iOS Emulators for PC

Considering how robust a privacy and protection plan Apple’s iOS follows, it becomes quite tricky to use the various iOS exclusive apps on other operating systems. This is where Emulators and Simulators come into the picture.

So, what is an Emulator? An emulator is basically software that enables one operating system to behave like another. If you are a developer who is looking for software that will allow you to run iPhone Apps on Windows or Mac, an emulator can help you install and run all the iPhone Apps on your Windows PC.

Here is a list of the best iOS emulators available in the market that you can trust!

The best 15 iOS Emulators for your PC

One of the best emulators in the market, iPadian is a flexible emulator that comes both in a free and paid version. The reason why most professionals refer this emulator because of its strong UI which will make the user interface of your PC look like that of an iPad. It is easy to install and lets you have full access to the iOS App Store which provides a broad list of iOS applications to choose from. It works both on Mac and Windows PC, provided that you have Adobe Air installed.

SmartFace is your best option if you are an app developer by profession. Designed to test the performance of iOS apps, SmartFace is a little costly and comes for a price of $99. Considering its efficiency, I can vouch and say that you are not going to regret paying for this particular simulator. However, you can use the free version too if you are sceptical about it. Known for being brilliantly feature-packed, you can use it to develop iOS applications that can be used across multiple platforms. Coming with features of debugging and a Javascript library, you can also test the apps on various screen resolutions.

This iOS emulator is another favourite among developers as it allows you to test iOS apps or games on your PC without any hassles. You can run it on almost all kinds of devices (i.e., both Mac and PC) as well as on Android. This particular emulator is known for its ability to replicate the iOS status notifications. Developed using an open-source framework of PhoneGap, the emulator is based on HTML 5 hybrid application model and works as a visual designer which allows you to keep your apps organized. Even although the emulator has been discontinued, apps still run smoothly after being downloaded. So you can download it and install it on your PC.

This too is an iOS emulator that not only allows you to run iOS apps on your PC but also lets you develop cross-platform apps on the cloud. If you are a game-lover and like to spend hours playing games on your PC, then this might be just the emulator for you. It lets you use all iOS apps and games on your PC, and you can even run Android apps alongside. You can use the emulator for free for the first 100 hours, and after exhausting the limit, you can use it at the cost of a minimal charge of just $0.05 per hour. You can use it to develop and test apps too. All you have to do is create an Appetize.io account, which you can log into and use.

Ripple is one of the favourites among developers for two of its best feature – first being the emulator coming as a Chrome extension and the second being its ability to test both old and new apps on it. Although the software is in an early and developing stage which creates a space for some bugs, and yet you will want to go for this one only because you do not have to go through all the ordeal of installing the software in your PC first. You can develop both applications and games with this one. And it does not end here – you can test and see how well your apps run. So if you are looking for an iOS emulator that is simple and agile at the same time, the Ripple Emulator should be your first choice.

Owned by Apple and known as the official Apple emulator that was primarily made for testing iOS apps, Xamarin TestFlight is hugely popular among professionals. The emulator is a little complicated to use at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will love using it on your PC. You can use this emulator to develop, run and test all your iOS applications on all the three platforms of iOS, Windows, and Mac. The only drawback of Xamarin is that it can only run iOS apps that are developed for the iOS 8.0 version or on later versions.

  • io

App.io is a free emulator that is a favourite among its users for its simple structure and hassle-free settings. The app is straightforward to use, and all you need to do is sync the app bundle or the apk files on your PC with this emulator to use it however you want. On a more professional level, you can use App.io to beta test the iOS applications that you have developed. App.io has some fantastic features like the option of being able to share the demo video of your application with others, which makes it a favourite among entrepreneurs. And if you are looking for a lightweight emulator for playing iOS games on your PC, then this free emulator might be the best shot for you too.

  • Air iPhone Emulator

Considering how brilliant Adobe AIR framework performs, you would be happy to know that the AIR iPhone emulator is based on the same framework and therefore is magic to use. To install the emulator, all you need to do is to download it and install it along with the AIR framework. The AIR Phone Emulator provides the exact interface of an iPhone, and you can use it to create applications using Adobe’s Flex, Flash and ActionScript software.

  • Nintendo 3Ds Emulator

It is quite evident from the name itself that the Nintendo 3DS Emulator was primarily developed for playing iOS games on a PC. The application lets you play even heavy games on your laptop or desktop. The emulator runs quite smoothly without any issues. You can download this emulator for free, and we promise you that you are going to love the experience.

  • Electric Mobile Studio

Mostly used by professionals, you can use the Electric Mobile Studio for developing applications for both iPhone and iPad. It is a powerful emulator, and at the same time, it is easy to use. There is a free trial available, but the pro version comes at a whopping amount of $40. So we would suggest that you invest in this one only if you looking for a heavy-duty emulator that can assist you to fulfill your professional needs as an application developer. If you are looking for an emulator that is multi-faceted, then the Electric Mobile Studio should be your first choice.

  • iMame

Quite like the previous one, iMAME mainly focuses on games and thus allows you to play exclusive iOS games on your PC. It is a lightweight and agile software that is a favourite amongst gaming lovers and for obvious reasons. With iMAME, you can play almost all the iOS games, and you can also use it to run other applications. However, the only downside to the emulator is that it cannot be used to test or develop applications.

  • iDOS Emulator

The iDOS Emulator comes for free and has an extremely simplified setup. You can also move other DOS applications into the Apps or iDOS folder and then run them in on the iDOS emulator. The app comes with some amazing features like a PC compatible soft keyboard, a virtual mouse, a gamepad and a joystick. Believe it or not, but you can force a 4:3 screen aspect ratio (640 x 480) too.

  • iPhone Simulator

Before we start talking about this simulator, let us first understand the difference between an emulator and a simulator. A simulator is mainly used to replicate the visuals and the software implementation of iOS. It does not consider internal functions. Whereas an Emulator is a replica of the internal features of the iOS system on a different host model like Mac, Windows, etc. now talking about the iPhone Simulator – it was primarily developed for gaming purposes, and that is precisely why the visuals of this particular simulator are excellent. It lets you replicate the iPhone and play iOS exclusive games smoothly. If you are a starter, then this simulator is for you.

  • iPad Simulator

The iPad Simulator is very easy to use and install since it comes as a Chrome extension. You do not have to go through the hassle of installing the emulator and can get the extension on your PC and use it without any issues. The iPad simulator replicates the interface of an iPad and allows you to use the exclusive features of an iPad like iMessenger and Siri on your desktop. And what is more? The extension of this simulator lets you store Apk files in the cloud using the drag and drop feature. Plus, the extension comes free of cost.

  • Remoted iOS Simulator

The Remoted iOS Simulator is another product from Xamarin which is installed automatically as part of Xamarin in Visual Studio 2017. The simulator has a simple interface and therefore, it is quite easy to use. You can install this to use almost all iOS apps on your Windows PC. You can also use the Windows Visual Studio Enterprise in case there is a bug in the software. The toolbar at the top of the simulator’s window contains some useful buttons like the replica of the Home button etc.

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Be it for playing exclusive iOS games on your PC or for developing and testing iOS applications, these emulators are the best when it comes to replicating the iOS framework. So what are you waiting for? Choose one and start off!