Emulators on iOS: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox platform

|title = iPadOS

|type = [[:Category:Emulators by operating system|Operating systems]]

|first-release = [[Wikipedia:iPadOS 13|iPadOS 13]] ('''2019''')

}}

{{Infobox platform

|type = [[:Category:Emulators by operating system|Operating systems]]

|first-release = [[Wikipedia:IPhone_OS_1|iPhone OS 1.0]] ('''2007''')

}}

{{WIP}}

;*See each Wiki Category [[:Category:Consoles|Consoles]], [[:Category:Computers|Computers]] and [[:Category:Arcade|Arcade]] for individual dedicated system pages to see more detailed comparisons and information about software emulators. Dedicated system pages provide more up-to-date listings and in-depth information on specific aspects like hardware features, peripheral support, and compatibility etc.

;*Some games have [[Game engine recreations and source ports]] that run on iOS, which can be the better than emulators for their specific games.

Emulators were banned on the App Store for over a decade. Out of the blue, Apple allowed them in April 2024, under a few restrictions (most notably, they are not allowed to use JIT, which still requires sideloading).

Currently, the most recommended method to install most emulators on iOS devices is the Apple App Store. (A few emulators still aren't available here though).

Due to Apple restrictions, up to three apps can be sideloaded at a time (including Alt/SideServer, if applicable) and must be refreshed within one week to prevent from expiring without a paid Apple Developer account ($99/year). On iOS versions below 16.1.2 (excluding 15.7.2), MacDirtyCow's WDBRemoveThreeAppLimit exploit removes this restriction (compatible with AltStore).

;[https://altstore.io/ AltStore Classic]: An effective method to sideload by Riley Testut (developer of Delta) which doesn't require jailbreaking your iDevice. It requires a connected AltServer running on a computer connected by cable or Wi-Fi to install and sideload other apps.

:;[https://sidestore.io/ SideStore]: A beta fork of AltStore that doesn't require a computer post-installation, instead utilizing a Jitterbug paring file and StosVPN to install and refresh apps.

;Sideloadly: An alternative to AltStore that doesn't attach an app on-device.

Apps can be manually built, signed, and sideloaded with Apple's Xcode, but this isn't recommended unless you know what you're doing.

;[https://faq.altstore.io/altstore-classic/altjit AltJIT]: Uses AltServer and AltStore to enable JIT, requires a Mac.

{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center

!Name

!Latest version

!<abbr title="Free/Libre and Open-Source Software">FLOSS</abbr>

!Active

![[Recommended emulators|Recommended]]

![[MAME]]

|-

|{{✓}}

|{{N}}

|-

|[[RetroArch]]

|{{Y}}

|{{✓}}

|{{✓}}

|-

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{✓}}

|-

!Others

|-

|[[Delta]]

|{{Y}}

|{{~}}

|-

|[https://docs.ignitedemulator.com/ Ignited]<ref name=Ignited>Ignited is a fork of Delta with a focus on more up-to-date and modern cores.</ref>

|{{Y}}

|{{N}}

|{{TBD}}

|-

|{{N}}

|{{Y}}

|{{~}}

|-

|{{y}}

|{{N}}

|{{Y}}

|{{y}}

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Name

|-

|[https://dolphinios.oatmealdome.me/ DolphiniOS]

|{{~}}

|?

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|{{y}}

|{{✓}} (Beta)

|{{y}}

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Name

|-

|[https://melonx.org MeloNX]

|?

|{{Green}} {{License|AGPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|-

|[https://pomelo-emu.github.io Pomelo]

|?

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|{{✗}}

|-

|Sudachi

|?

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv3}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|{{✗}}

|{{y}}

|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!Name

|-

|[[Play!]]

|Low

|{{Green}} {{License|BSD2}} ({{License|Permissive}})

|{{✓}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! [[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]

|-

|[[PPSSPP]]

|High

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Name

|-

|[[Flycast]]

|High

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|{{✓}}

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Accuracy

|-

|Mini vMac

|}

{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center

|-

|[[ScummVM]]

|Mid

|{{Green}} {{License|GPLv2}} ({{License|Copyleft}})

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Name

! [[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]

|-

|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

! Name

! [[Recommended Emulators|Recommended]]

|-

|}

|-

|-

|-

|}

==See also==

{{Emulators on other systems‎‎}}

[[Category:Emulators on mobiles]]