Why watch a tester's real device instead of reading a bug report?
A bug report describes what a tester remembers, and the hardest bugs depend on details the tester does not think to mention: a specific phone model and OS version, a larger text size, a low-storage warning, a VPN, a second language, or a permission they denied weeks ago. Screenshots capture the end state but not the sequence of taps that led there. Watching the tester's actual device live closes that gap. GuidedView lets an app developer, QA engineer or support lead see a tester's real iPhone, iPad or Android screen during a phone call without adding an SDK, a library or any code to the app. The tester approves sharing in the free GuidedView app, switches to your build, and repeats the steps while you watch and ask questions on the call. You see the bug happen on the hardware and settings where it actually occurs.
What can mobile teams use a live view for?
| Use | What you watch | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Bug reproduction | The exact tap sequence, timing and screen states before the failure | Ask the tester to say what they expect before each tap |
| Onboarding friction | Where first-time users hesitate, back out or misread a screen | Stay quiet for the first run, then ask questions on the second |
| Permission prompts | Notification, location, camera and tracking prompts as the OS shows them | Note which choice the tester makes and what your app does next |
| Deep links | Links from email or text that open the wrong screen, or the store instead of the app | Have the tester open the real message, not a copy |
| Paywalls and purchases | Plan selection, restore purchases and error states | Ask the tester to pause before confirming payment |
| Accessibility settings | Layouts under large text, bold text, dark mode or reduced motion | Ask which settings they changed, since you see the result, not the history |
| Production support | A customer's real problem on your live app | Note the time so you can match it to your crash and log tools |
How do you run a session with a tester?
- Schedule a call
GuidedView carries no audio, so you talk on a normal phone call. Have the tester install your current build beforehand.
- Send the invitation
From the GuidedView portal, text the tester's cell phone or email them. iPhone and iPad testers get the free GuidedView app from the App Store, then reopen the original invitation. Android testers use the free GuidedView app for Android.
- Approve sharing
The tester confirms they are on a call with you, chooses Share and approves the system prompt. On iPhone this is Apple's screen broadcast, with Apple's recording indicator visible.
- Switch to your app
Once sharing is on, the tester leaves GuidedView and opens your build. You watch in a browser on your development machine or a second phone.
- Capture what you need
GuidedView keeps no recording, so take notes as you go and ask the tester to screenshot key moments on their device for the ticket.
- End the session
End it from your side, or the tester stops it. Links cannot be reused, so send a fresh invitation for the next session.
What will not show up in a screen share?
Screen sharing shows pixels, and both mobile platforms let apps keep some pixels out of a capture. Know these before you assume a blank screen is your bug:
- Android secure windows: Android's FLAG_SECURE keeps a window's content out of screenshots and non-secure displays, and Android marks a window hosting a sensitive view as secure during screen share. If your app or a login library sets it, those screens may appear blank to you.
- iOS capture detection: Apple's guidance for apps that handle sensitive data, such as banking, payments and healthcare apps, is to watch the scene capture state and swap sensitive views for redacted content while the screen is captured. If your app does this, a live share is a quick way to check the redaction on a real device.
- Protected video: Apple documents that iOS blacks out video encrypted with FairPlay Streaming when the screen is recorded, mirrored or streamed.
- Touches: you see the result of each tap, not the finger. Ask the tester to say what they are tapping.
Does GuidedView replace session replay or crash reporting?
No, and it is not trying to. SDK-based tools capture events, logs, network calls and session replays across your user base without anyone on the phone. GuidedView captures nothing: it is a live, consented view of one person's screen at a time, with no recording, no logs and no remote control. The tradeoff is that there is nothing to integrate, nothing to ship in your binary and no third-party code added to your app, because GuidedView runs as a separate app on the tester's device rather than inside yours.
It also does not replace device farms or automated UI tests. Use those for coverage, and use a live view when one real person on one real device hits something your tests did not.
Can your support team use it with customers too?
Yes. Because the customer shares their own screen, a support agent can see your production app, its App Store or Google Play listing, the phone's Settings app or any website the customer has open. That makes it useful for escalations such as login loops, subscription problems or notifications that never arrive. Our page for SaaS customer support and the guide to sharing an iPhone screen with support cover the customer side.
GuidedView is available in the United States and costs $29.99 a month per account, billed monthly. Testers and customers never pay or sign up. Sign up and send yourself an invitation to see exactly what testers will see, or read how it works first.
Questions
Do we need to add an SDK or library to our app?
No. GuidedView runs as its own app on the tester's iPhone, iPad or Android phone, or in a desktop browser on a computer. Your app needs no code changes, no build flags and no new dependencies, and it works with any build the tester can install.
Can we record a session to attach to a bug ticket?
No. GuidedView sessions are live only, and GuidedView does not record or store screen video. Ask the tester to take screenshots or a screen recording on their own device if they are comfortable, and write your reproduction steps while you watch.
Does it work with TestFlight and Android test builds?
Yes, as long as the build is installed on the tester's device. GuidedView shares the device screen, so whatever app the tester opens, beta or production, is what you see, unless that app hides its own content during screen capture.
Can we tap or type on the tester's device?
No. GuidedView is view-only. You describe the steps and the tester performs every tap and keystroke, which also means you see real user behavior instead of a developer driving the app.
Can testers outside the United States use it?
GuidedView is currently available in the United States. The iPhone app is on the US App Store and text invitations go to US phone numbers, so plan international beta sessions around that.
Why does a red indicator appear on the tester's iPhone?
That is Apple's recording or broadcast indicator, shown whenever the screen is shared through Apple's screen broadcast. It is part of iOS, not your app or GuidedView's interface, and it may stay visible while GuidedView is paused.
Sources
Third-party details were checked against these pages as of November 2, 2026. Products change, so confirm current pricing and features with each vendor.