Looking for the best iOS emulators for PC? If yes, then this article is for you. We have covered some of the best emulators that can run any iOS apps or games. We know you want to use iOS apps on your computer but it’s not an easy task.
There are many people who own a PC which runs on Windows. Some of these people own also iPhones. This is where a big problem arises. If you’re one of these peoples you would know that file sharing between these 2 different devices isn’t possible.
You can’t share any file from iPhones to Desktops or Laptops which have Windows, Ubuntu or Linux. In simple words, only iPhone users can only share files with either iPhone users or to Apple’s Mac or desktop. File sharing between Android and Windows is very easy, it’s one of the categories where Android triumphs over iOS.
Not only that, some people want to experience iOS but don’t want to purchase an iPhone. After all, they are pretty costly and some people just prefer the android. But they still want to try out the iOS which is pretty popular and regarded as the best OS for mobile phones.
This post is especially for those who want a solution to these problems. And, the solution for these problems is to use an iOS emulator on PC. With the help of these emulators, you can run any iOS app or game on Windows. (You will be able to run iOS apps on Windows 7, 8 or 10)
Today we are going to talk about some of the best emulators to run iOS on Windows. You can use these emulators either on your PC or Laptop. (Depends on what you have.) We have also included some of the emulators which work on Mac OS.
You can enjoy all of the Apple games and apps even if you don’t have an Apple product. All you need is a device on which you can emulate the iOS apps and games.
What exactly are iOS emulators?
Before starting our list of the best emulators for iOS, we want to make it clear what exactly Emulators are. Only when you know about them you can compare them with others. And, there isn’t any harm in learning more. Is it?
Emulators in simple words are just virtual programs which create a unique OS like environment on a different OS. Think of it as it will create an iOS-like virtual environment on your PC. It will make it the same when it isn’t. This makes it easier to run iOS apps on Windows.
The concept that each emulator follows is of Virtualization Technology. What it does is – making virtuals machines to run iOS apps and games without any hassle. There are many emulators available which are used for different reasons.
iOS Emulator vs iOS Simulator – What’s The Difference?
Now, most of the people are confused between Emulators and Simulators. Some even think that both are the same but they aren’t. Even iOS Emulators & iOS Simulators are different. Let’s learn the difference between them.
According to Stack Overflow –
An Emulator’s main purpose is to create an environment similar to the original device i.e, to replicate the device OS on your PC. Emulators create a native OS environment of the device you want to emulate. If you’re using iOS Emulators then it will create an environment native to the iOS apps.
While simulators, on the other hand, are a bit different as they only carry a small part of the actual thing. iOS simulators won’t be able to create native OS environment. Due to this reason, some of the apps which run easily on Emulators won’t work or run smoothly on iOS simulators.
Both have a different purpose, but most of the people prefer to use iOS emulators as they just want to run iOS apps without any worries. Even developers prefer using emulators if they don’t have an iPhone.
Benefits Of Using iOS Emulators On Windows
Here are some of the benefits of using iOS Emulators on your PC –
- You don’t have to buy an iPhone for running iOS exclusive apps. While most of the apps are available for bost iOS & Android, some publishers have decided that they will only release their apps for the iOS cause it makes them more money. While we aren’t against that but it makes other OS users feel a little left out.
- If you’re a developer and don’t have an iPhone but want to test out the code for an iOS app then you can use these Emulators in place of iPhones. Some people just don’t like iPhones, it’s their choice but for work, you have to use either one of them.
- PC users can also enjoy iOS exclusive apps. It’s easy to use iOS apps if you have a Mac OS, but even for both Windows and Mac users, they gotta install iOS emulators to enjoy the feel of using iPhones. (It’s just like the 1st point.)
These were some of the benefits you get when you use the iOS emulators on your PC. Now, without further ado let’s begin the list of the best Emulators present for using iOS apps…
20+ Best iOS Emulators For Windows / Mac OS / Linux – PC
SMARTFACE
Out of every iOS Emulator I used personally, I feel SmartFace was the best one. It’s a good Emulator available for Windows only, you can find this Emulator for another platform. SmartFace is mainly used for building cross-platform apps and is the most popular one among developers.
It is used by App (or game) developers to test how their apps will perform on iOS. It’s a paid Emulator but you can also use the free version with some limitations. The paid version costs only 99$ and is a sweet deal for app developers. If you just want to use apps then the free version will be enough for you.
MOBIONE STUDIO
Mobione Studio is one of the best iPhone emulators for Windows. It comes with lots of features. With the help of this emulator, you will be able to run iOS apps and games on your PC without any hassle. The Mobione Studio is officially discontinued but you can still download it from other sources.
Like SmartFace it is also usually used mostly by developers who want to test how their iOS apps will work. This Emulator can completely duplicate the iOS environment. You can also receive notifications similar to iPhones. Most of the apps work but because it’s discontinued there’s no official support.
IPADIAN
Do you want to experience how does using an iPad feels like? If yes, you can do so with the help of iPadian Emulator for Windows PC. This Emulator is available for many OS like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. You can this Emulator without worrying about the OS of your PC. It’s one of the best iPad Emulators.
The User Interface you get in this Emulator is simply amazing. With this Emulator, you can get all the services of apple like Siri, iMessage, TvOS, etc. You can also use every iOS apps and games on your PC. The best part – it’s free of cost. You don’t need to pay anything to use this Emulator, so use it as much you want.
APP.IO
The third iOS Emulator on our list is APP.IO, it’s a pretty good emulator for running iOS apps. What makes this Emulator so good that it is easy to navigate and isn’t much flashy. However, it’s a bit slow when we compared it to other Emulators on this list. It is still good though, you will only feel it as slow if you have a potato PC. (Oops!)
That you should note that this emulator isn’t free. If you want to use it permanently you will have to pay a price. You can use the 7-day free trial to check out the emulator. Only purchase the full version when you’re fully satisfied with this Emulator. I think it’s not the best one but is certainly good enough for most.
AIR IPHONE
Air iPhone is another Emulator you can use to create a virtual iOS environment on your Windows. Like other Emulators, it’s used for running iOS apps and games on Windows PC. I also use this Emulator sometimes and found it quite good. While not the best, it’s one of the best ones.
You will need to download the Air Framework if you want this Emulator to work flawlessly. Downloading the framework isn’t hard, you can o it easily by visiting their official site. This Emulator can be used and is available only for Windows. If you’re using any other OS you should look for another Emulator.
iPhone SIMULATOR
iPhone Simulator is another iOS Emulator you can use to play iOS games on your Windows PC. It’s also a Windows Only Emulator, you won’t be able to use it on Mac OS, Linux, etc. What I like the most about this Emulator is that it has excellent graphics and feels like using a real iPhone.
Another thing is that it’s free. You don’t need to pay for using it. You can create an iOS-like environment on your Windows with the iPhone Simulator. Although it may feel like it’s a simulator by the name but I can assure you it is not. You just have to download it and start enjoying iPhone features on your PC.
XAMARIN TESTFLIGHT
If you don’t like to you 3rd-party Emulators and only want to use the official one then Xamarin TestFlight is the one for you. It is useful for iOS apps and games developers who want to test how their apps will work. The Emulator is known for providing good support and is extremely fast.
Being an official apple you can be assured of the quality and performance of it. What it wasn’t able to find on this emulator was to run apps or games by other developers, it’s just made to testing out apps. It’s free and best only for developers. If you want to play games or run apps look for other iOS Emulators.
iPad SIMULATOR
Now, this is an interesting one as it isn’t an Emulator but can run iOS apps. iPad Simulator is a Google Chrome extension by which you can run basic iOS features through your Chrome browser. That sounds strange but is the truth. However, the extension is now removed from the Chrome web store.
With this Extension, you can create an iOS environment on your Chrome browser. You can use the drag and drop feature to quickly install and uninstall iOS apps. It’s a free Chrome extension and you can use it without any worries. However, it can’t run games as it is a cloud-based extension.
APPETIZE.IO
One of the best iOS emulators and often compared to APP.IO, APPETIZE.IO is one of the best iOS Emulators for PC. This Emulator is also mainly used by developers who want to create apps and games for iPhones. It’s not limited to iOS apps creation, you can also create android apps with its help.
This Emulator is free only for the first 100 minutes i.e, you can use this for the first 100 minutes without paying anything. After that, you will have to pay .05$ per minute. Remember, you can use it only for testing apps. It can’t be used for playing iOS games or running apps, for that, check other options.
NINTENDO 3DS SIMULATOR
Who doesn’t know about Nintendo 3DS, it is one of the highest selling video game consoles of all time. It even gets huge respect even from iOS users. If you’re someone who wants to play games on emulators then Nintendo 3DS Simulators is one of your best choices. It has all the classics.
With this emulator, you will be able to play 3d Games from Nintendo on your PC. It supports all the major OS like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, etc. Nintendo 3DS Emulator plays all the games smoothly and you wouldn’t face any lag. Even I have spent many hours on this Emulator, it’s a good one.
RIPPLE
Ripple is another web-based iOS emulator. It works the same way as iPad Emulator works i.e, it’s also a Chrome extension. It’s best for geeks, app developers, etc. You can code almost anything with the help of this tool. Another thing which I like about this tool is that it’s currently free of cost.
Ripple is cloud-based iOS emulator which runs through a chrome extension. You can run any app form iOS 1 to iOS 11 with the help of this tool. It can be used as an Emulator. The tool is in Beta version but works fine. It is one of the most popular tools among developers who create apps,
REMOTED IOS SIMULATOR
Remoted iOS Simulator is a part of the Official Xamarin IDE. It is used to test out the developed product i.e, developers use to run and test the apps to see if they are working properly or not. If you too are a developer then you will love this Emulator. It has a simple user interface and is easy to use for beginners.
If you find any bug on your code you can easily debug them with the help of this Emulator. If you haven’t found a good iOS app IDE then you should surely check it out, it’s also free of cost. However, it only available for Windows, for other OS you have to look for other iOS emulators on this list.
ELECTRIC MOBILE STUDIO
Another iOS emulator on this list which is made especially for the developers. With the help of this Emulator, you can develop iOS games and apps with coding languages like Objective-C or Swift. Many think that the Electric Mobile Studio is one of the best app development studio for iOS apps.
But it’s price isn’t anywhere cheap. It will cost 39.99$/month which is simply too much for some, but the features it provides makes the price justified. You can try the 7-day free trial and if you like it you can purchase the premium plan. Also, you will need a high-spec PC to run it cause it consumes too much RAM.
IMAME
The second last Emulator on our list, IMAME is an iOS Emulator which has been in the market for a long time. If you love to play mobile games on emulators then this is one of the best choices for you. IMAME Emulator is built for playing iOS games, you can play any iOS games you want.
While it may not be the very best iOS Emulator is certainly is a decent one. You can give it a shot but don’t have very high expectations from it. The iOS games this Emulator supports are iOS 9 & iOS 10. If you want to play iOS games from older iOS version then select another Emulator.
IDOS EMULATOR
The last name we have on our list of iOS emulators is of IDOS Emulator. It a good Emulator for running iOS games and apps. With this, you will get a flawless iOS experience on your Windows PC. This Emulator is free, you can use it without paying anything to anyone. It’s UI is clean & good!
Before using this Emulator you must note something – it hasn’t been getting updates since the last 1-2 years so it may cause some issues. While I never encountered any issues with this Emulator I can’t say the same for everyone. You may encounter some trouble with this iOS Emulator.
Final Thoughts…
There you have it, my dear readers, these were the best iOS Emulators you can use to run iOS apps on your PC be it a Mac, Windows or Linux. I hope you found an Emulator according to your needs. I’m sure I’ve included the best iOS emulators on this list. If I have forgotten about one you can mention it in the comments box. I’ll add it to the list.
Now, I have a question for you – Which is your favorite iOS Emulator among these? Tell us in the comments below. If you face some queries then again don’t shy and ask it in the comments box. I will try to reply and fix it ASAP!
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