53pm UTC](https://discuss.appium.io/t/ipad-appium-inspector-unable-to-inspect-child-elements-under-dockfolderviewservice-on-ios-simulator-ipad/46077/9 "2026-02-03T14:53:53Z")

</div>

Try also check context and switch to some you may have. No more ideas ….