Getting set up is three quick steps: install from TestFlight, accept the network-capture consent, and sign in — which automatically pairs the device to your dashboard.
Install from TestFlight
BusymateHelper ships through TestFlight, Apple's beta distribution.
- On the iPhone or iPad you want to debug, open ios.busymate.net. This link redirects straight to the current TestFlight build.
- If you don't already have it, install TestFlight from the App Store.
- Accept the BusymateHelper beta, then install and launch the app.
Tip: When a newer build ships, the app shows an inline Update available banner above the readiness card on the home screen. Tap it to reopen TestFlight on the latest build.
Accept network-capture consent
On first launch you'll see a network-capture consent sheet. This is required by Apple (Guideline 5.1.1) because the app inspects your device's traffic — accepting it makes clear you're knowingly turning on capture.
You can't pair or start capturing until you accept it, and if any code path ever tries to start the tunnel without consent, this sheet reappears. It's a one-time gate.
Sign in (this pairs the device)
After consent, a sign-in sheet covers the app until your device is paired. On iOS there's no separate activation step and no 6-digit code — signing in is pairing:
- Choose Sign in with Apple, or enter your email and password.
- The app sends your signed-in session to the
device-pairEdge Function as proof of who you are, and receives a long-lived device JWT (valid for 365 days) in return. It's stored securely in the device keychain. - The sheet closes and the home screen appears. Every read and write this device makes from now on authenticates with that device JWT.
Note: The device's identity is a UUID, not its name — so you can rename it freely later without breaking anything.
After pairing
Your device now appears in the dashboard's Devices tab and comes Online. You can:
- Rename it — edit the name on the home screen, or rename it from the dashboard. Renames propagate both ways in real time.
- Open the Account sheet — tap the account pill under the app icon to see your profile, your editable names, and the live list of every device on your account.
To unpair, open the account pill and sign out — that drops the device JWT and brings back the sign-in gate. You can also revoke a device remotely from the dashboard, which tears it down immediately.
Next
With the app installed and paired, the one remaining piece is the certificate. Continue to Trust the certificate.