# Prepare your iPhones for TikTok automation (https://clout.wtf/guide/device-setup/) This guide covers everything you need to set up **before** installing Clout App on your iPhone: the host machine (Mac or Windows), the supported iPhones, the cable, and the iPhone settings that must be configured for publishing to run reliably. Do this once per device. After that you're ready to follow the [App Store Connect installation guide](https://clout.wtf/guide/asc-api-guide/). *** ## 1. Host machine — Mac or Windows Clout Uploader runs on a desktop computer that drives the connected iPhones over USB. Pick the option that matches your workflow: ### Mac (recommended) * **Apple Silicon required** — M1, M2, M3, or M4. Intel Macs are not supported. * **macOS 14 or later** (Sonoma / Sequoia). ### Windows * **Windows 10 22H2** or **Windows 11**, 64-bit. Server editions are not supported. * **iTunes installed from apple.com** (the standalone installer, *not* the Microsoft Store version and not third-party tools). Clout Uploader relies on Apple's device service that only the apple.com installer provides. * Add the project folder and `%USERPROFILE%\.clout-publisher\` to your antivirus / Defender exclusions — real-time scanning of those paths causes connection stalls. * Don't run iTunes or "Apple Devices" in parallel with Clout Uploader — they compete for the same USB session. ### Sizing by number of devices Use this table as a starting point. Capacity assumes TikTok's native multi-account support — up to **8 accounts per device**. > **Note:** > > | Devices | Up to accounts | Mac | Windows | Storage | > | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | -------- | > | 1 | 8 | M1 / M2 / M4, 16 GB RAM | i7 (11th gen+) / Ryzen 7 5000+, 16 GB RAM | SATA SSD | > | 3 | 24 | M1 / M2 / M4, 16 GB RAM | i7, 8+ cores, 24 GB RAM | SATA SSD | > | 5 | 40 | M1 Pro / M2 / M4 (Pro preferred), 24 GB RAM | i7 / i9, 8+ P-cores, 32 GB RAM | NVMe SSD | > | 10 | 80 | M2 Pro / M4 Pro, 32 GB RAM | i9 / Ryzen 9, 12+ cores, 48–64 GB RAM | NVMe SSD | > | Larger | For deployments above 10 devices, write to [support@clout.wtf](mailto:support@clout.wtf) — we'll size hardware and licensing together. | | | | *Why Mac is recommended:* on-screen content recognition runs on the Neural Engine on Apple Silicon, which is significantly faster than CPU-based recognition on Windows. At the same hardware budget, a Mac comfortably handles roughly twice as many devices as a comparable PC. *** ## 2. iPhone — supported models > **Note:** > > | Support level | Models | iOS | > | ------------- | ------------------------------- | --------------- | > | Recommended | iPhone 13, 14, 15 (any variant) | iOS 17.x – 18.x | > | Minimum | iPhone 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max | iOS 17.0+ | **Free space:** at least **5 GB**, ideally **15+ GB** — leaves room for TikTok, system updates, and the video files prepared for publishing. ### USB cable * Use the **original Apple cable** or an **MFi-certified** Lightning or USB-C cable. * Generic uncertified cables are the single most common cause of mid-session disconnects we see in support tickets. * Wi-Fi is **not** a working alternative — Clout Uploader needs the cable to drive iPhone automation. The cable is required at all times. ### Power and hubs * One iPhone needs one USB 2.0 (or better) port that can sustain 500 mA. * **From 6 iPhones** — use a **powered USB hub** (with its own power adapter). Without one, devices start dropping off the bus randomly under load. * Beyond 12 iPhones — split across several powered hubs, 6–8 devices per hub. ### Network * Stable internet on the host machine — **100 Mbps** is plenty. * If you use per-account proxies, see the [Stash proxy guide](https://clout.wtf/guide/stash-proxy-guide/). *** ## 3. iPhone settings — required configuration Run through these **once per iPhone**, in order. Two of them — Light appearance and StandBy off — are recent additions; skipping them is the most common cause of failed sessions we see today. 1. ### Enable Developer Mode **Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode → On.** The iPhone will prompt to restart. Without this, Clout App cannot be installed on the device. 2. ### Trust the computer Plug the iPhone into the host machine over USB. When iOS shows the **"Trust This Computer?"** prompt, tap **Trust** and enter the passcode. iOS remembers the trust for this Mac/PC permanently. 3. ### Auto-Lock = Never **Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock → Never** (or at least 5 minutes if "Never" makes you uncomfortable). *Why:* auto-lock cuts off whatever the iPhone is doing — including an active upload. The session breaks, the video doesn't publish, and the account is left in an uncertain state. 4. ### Brightness at 50% or above **Settings → Display & Brightness** — set the slider to roughly the middle, or higher. *Why:* Clout Uploader recognizes TikTok screen elements visually. Low brightness reduces on-screen contrast and slows that recognition, which slows the whole session. 5. ### Light appearance — Required **Settings → Display & Brightness → Appearance → Light.** Light appearance ensures TikTok screens render with adequate contrast for reliable in-app interaction. On Dark appearance the pre-publish screen renders almost entirely in near-black, and Clout Uploader can't reliably locate the on-screen targets it needs to tap — uploads simply don't complete. **If you must run Dark elsewhere on your phone**, set it specifically to *Light* on the iPhones used with Clout Uploader. Don't use "Automatic" — it switches at night and breaks scheduled sessions. 6. ### Disable iCloud Photos **Settings → Photos → iCloud Photos → Off.** This keeps the device's gallery limited to the content you've prepared for publishing — otherwise foreign photos from your iCloud library can sync down and accidentally end up in a post. 7. ### Disable StandBy — Required **Settings → StandBy → Off.** StandBy is the iOS 17+ feature that turns a charging iPhone into a desk clock when it's lying on its side. It activates after about 30 seconds when the device is *charging* + *horizontal* + *locked* + *idle*. Once StandBy is active, iOS blocks programmatic app launches — Clout Uploader can't start TikTok, and the session stalls. **Symptoms if you skip this:** the session sits idle for several minutes, then the device shows up as *standby* in the dashboard. Disabling StandBy removes the failure mode entirely. **Alternative (less reliable):** always keep the iPhone *vertical* while charging. StandBy needs the phone to be lying flat to activate, so a stand that holds it upright works too. **Note:** Portrait Orientation Lock in Control Center does *not* help — StandBy reads the accelerometer directly. Toggling StandBy off doesn't affect anything else on the phone. 8. ### Reduce Motion — optional **Settings → Accessibility → Motion → Reduce Motion → On.** Cuts iOS animations, which makes screen transitions a touch faster across the whole device. Not required, but recommended once everything else works. *** ## 4. TikTok app on the iPhone * **Install TikTok** from the App Store on the iPhone. * **Open it at least once**, accept the initial prompts, sign in to the first account you intend to use. * **Language:** the app's interface language should be **English** or **Russian**. Other languages may work but are not regularly tested — if you need a specific locale, get in touch first. *** ## 5. Pre-flight checklist Before installing Clout App and starting a session, run through this once per device: * [ ] Host machine matches the requirements above (Mac Apple Silicon + macOS 14+, or Windows 10 22H2 / 11 + iTunes from apple.com) * [ ] iPhone model is iPhone 11 or newer * [ ] iOS 17.0 or later, at least 5 GB free * [ ] Connected over an original or MFi-certified USB cable * [ ] Developer Mode is on * [ ] "Trust This Computer" was confirmed * [ ] Auto-Lock = Never * [ ] Brightness at 50% or above * [ ] **Appearance = Light** (not Dark, not Automatic) * [ ] iCloud Photos = Off * [ ] **StandBy = Off** * [ ] TikTok is installed and opened at least once, in English or Russian Once all boxes are ticked — proceed to [install Clout App via App Store Connect API](https://clout.wtf/guide/asc-api-guide/). ## FAQ ### Which iPhones work with Clout Uploader? iPhone 11 and newer on iOS 17+. iPhone 13–15 are the recommended range. ### Do I need to jailbreak the iPhone? No. Clout Uploader works with stock iOS — you install Clout App with a normal Apple signing flow and flip a few Settings toggles. Nothing about the device is modified. ### How many TikTok accounts can one iPhone run? Up to 8 — that's TikTok's native multi-account limit per device, and Clout Uploader operates inside it. Need more accounts? Add more iPhones to the fleet. ### Can I use Windows instead of a Mac? Yes. The host machine can be a Mac or a Windows PC — see the requirements in section 1 above. ## Related guides * [Installing Clout App via App Store Connect API](https://clout.wtf/guide/asc-api-guide/) — the install step that comes right after this one. * [Stash + Clout Uploader: per-account proxy](https://clout.wtf/guide/stash-proxy-guide/) — optional, for assigning a different IP to each account on the same iPhone. * [Folder structure](https://clout.wtf/guide/folder-structure-guide/) — how to lay out media for Upload, Activity, and Seeding modes. * [Upload mode](https://clout.wtf/guide/upload-guide/) — running your first publishing session.