Emulation General Wiki

Emulators on iOS

iPadOS
Developer Apple Inc.
Initial release iPadOS 13 (2019)
Latest release / iPadOS 26.6.1 (2026)
iOS
Developer Apple Inc.
Initial release iPhone OS 1.0 (2007)
Latest release / iOS 26.6.1 (2026)
This page is about emulators that run on iOS and iPadOS.
For software that emulates iOS/iPadOS on other hardware, see iOS emulators.

iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system developed by Apple exclusively for its mobile devices. It was unveiled in January 2007 for the first-generation iPhone, which launched in June 2007. iOS is based on macOS, and is the basis for three other operating systems made by Apple: iPadOS, tvOS, and watchOS. iOS also formerly powered iPads until iPadOS was introduced in 2019 and the iPod Touch line of devices until its discontinuation. iPadOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple for its iPad line of tablet computers. It was given a name distinct from iOS, the operating system used by Apple's iPhones to reflect the diverging features of the two product lines, such as multitasking. It was introduced as iPadOS 13, reflecting its status as the successor to iOS 12 for the iPad, and first released to the public on September 24, 2019.

Before diving in;
  • See each Wiki Category Consoles, Computers and 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.

Background Information (WIP)

edit

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).

Installation Methods

edit

App Store

edit

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).

Sideloading

edit

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).

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.
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.
LiveContainer
(For post-sideloading): An IPA that allows you to run iOS app without actually installing it, allowing you to technically install unlimited apps (3 app/10 app id limits of free developer accounts do not apply) and have multiple versions of an app installed and multiple data containers. Supports JIT. JIT-Less Mode requires exporting your certificate (requires AltStore 2.2.1+/SideStore 0.6.2+).

Xcode

edit

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

Just-In-Time Enablers

edit

Apple doesn't allow Just-In-Time Recompilation (or JIT), some emulators require it in order to run at full speed, requiring sideloading and a JIT enabler or debugger. Popular options include

StikDebug
Primarily developed by Stephen using jkcoxson's idevice library, StikDebug allows debugging/JIT enabling on sideloaded apps, requiring only a Jitterbug pairing file. Supersedes JitStreamer (EB).
SideStore 0.6.2 also implements a version of idevice that allows JIT enabling on 17.4-18.7.1.
AltJIT
Uses AltServer and AltStore to enable JIT, requires a Mac.

iOS/iPadOS

edit

Multi-Systems

edit
Name Latest version FLOSS RetroAchievements
Support 		Active Recommended
MAME
ArcadeMania
(MAME4iOS) 		2025.14
git 		✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
libretro
RetroArch 1.22.2
Website 		✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Provenance 3.3.0
AltSource
tvOS TestFlight
git 		✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
SkyEmu IPA
git 		✓ ✓ ✓ ~
Others
Delta 1.7.3s
AltSource
git 		✓ ~ ✓ ✓
Ignited[1] 1.10
TestFlight
git 		✓ ✗ ✓ TBD
Folium 2.0 ($)
IPA 		✓ ✗ ✓ ~
UTM 4.7.5
AltSource
git 		✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Manic EMU 2.0.0
AltSource
git 		✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Nintendo

edit

GameCube / Wii

edit
Name Latest version WiiWare Accuracy License Requires JIT/JITLess Active Recommended
DolphiniOS AltSource
git 		~ ? GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ ✓ (Beta)
Fin 1.1.1 ~ ? () ✗ ✓ ✓ (Beta)
iCube TestFlight
git
Sideload
 ~ ? (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ ✓ (Beta)

Switch

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
MeloNX AltSource
git 		? AGPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ ✓
Pomelo git ? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✗ ✗
Sudachi git ? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ ✗

Wii U

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
TailFin TestFlight ~ ? ✗ ✓ ✓ (Beta)

Sony

edit

PlayStation Portable

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Gamma 2.0.1 ? Proprietary ✓ ✓

PlayStation 2

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
Play! Builds
git 		Low BSD-2-Clause (Permissive) ✓ ✓ ✗
ARMSX2 2.5.2 ? GPLv3 (Copyleft) ? ✓ ?
iPSX2 git Low () ✓ ? ?
Alune Sideload
TestFlight 		? () ✓ ✓ ?

PlayStation Portable

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
PPSSPP 1.20.4
Beta Builds 		High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

Microsoft

edit

Xbox

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
DukeX v1.0.0
AltSource
git 		Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓ ✓

Xbox 360

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
XeniOS Builds
git 		? BSD-3-Clause () ✓ ✓ ✓

Sega

edit

Saturn

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Yaba Sanshiro 1.18.15 High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

Dreamcast

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Requires JIT Active Recommended
Flycast git High GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ~ ✗

SNK

edit

Neo Geo MVS / AES

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Arcade Archives
ACA NEOGEO 		N/A High Proprietary ✓ ✓

Apple Inc.

edit

Macintosh 68k

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
Mini vMac git ? GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✗ ✓

Multi- game engines

edit

ScummVM (point-and-click adventure game engine)

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
ScummVM 2026.3.0
git 		Mid GPLv2 (Copyleft) ✓ ✓

OpenBOR

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
OpenBOR-iOS git ? Non-commercial ~ ✓

CHIP-8

edit

CHIP-8/MegaChip/SCHIP

edit
Name Latest version Accuracy License Active Recommended
iPhone-Chip-8-Emulator git ? 3.0 (Non-commercial) ✗ ~

Source ports/re-implementations

edit
Name Latest version License Active Recommended Supported game(s) / Recreation based on
Pojavlauncher 2.2 X Minecraft: Java Edition Launcher
Amethyst 2.2 ~ Minecraft: Java Edition Launcher
Amethyst (iOs Remastered 4.0.1 ~ Minecraft: Java Edition Launcher

See also

edit

Emulators on other systems(edit)

Notes

edit
  1. ↑ Ignited is a fork of Delta with a focus on more up-to-date and modern cores.
edit
Retrieved from "https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php?title=Emulators_on_iOS&oldid=149062"