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:''This page is about software that emulates IOS iOS on other hardware, like desktops.''{{for|emulators that run on IOSiOS|Emulators on iOS}} '''iOS''' devices started the smartphone craze, which would go on to replace conventional mobile phones in both Japan (which had its own subset of cell phones) and the rest of the world, with more advanced touch-controlled devices'''iPadOS''' are operating systems created by Apple.

iOS devices started the smartphone craze, which would go on to replace conventional mobile phones in both Japan (which had its own subset of cell phones) and the rest of the world, with more advanced touch-controlled devices. Formerly, iOS was used for both Apple's phones and tablets. Then, the iOS brand was split into two parts in 2019, with iOS now being the OS exclusively used in the iPhone and the now-defunct [[Apple_iPod|iPod Touch]]. The second half, named iPadOS, is a fork of iOS for iPads that makes use of their larger screens, hence its name. Most iOS apps and games work on iPadOS. Unlike its direct competitor, [[Android emulators|Android]], there are practically no usable emulators, as the official iOS SDK (macOS-only) only allows for running your own projects, i.e., they run code generated for an x86 target rather than ARM code as used by iOS. Some simulators Similar to most of the Android emulators, some emulators (e.g., [[BlackThunder]]) make uses two-step approach, making use of the simulator in the iOS SDK to run a few chosen iOS apps that are recompiled for x86. Unlike previous emulation trails, BlackThunder first loads a highly trimmed Hackintosh image via VirtualBox, which loads Xcode and an iOS simulator into it, then runs decompiled iOS apps that are decompiled and recompiled for the x86 architecture. Appetize.io and other tools that claim to emulate iOS on a web browser are in reality just the iOS simulator in XCode wrapped around a cloud stream to the web browser, and like the iOS XCode simulator, need the source code to run. More recently, touchHLE managed to get at least one a few older iPhone OS app apps running by recreating some of iOS’s standard libraries and emulating just the iPhone’s CPU, and nearly the same time, QEMU-iOS got released and can successfully emulate iPhone OS 1.0 on an iPod Touch 1st generation, albeit with bugs.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"

|macOS Big Sur and up|align!colspan=left|{{Icon|macOS}}|?|{{✗}}|{{✓}}"9"|{{~}}PC / x86

|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yumetouchHLE/touchHLE/releases{{TouchHLEVer}}]|{{~}}|{{~}}|[https:/tag/v0appdb.1touchhle.0 v0.1.0org/ 28%<br/><small>52 out of 188 reported titles</small>]

|[https://wwwgithub.corelliumcom/devos50/qemu-ios/tree/ipod_touch_1g QEMU-iOS]|align=left|{{Icon|macOS|Linux}}|[https://github.com/ Corelliumdevos50/qemu-ios/tree/ipod_touch_1g#building git]|{{~}}|?|N/A|{{✓}}|{{✓}}|{{✗}}|-|[[BlackThunder]]|align=left|{{Icon|WebWindows|macOS}}|?|?|?|?|{{✗}}|Website{{?}}

|{{~✗}}[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/apple/iphone2g.cpp#L318 *]

|[https://github.com/devos50zhkl0228/qemu/tree/ipod_touch_1g QEMU (fork)unidbg unidbg]|align=left|{{Icon|Windows|macOS|Linux}}|git0.9.7|?|?|?|{{✓}}

|{{~✗}}|{{✗}}

;Native:;macOS 11 and up::Since macOS 11 Big Sur:The , the 17th major operating system of the macOS line. It , the operating system for Mac computers has support for iOS and iPadOS applications for Apple M1Silicon-based Macs. However, some apps are not cannot be installed directly due to Apple DRM.This can be bypassed using an IPA file and PlayCover/Sideloady. [https://support.apple.com/guide/app-store/iphone-ipad-apps-mac-apple-silicon-fird2c7092da/mac See this page]. If you have an ARM Mac, and want to emulate newer/modern apps/games, native execution is the most recommended

:;touchHLECycada:A promising new endeavour : ''Cycada'' (2014), formally known as Cider and Chameleon before that is an unreleased research project made by a few folks at Columbia that aims to run older ran iOS 5.1.1 and experimentally iOS 6 apps by reimplementing standard libraries instead of internal components. Because of this very at a high-level approach, no dump of the operating system but not perfect quality and compatibility (see paper for list). It is requiredbased on pirated iOS libraries. Its initial target It is iPhone OS 2.xseriously not recommended to initiate contact with the developers of the project, as they never planned on releasing it and want people to use their paper to reproduce it with plans "significant effort". All attempts to support other 32-bit release it by contacting them have resulted in them saying they are not interested. You may try to recreate Cycada on your own, provided that you know the internals of Android, iOS versions, mainly 3XNU, and Linux.x Out of 69 tested apps, 19 apps fully work, 10 work with minor bugs that do not affect functionality, 15 have major errors that affect functionality, and 427 crash.xOnly [https://github.com/darlinghq/darling/issues/1168#issuecomment-1115143186 one recreation] is known to exist, which is also unreleased, as well as and it was made by the iPadcreator of DarlingHQ along with two other unknown individuals. Development started in December 2022It took about a year to develop, and its initial 0one component of it was released.1The one exception where some original code was published was [https://github.0 release came out com/darlinghq/darling-newlkm here], to be reused in February 2023Darling later on. Jeremy Andrus was accused of being a sellout for leaving the project to work as a kernel programmer (Now a Cloud Computing Efficiency worker) for Apple. The only officially supported application is project booted many 32-bit iOS apps successfully, albeit slowly. The last update to this project was in [https://archivedl.acm.org/downloaddoi/iOSObscurapdf/iPhoneOS%20210.1145/com3135974.ooi.supermonkeyball/ 3135981 '''2017'Super Monkey Ball''] – . (NOTE: If you search "Cider APK", you will get iPhone 12 launcher adware) To see the dev’s inspiration for the project – which is fully playable and runs at full speedpaper, its specifications, even on mid-range laptops. To run an applicationits compatible apps, the *.app folder must be extracted from an IPA file to touchHLE’s main directory and ran from the command linepossibly recreate it, see [http://jeremya. However, development versions allow IPA com/files to be run directly. A game controller is required to control the accelerometer/pub/2015/02/andrus-thesis.pdf here]

;QEMU Compatibility layer (fork[[Compatibility_layers|...]])?:Based on earlier work emulating ;Darling::Although no iOS support exists at the S5L8900 and the iPhone 11 in QEMUmoment, [https://www.darlinghq. It can currently emulate an iPod Touch 1G running org/ Darling] wants to add support for iOS 1apps in the “long term”.0Although not stated, including iBoot, the kernel, and the Springboard, although it requires a modified NOR and NAND image. Some featuresthey might add support for other platforms based on iOS, such as audio and Wi-Fi, are not emulated, and there are multiple crashes. Work is currently underway to emulate an iPod Touch 2G, which will require running iOS 2.xtvOS or watchOS in the future.

==History of failed Hardware features==''This table focusing on early iOS operating system and crucial hardware features that can be possible to emulated through software or will be possible in the near future. Including everything or niche modern iOS features (e.g. [[List_of_games_that_support_Pressure-Sensitive_Face_Buttons#iOS_Emulation|3D Touch / Pressure Sensitive Buttons]], [https://www.reddit.com/r/EmulationOniOS/comments/1dcrgy1/new_game_mode_coming_to_ios_18/ Game Mode]) would result in an endless list.'' {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"|- style="font-weight:bold;"! colspan=2 | Name! TouchHLE! QEMU-iOS! Corellium|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:IOS#Home_screen|Home screen]]<br/><small>This shouldn't be confused with emulator frontend/GUI.</small>| {{✗}}| {{~}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | Non-game apps| {{✗}}| {{~}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:IOS#Notification_Center|Notification Center]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:IOS#App_Store_bypasses|Sideloading/Installing]]| {{✓}}| {{?}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | Wi-Fi| {{~}}<abbr title="Local Area Network (LAN) only">*</abbr>| {{✗}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | Bluetooth| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:Multi-touch#Applications|Multi-touch]]| {{?}}| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [[List_of_games_that_support_tracked_motion_controllers#iOS_Emulation|Motion sensors]]| {{✓}}[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/blob/trunk/OPTIONS_HELP.txt#L33 *]| {{✗}}| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [[Wikipedia:IOS#Multitasking|Location]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✓}}|-| rowspan=2 | Connectivity| [[Preservation_projects#Private_Platform_Servers|Game Center]]<br/><small>Achievements, Challenges, Leaderboards etc.</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{?}}|-| [[Wikipedia:Apple_Push_Notification_service|Apple Push Notification service]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}| {{✓}}|-! colspan=5 | [[Wikipedia:List_of_Apple_codenames#iOS|OS versions]]|-| colspan=2 | iPhone OS 1| {{✗}}| {{✓}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iPhone OS 2<br/><small>iPhone OS 2.2.1 was the last version compatible solely with ARMv6 chips.| {{✓}}| {{✓}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iPhone OS 3<br/><small>Supported both ARMv6 and ARMv7-A chips.</br>| {{✓}} <br> <small>(Only 3.0)</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iOS 4<br/><small>iOS emulation attempts4.2.1 was the last version supported ARMv6 chips.</small>| style="background: Orange;"|WIP| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iOS 5Many of |style="background:skyblue;"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE#touchhle-high-level-emulator-for-iphone-os-apps Future goal]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iOS 6<br/><small>iOS 6.1.6 was the currently available last version compatible solely with 32-bit ARMv7-A chips.</small>|style="background:skyblue;"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE#touchhle-high-level-emulator-for-iphone-os-apps Future goal]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | iOS 7 to 10<br/><small>Supports both 64-bit ARMv8''x''-A and 32-bit ARMv7-A chips. iOS 10.3.4 was the last version that supported 32-bit chips.</small>|style="simulatorsbackground:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{~}} (iOS 10.3.3 and 10.3.4 only)|-| colspan=2 | iOS 11 to ''present' only try recreating popular '|style="background:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{✓}}|-| colspan=2 | iPadOS|style="background:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | WatchOS|style="background:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-! colspan=5 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/application-binary-interfaces Supported ABIs]|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/writing-armv6-code-for-ios ios_armv6] (iPhone OS 1 – iOS apps 4.2.1)<br/><small>Supporting ios_armv6 ABI is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons.</small>| {{✓}}[https://github.com/merryhime/dynarmic?tab=readme-ov-file#supported-guest-architectures *]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/writing-armv7-code-for-ios ios_armv7a] (like browsersiPhone OS 3 – iOS 10.3.4) in a PC application with no real emulation involved<br/><small>Supporting ios_armv7a ABI is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons. Some notable <br/> Older applications and games often rely on the [[Emulator scamsWikipedia:ARM_architecture_family|scamsARM 32-bit (Cortex)]] architecture, which isn't used in such fashion are called newer hardware.</small>| {{✓}}[https://github.com/merryhime/dynarmic?tab=readme-ov-file#supported-guest-architectures *]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/writing-arm64-code-for-apple-platforms ios_armv8.''x''a] (iOS 11.0 to 'iPadian'present'' or variations on the name, )|style="background:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{?}}|-! colspan=5 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/technologies Supported APIs]|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/opengles OpenGL ES x.x] (iPhone OS 2 – iOS 12.0)<br/><small>Supporting OpenGL ES x.x APIs is crucial for emulators due to compatibility and are often [[Preservation_projects|preservation]] reasons.</small>| {{✓}}[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE?tab=readme-ov-file#development-status *]| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| colspan=2 | [https://developer.apple.com/metal/ Metal] (iOS 8 to ''present'malware')|style="background:{{{color|#FFD2D2}}};"|[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/issues/181#issuecomment-1777098259 Never]| {{✗}}| {{?}}|}<references group=N4/> ==Enhancements=={| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;width:100%"|- style="font-weight:bold;"! colspan=2 | Name! TouchHLE! QEMU-iOS|-|rowspan=1 | Graphics| [[Resolution|Resizable Internal Resolution]]| {{✓}}[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/blob/trunk/OPTIONS_HELP.txt#L23 *]| {{?}}|-|rowspan=6 | Post-Processing| [[Shader_Presets|Shader Chain]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Shaders_and_filters|Filters]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-|[[Shaders_and_filters#AI-powered filters|AI-powered filter compatible]]<br/><small>([https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/gfecnt/nvidia-freestyle-ansel-enhancements-geforce-experience-article/ Freestyle])</small>| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| [[Wikipedia:Category:Anti-aliasing_algorithms|Post-rendering AA]]<br/><small>(FXAA, TXAA and MLAA/SMAA)</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Wikipedia:Comparison_gallery_of_image_scaling_algorithms|Post-rendering scaling]]<br/><small>(Sharp bilinear, Lanczos and [[Wikipedia:GPUOpen#FidelityFX_Super_Resolution|FSR 1]])</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-|[[High_dynamic_range#Inverse_tone_mapping|Inverse tone mapping compatible]]| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| rowspan=5 | [https://tasvideos.org/Emulatorresources/Features TAS features]| [[Wikipedia:Macro_(computer_science)|Macros/Scripts]]/[https://tasvideos.org/LuaScripting Lua]| {{?}}| {{?}}|-| Rewind| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Fast-Forward/Turbo Speed| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Savestates| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [https://tasvideos.org/Movies Movie recording/playback]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| rowspan=3 | Input| [[Controllers#Mouse Injectors for Emulators|Keyboard input injection]]<br/><small>Early versions of iOS didn't support keyboard input.<br/>One way an iOS emulator can provide keyboard input for these versions is through the injection method, which sends keystrokes input data directy into emulated memory.</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Controllers#Mouse Injectors for Emulators|Mouse input injection]]<br/><small>Early versions of iOS didn't support mouse input.<br/>One way an iOS emulator can provide mouse input for these versions is through the injection method, which sends cursor input data directy into emulated memory.</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Controllers#Mouse Injectors for Emulators|Gamepad input injection]]<br/><small>Before [[Wikipedia:MFi_Program|MFi]] extended support in iOS 7 (unlocking gamepad compatibility for devices like the [https://blog.logitech.com/2013/11/20/compatible-games-for-logitech-powershell-controller-battery/ Logitech Powershell Controller]). <br/> Earlier iOS versions (1-to-6) offered [https://www.gottabemobile.com/ios-6-gaming-ipad-controller-iphone/ no native gamepad support].</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| rowspan=6 | Quality of life| [[Save_disk_space_for_ISOs#PlayStation_1|Streamable compression format]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Per-Game Profiles| {{✓}}| {{✗}}|-| Command Line Options| {{✓}}| {{?}}|-| On-Screen Display<br/><small>Showcases messages, controller input state which is useful for speedrunners, performance data, active settings, and various notifications.</small>| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| Built-in On-Screen Control<br/><small>Simulating touch input on display via keyboard or gamepad. This QoL enhancement is crucial for lots of touch input exclusive games.<br/>Also you can use third party apps such as [https://apps.apple.com/us/app/shootingplus-v3/id1447087625 ShootingPlus V3] for this.</small>| {{✓}}[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/blob/trunk/OPTIONS_HELP.txt#L33 *]| {{✗}}|-| Big Picture Mode| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| rowspan=4 | Misc| [[Wikipedia:Variable_refresh_rate|Variable Refresh Rate compatible]]| {{✗}}| {{✗}}|-| [[Virtual_reality#VR_game_room_simulations|EmuVR support]]| colspan=11 | Exclusive to [https://www.emuvr.net/wiki/Installation_Guide#Downloads libretro cores] at the moment. So there is no support.|-| AI Service<br/><small>With the help of <abbr title="optical character recognition">OCR</abbr> and other techniques, the AI service can provide a live translation of a game, or text-to-speech capabilities for the visually impaired among other things, either on demand or automatically.</small>| colspan=11 | Exclusive to [https://docs.libretro.com/guides/ai-service/ libretro cores] at the moment. So there is no support.|-| Debug features| {{~}}[https://github.com/hikari-no-yume/touchHLE/blob/trunk/OPTIONS_HELP.txt#L131 *]| {{?}}|}<references group=N3/>

* A project to emulate various smartphones (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Apple TV 2G) called '''iEmu''', started in 2011 but got mysteriously abandoned two years later before anything usable surfaced. All pages related to the project were removed. It's speculated Apple had a hand in this.==Scams==* Nowadays, a malicious APK file going by Many of the currently available '''iEmu"solutions"''' moniker is also being circulated on blogs run by script kiddies claiming to offer a way to run only try recreating popular iOS apps on Android. More often than not, they're uploaded with the intention of generating revenue from impressionable users (through pay-per-click URL shortenerslike browsers) who fall easily for those types of in a PC application with no real emulation involved. Some notable [[Emulator scams|scams.* There has been a project to provide a runtime for iOS apps to run on '''Android''' ]] in such fashion are called [http://systems.cs.columbia.edu/projects/cycada/ '''CycadaiPadian'''] (formerly known as or variations on the name, and are often '''Cidermalware'''). Not much progress has been made, iPadian itself is not a real emulator and the original author was accused of being a sellout for leaving the project to work as a kernel programmer for Apple. The project booted many 32-bit cannot actually emulate any iOS apps successfully, albeit slowlyiPadOS, or watchOS code and just use recreations that are limited in functionality and are not ports. The last update to this project were “AIR iPhone” is also a simulator in [https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3135974Adobe Flash.3135981 '''2017'''](NOTE: If you search "Cider APK", you will get iPhone 12 launcher adware, even Malware on uptodown or malavida) * There was Android also a project based on [[QEMU]] that usually went around goes by the name QEMU-s5l89xx (“iEmu”, “Cider” and “Cycada”, based on the part number unfinished and unreleased projects of the original iPhone)same name, and is sometimes iOS launcher software that is possibly infected by malware. iOS emulators that aren't scams operate like XCode, or iVMwhere they cannot run non-development builds. The last known commits *TikTok videos by the user “iPod Emulator Hype” appear to this project were in 2013show QEMU-iOS running on an Android device and a web browser, however, the Android version is confirmed to be a VNC client and faked, with the HTML5 version likely fake as well.*Blog sites suggest “iOSEmus” as an iOS emulator for Android devices. In reality, it is unclear if this project will ever come an alternate App Store for iOS to fruitioninstall jailbreak tools including console emulators and other tools on iOS 11.

Your best bet, until touchHLE supports your 32-bit app, ARM macOS is able to be virtualized without an ARM Mac (for 64-bit), or a new emulation effort is ever started, is to hope that whatever iOS app you're interested in gets an Android port. This is very rare, especially for Japanese ones, as Android is perceived to be more open to piracy. That appears to be gradually changing lately and isn't of as much concern for non-gaming apps. However, in the U.S., the trend goes to iOS exclusively, including the Faves, Bloom, and the official ChatGPT apps getting iOS versions first, and a trend of users in Anglo-America discriminating against Android users, forcing them to switch to iOS also may contribute to the need for one.

iOS apps are distributed in the IPA format==External links==*[[Wikipedia:Comparison_of_mobile_operating_systems|Comparison of mobile operating systems]] (Wikipedia)*Reddit: [https://www.reddit.com/r/LegacyJailbreak/ r/LegacyJailbreak] (old devices) [https://www. Like Android's APK files, they are standard ZIP files, so their contents can be browsed and extracted most of the timereddit.com/r/Jailbreak/ r/Jailbreak] (new devices)