In Xcode 26 Beta 1, code that uses a Playground macro can fail to compile for Mac Catalyst because the Playgrounds module cannot be found. Apple resolved this known issue in Xcode 26 Beta 2.
Representative error
error: no such module 'Playgrounds'
Build failed because Playgrounds could not be found.Apple describes the symptom as a Mac Catalyst build failure saying that Playgrounds cannot be found when Playground macros are present.
Cause
Xcode 26 Beta 1 had a defect in Playground macro support that prevented the required Playgrounds support module from being resolved correctly for a Mac Catalyst build. A project that compiles for an iOS simulator or a regular macOS destination but fails only for Mac Catalyst matches the documented condition.
This has a different root cause from a general Swift Package “No such module” error. Apple tracks it as issue 151029441 and lists it under the resolved issues for Xcode 26 Beta 2.
Affected conditions and versions
- Xcode 26 Beta 1
- Source code containing a Playground macro such as
#Playground - Mac Catalyst selected as the build destination
The official corrected release is Xcode 26 Beta 2. Stable Xcode 26 and later releases include the correction.
Recommended solution
- Check the current Xcode version in About Xcode or from Terminal.
- Update to Xcode 26 Beta 2 or later, preferably the latest stable release.
- If multiple Xcode installations exist, point the command-line Developer directory to the corrected version.
- Remove the affected project’s Derived Data.
- Select Mac Catalyst, clean the build folder, and rebuild.
xcodebuild -version
xcode-select -p
sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/DeveloperIf the error remains after updating
Remove only the affected project’s Derived Data to prevent stale compiler output from being reused.
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/<affected-project>If the project uses Swift packages, resolve dependencies again from Xcode’s File > Packages menu before rebuilding.
Alternatives
- Build the Catalyst target on another Mac or CI image that has a corrected Xcode release.
- Temporarily isolate Playground macros from the product target so they are not compiled for Mac Catalyst.
- Continue development on another supported destination and resume Catalyst builds after updating Xcode.
Removing a macro or changing target membership was not documented by Apple as a guaranteed workaround for this bug. It can change application behavior or the build graph, so treat it only as a temporary measure.
How to verify the fix
- Confirm that
xcodebuild -versionreports Xcode 26 Beta 2 or later. - Select the Mac Catalyst scheme and destination.
- Perform a clean build and confirm that
No such module 'Playgrounds'no longer appears. - Verify that the file containing the Playground macro compiles and that the application launches in the Catalyst environment.
Cautions
If the error persists on a corrected release, check Xcode’s Toolchains setting, xcode-select, and the CI DEVELOPER_DIR value for references to another installation. Do not manually add Playgrounds to Package.swift; an Xcode support module is not normally repaired by treating it as an external package dependency.
Summary
No such module 'Playgrounds' when building for Mac Catalyst is a known Playground macro issue in Xcode 26 Beta 1. Update to Xcode 26 Beta 2 or later, verify the selected toolchain, clear the affected cache, and rebuild.
Official references
