diff --git a/conan/tools/apple/apple.py b/conan/tools/apple/apple.py
index b2efefd4820..8bffb654ec9 100644
--- a/conan/tools/apple/apple.py
+++ b/conan/tools/apple/apple.py
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ def __init__(self, conanfile, sdk=None, use_settings_target=False):
         settings = conanfile.settings
         if use_settings_target and hasattr(conanfile, "settings_target") and conanfile.settings_target is not None:
             settings = conanfile.settings_target
+        self.settings = settings
 
         if sdk is None and settings:
             sdk = apple_sdk_name(settings)
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ def _fix_executables(conanfile, substitutions):
     if is_apple_os(conanfile) and conanfile.options.get_safe("shared", False):
         substitutions = _fix_dylib_files(conanfile)
 
-        # Only "fix" executables if dylib files were patched, otherwise 
+        # Only "fix" executables if dylib files were patched, otherwise
         # there is nothing to do.
         if substitutions:
             _fix_executables(conanfile, substitutions)
diff --git a/conans/client/migrations_settings.py b/conans/client/migrations_settings.py
index 47713239f69..31bd00bf6f3 100644
--- a/conans/client/migrations_settings.py
+++ b/conans/client/migrations_settings.py
@@ -4029,3 +4029,5 @@
 """
 
 settings_1_54_0 = settings_1_53_0
+
+settings_1_55_0 = settings_1_54_0
diff --git a/conans/test/unittests/tools/apple/test_apple_tools.py b/conans/test/unittests/tools/apple/test_apple_tools.py
index 6331c1dab53..78dd0e93d0f 100644
--- a/conans/test/unittests/tools/apple/test_apple_tools.py
+++ b/conans/test/unittests/tools/apple/test_apple_tools.py
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
 
 from conans.test.utils.mocks import ConanFileMock, MockSettings
 from conans.test.utils.test_files import temp_folder
-from conan.tools.apple import is_apple_os, to_apple_arch, fix_apple_shared_install_name
+from conan.tools.apple import is_apple_os, to_apple_arch, fix_apple_shared_install_name, XCRun
 
 def test_tools_apple_is_apple_os():
     conanfile = ConanFileMock()
-    
+
     conanfile.settings = MockSettings({"os": "Macos"})
     assert is_apple_os(conanfile) == True
 
@@ -16,16 +16,17 @@ def test_tools_apple_is_apple_os():
     conanfile.settings = MockSettings({"os": "Windows"})
     assert is_apple_os(conanfile) == False
 
-    
+
 def test_tools_apple_to_apple_arch():
     conanfile = ConanFileMock()
-    
+
     conanfile.settings = MockSettings({"arch": "armv8"})
     assert to_apple_arch(conanfile) == "arm64"
 
     conanfile.settings = MockSettings({"arch": "x86_64"})
     assert to_apple_arch(conanfile) == "x86_64"
 
+
 def test_fix_shared_install_name_no_libraries():
     conanfile = ConanFileMock(
         options="""{"shared": [True, False]}""",
@@ -36,3 +37,14 @@ def test_fix_shared_install_name_no_libraries():
     with pytest.raises(Exception) as e:
         fix_apple_shared_install_name(conanfile)
         assert "not found inside package folder" in str(e.value)
+
+
+def test_xcrun_public_settings():
+    # https://github.com/conan-io/conan/issues/12485
+    conanfile = ConanFileMock()
+    conanfile.settings = MockSettings({"os": "watchOS"})
+
+    xcrun = XCRun(conanfile, use_settings_target=True)
+    settings = xcrun.settings
+
+    assert settings.os == "watchOS"