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Testing a mobile app on your PC using an Android or iOS emulator comes with a lot of benefits. Although numerous Android emulators are available, such emulators for testing iOS applications on Windows or Mac are rare. With iOS emulators for PCs, you can replicate an iOS device’s behavior without installing additional hardware. The use of an emulator allows you to test apps on your PC. Additionally, it allows app developers to detect unexpected behavior of iOS apps during testing.
iOS emulators facilitate the testing and running iOS applications on diverse operating systems such as Windows PC or Mac; therefore, they address the need for cross-platform application development. It has become crucial for software developers and testers who do not have direct access to Apple devices and wish to streamline their software testing process. iOS emulator allows developers to seek insights into how a specific app looks and works on iPhone and iPad devices.
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iOS emulators have made testing iOS applications easier, particularly for PC users. These emulators enable developers and testers to evaluate visual and functional aspects of the iOS applications without actually needing the real Apple device. Also, they can test how these mobile applications will function on iPhones or iPads and optimize the user experiences to meet the standards set by the iOS ecosystem.
In this blog, we will list the top iOS emulators for PCs and walk through their features. Knowing these will help you choose the most appropriate iOS emulators and start with the mobile app testing and development process.
What are iOS Emulators?
iOS emulators are software applications (or tools) designed to replicate the iPhone’s hardware on different operating systems. They are a handy tool for running and testing iOS apps on both Windows and Mac devices. These emulators prove particularly valuable for mobile app developers seeking insights into the appearance and functionality of their iOS applications on non-Apple devices for testing and other purposes.
When using an iOS emulator, developers do not need physical iOS devices to test the application on different platforms. With iOS emulators, it is easy to debug the iOS applications and ensure their functionality and quality across various environments. In addition, with the assistance of iOS emulators, users can enjoy playing classic games, running iOS apps, and getting a feel for the app’s design, interface, and limited functionality that mirrors Apple’s standards.
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When understanding iOS emulators, you also think about simulators, which may sound like the same term to many. However, both emulators and simulators hold differences, which is important for you to know to have a clear overview of the iOS emulator. Simulators are software that mimics the behavior of iOS on the software level. However, emulators aim to replicate both software and hardware environments that tend to give more reliable functionality of the application that would behave on real iOS devices.
There are many options for iOS emulators for PCs available in the market; however, the most challenging part is to choose the most appropriate one that aligns best with your software project. To address this, you need to consider certain factors while choosing the right iOS emulator for PCs.
Choosing the Right iOS Emulators for PCs
Selecting the most suitable iOS emulators for your PC requires considering certain factors that ensure a uniform experience. Here are those factors you should know:
You should verify the compatibility of the iOS emulator with the particular app you intend to develop or use. For this, you should evaluate the emulator’s performance with a diverse range of iOS apps to ensure it meets your requirements.
Always consider those iOS emulators with a friendly user interface and closely replicate the iOS environment.
Look for iOS emulators for PCs with smooth performance, minimal lag, and efficient resource utilization. This is particularly important for developers working on mobile app testing and debugging.
The ability to customize the emulator settings can enhance your experience. Consider the emulators that offer flexibility in adjusting parameters such as screen resolution, device model, and RAM allocation.
Check if the iOS emulator supports the Windows operating system, including the specific version you use.
For users on Mac devices, it’s essential to choose an emulator that is optimized for macOS. You must ensure that the emulator is compatible with the macOS version installed on your machine to eliminate any compatibility issues.
If you use a Linux-based operating system, verify that the iOS emulator supports Linux.
Now let us walk through the top iOS emulators for PCs, which will further help you choose iOS emulators, ensuring that they align with your specific needs and seamlessly integrate with your PC operating system.
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Best iOS Emulators for PCs in 2024
From the above section, you must have understood iOS emulators and factors to consider while choosing the right tool. Now, we will explore the top iOS emulators for PCs in 2024.
LambdaTest
LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform. It helps you to perform both manual and automation testing on over 3000 real desktop browsers, devices, and operating system combinations. It offers an iOS emulator online that allows you to test your iOS application on different macOS versions and browsers on your Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Here are the key features:
LambdaTest gives access to an online device farm of real iOS devices, allowing you to test your iOS applications on a real Mac.
LambdaTest works on a cloud-based infrastructure, allowing users to access a wide array of iOS devices without needing physical hardware.
It allows for live interactive testing, enabling users to manually interact with their iOS applications in real-time on various iOS devices.
With the LambdaTest iOS emulator, you can explore the user interface, check responsiveness, and find any usability issues.
LambdaTest supports automated testing frameworks like Appium and XCUITest, facilitating test automation for iOS applications.
When performing tests on LambdaTest iOS emulators, you can record the test sessions and capture the screenshots of apps being tested on PC.
Smartface
Smartface operates as a cloud-based platform for testing mobile applications, and although not a traditional emulator, it supports testing for iOS and Android apps. This iOS emulator for PC proves to be an excellent choice for developers focused on creating high-quality iOS apps on their PC.
Here are the key features:
Smartface is a powerful option for iOS app development on PC, offering advanced debugging tools and seamless plugin integration.
With a user-friendly interface, it supports comprehensive app testing across various iOS devices and versions.
To set up Smartface, an Apple device with the Smartface app needs to be connected to a Windows system with iTunes installed. Once the setup is complete, initiating emulation is simple, providing a cross-platform programming experience with just a few clicks.
Smartface receives regular updates to stay in sync with changes in operating systems. If an Apple device is unavailable and you simply want to run iOS apps, Smartface allows you to do so in a browser.
Users can opt for either the paid or free version based on their preferences, with the paid version of Smartface starting at $99.
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Appetize.io
Appetize is one of the top iOS emulators for PCs to test mobile apps and cross-platform development. It functions as a browser-based emulator, eliminating the need for emulator installations. It is a cost-effective solution, enabling users to work within an advanced iOS environment for diverse features and cross-platform application development. This is made possible by features that simplify the development and testing of iOS apps.
Here are the key features:
Uploading and installing apps directly from the browser is hassle-free, requiring no downloads, plugins, or administrator privileges.
Testers can issue direct commands on their embedded iFrame through query parameters, translating these commands into actions on the web page. For example, postMessage(‘requestSession’, ‘*’) corresponds to the “play” action.
It provides convenient access to network traffic, debug logs, and video recordings.
Users can view the remote device in action to identify any issues quickly.
App uploading is possible through the website or API, enabling the app to run in any major web browser on your PC within seconds.
The interface is user-friendly, with a demo on the website, making it suitable for independent developers and large-scale enterprises. The pricing is flexible according to your needs.
While the free version allows 100 minutes of usage per month, exceeding this limit incurs a charge of $0.05 per minute. However, the free version remains viable for basic app testing needs.
Corellium
Corellium is a highly advanced iOS emulator designed for PC users. As a web-based iOS emulator, it gives you complete access and functionality similar to iOS. It was initially used by experts and researchers; however, Corellium is now accessible to regular users as well. It is positioned as a strong competitor for the title of the best iOS emulator for PCs.
Here are the key features:
This iOS emulator can effectively simulate an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running on your PC.
Corellium commits to not collecting data from virtual devices or the network, ensuring user privacy.
Through Arm virtualization, it serves application developers and security teams by facilitating the development, testing, and securing of mobile and IoT apps, hardware, and firmware.
Corellium provides high flexibility and control over iOS environments, enabling extensive testing and debugging.
You can easily modify sensor parameters to test mobile applications, adjusting factors such as battery levels, device location, and motion.
As Corellium controls the hardware and manages kernel usage, testers can change the kernel and upload their ARM kernel.
Corellium is available both as a cloud service and as an on-site device.
You can directly browse the device filesystem from the Corellium UI.
Connectivity to iOS devices is possible through various options, including Xcode or libimobile script.
The use of an HTTP proxy/monitor, such as Burp or Charles Proxy, is also supported by Corellium.
Pricing plans include $99 per month for a 2-core CPU plan and $295 per month for a 6-core CPU plan.
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iPadian
It is one of the most used iOS emulators, which is simple and easy to use and provides a user-friendly interface for the users. iPadian is explicitly designed for Windows operating systems and its accessible interface and broad range of applications.
The tool offers a seamless and immersive iOS experience on your PC, allowing users to experience the differences between Android and iOS. Essentially, iPadian will enable you to replicate the iOS interface on your Windows computer, complete with features like social media widgets and a convenient sidebar for the Application Store, iMessage, and Siri.
Here are the key features:
It provides access to Siri, WatchOS, tvOS, and the App Store.
Using iPadian enables running popular iPhone or iPad apps directly on your desktop.
Although the iOS app store is not accessible, iPadian supports specially designed apps like Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, WhatsApp, Crossy Road, and more.
Although not all apps are compatible, it offers features such as Apple Safari, iMessage, and Watch OS.
This iOS emulator for PCs imitates the design and appearance of iOS, excluding certain features and system actions.
iPadian is freely available, allowing users to access it without any cost, and also supports gaming through this iOS emulator for PCs.
Electric Mobile Studio
Electric Mobile Studio is widely regarded as one of the best iOS emulators for PCs that better address the needs of professionals. This application allows you to simulate any iOS device on your PC, enabling the smooth running of iOS apps. Thus, it is primarily used for testing and developing iOS apps.
Here are the key features:
The most amazing feature of Mobile Studio includes full-fledged emulation of iPhones, iPads, and responsive apps, supporting common work setups at both the office and home by allowing usage on two systems.
With this application, you can easily capture screenshots and record videos of app usage.
Electric Mobile Studio is highly preferred by developers for Windows 10 due to integrated WebKit and Chrome debugging tools, simplifying their tasks.
You can also add hot-key navigation keys for mapping favorite shortcuts, and it can be easily integrated with Visual Studio.
It supports various programming languages, providing a flexible development environment.
It facilitates iOS app development using different programming languages.
The main limitation of using Mobile Studio is that it consumes a high amount of RAM, 8GB, on Windows machines to function smoothly.
It is quite an expensive iOS emulator as it offers only a free trial period of 7 days; after that, users need to subscribe for $39.99 per month to continue usage. However, despite being high-cost, it is highly responsive and supports all iOS apps.
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Xamarin TestFlight
Xamarin TestFlight is Apple’s official beta testing platform designed specifically for iOS apps. It is well known for its advanced support and intuitively user-friendly UI; this emulator ensures seamless operation, making the download and installation process easy.
It allows developers to share pre-release versions of their apps with testers for comprehensive testing and feedback. Maintaining its reputation as the most reliable user platform, Xamarin TestFlight consistently delivers quality services with utmost care for its users.
Here are the key features:
This application gives you direct access to beta versions with the appropriate permissions.
Xamarin TestFlight periodically gets the latest updates from the server end, and this helps the users utilize its key features.
When using this iOS emulator for PCs, you can provide valuable feedback to developers and report any encountered errors with the updates.
It supports iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and iMessage.
It is designed for testing applications based on iOS 8.0 or newer versions.
This application offers an easy-to-use interface and facilitates seamless code deployment and testing, making it the preferred choice for iOS users.
While TestFlight comes with a $25 monthly cost, it is worth it for developers due to its easy installation, simple operation, and suitability for development purposes.
Testsigma
Testsigma is an automation testing tool that includes various services, including mobile automation testing, with a particular emphasis on iOS applications. Unlike alternatives that require manual inspection after uploading, Testsigma offers the freedom to write test cases for use on different iOS-based devices without the need for programming knowledge.
Here are the key features:
Testsigma enables the creation of test cases in plain English, simplifying complex scenarios, reducing training time and costs, and widening the pool of potential testers within an organization.
Testers can address bugs without going into complex dependent functions by modifying the snippet and streamlining the debugging process.
As an open-source iOS emulator for PCs, Testsigma allows testers to customize the code, ensuring quick adoption of the latest technologies onto the platform.
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Eclipse
It is one of the simple iOS emulators for PCs; however, the name denotes IDE. As the emulator, it focuses solely on running iOS mobile applications, making it less relevant for testers. If categorized based on functionality, it aptly fits within the gaming section due to its specific features.
Here are the key features:
As a web-based emulator, Eclipse is valuable for systems with limited CPU resources and memory, enabling operation from any location.
Eclipse boasts impressive integrations that enhance user experience. Notably, users can seamlessly link Google Drive and Dropbox to the emulator, streamlining operations.
Facilitating easy application management, Eclipse allows users to incorporate ROM and URL, mimicking the operation of iOS devices as closely as possible.
Delta
Delta is an iOS application designed to emulate and play video games. It is well known for its broad compatibility with iOS devices, allowing for running and testing a wide range of iOS applications.
Here are the key features:
It offers compatibility with various controllers, including PS4, PS5, Xbox One S, Xbox Series X, and MFi game controllers.
With convenient features, users can effortlessly control and save cheat codes, operate seamlessly within the native iOS framework, and benefit from iCloud sync capabilities.
The emulator incorporates advanced graphics rendering capabilities, ensuring that visual elements in iOS applications are displayed precisely and clearly.
It gives regular updates to its users that help address bugs and improve app performance.
Delta is designed to run on various platforms, allowing users to use the emulator on different operating systems.
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Xcode
Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) for macOS and incorporates an integrated iOS emulator for testing applications on virtual iOS devices. It is mainly used to develop iOS applications for different Apple products, including the iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac.
Now, you can easily code and design applications much faster with its offering of code completion, live animations, and interactive previews. This iOS emulator provides a suite of tools that effectively manage the entire application development process, from initial development and testing to optimization and submission on the Apple Store.
Here are the key features:
The user interface of Xcode seamlessly integrates with various elements that provide code editing, user interface design, asset management, testing, and debugging.
Using Xcode eases the detection of any bug. It quickly detects errors or issues in the application. Its source code editor highlights errors and suggests potential solutions to fix them.
It ensures flawless functionality for web pages and single-page applications.
Xcode shows live status indicators that enable you to filter and monitor preferred build tasks.
iOS developers can fully utilize SwiftUI, which has a declarative Swift syntax.
Xcode 11 supports Swift packages, enabling code sharing among apps or using community-created packages.
Xcode is exclusive to macOS and is not directly accessible on Windows PCs. Windows users may need to explore alternative emulators for their development requirements.
iPhone 11 on QEMU
QEMU stands out as a highly versatile virtual machine emulator, offering the capability to run the iOS of an iPhone 11 for an authentic emulation experience. It’s an acclaimed open-source emulator that allows you to emulate iOS, and given its open-source nature, you can freely download it. The QEMU iPhone emulator’s code is readily available for download, featuring S8000 secure ROM emulation, USB, SPRR, and GFX emulation.
Here are the key features:
QEMU is a versatile virtual machine emulator, allowing you to run iPhone 11’s iOS with high accuracy for a simulation close to reality.
Setting up and configuring QEMU for iPhone 11 emulation can be intricate and requires technical expertise.
It is regarded as one of the greatest consoles, earning high praise from iOS users. If gaming is your priority, the Nintendo 3DS emulator is a suitable option, providing a platform where you can enjoy iOS games on your PC.
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AIR iPhone
AIR iPhone creates a virtual iPhone on your Windows PC, displaying the actual iPhone UI. This application allows individuals who aren’t developers to get a visual sense of what an iPhone looks like and its user interface. Supporting the Adobe AIR framework, it recreates the iPhone UI on a PC and is available for free download from the official website.
Here are the key features:
AIR iPhone replicates the GUI of the iPhone, enabling it to provide a user interface similar to that of an actual iPhone.
Before you compile an application for its final release, or even during the development phase, you can upload it to AIR iPhone to preview how the application will appear and test its functionality.
With an AIR iPhone, you can seamlessly run various iOS apps and games on your Windows PC.
It supports a wide range of iOS devices that help the developers test the app in the virtual environment across various OS versions.
It mimics touch gestures, multi-touch functionality, and other interactive features to replicate the iOS user experience.
Ripple
The Ripple iOS emulator is a Google Chrome browser-based extension that is utilized for application testing and development. It’s a cloud-based emulator supporting almost all iOS apps, capable of running iOS 1 to iOS 11 apps on any PC.
Here are the key features:
It is mainly designed for testing and verifying HTML 5-based applications.
The Ripple emulator functions as a versatile iOS emulation tool, allowing you to quickly assess your application’s appearance and performance across multiple platforms and mobile devices. It is possible through the use of PhoneGap APIs and Blackberry WebWorks in a browser-like environment.
Automated testing and real-time emulation are possible without restarting the emulator for various devices, screen resolutions, HTML DOM inspection, and JavaScript debugging.
It is mainly designed for Windows and compatible only with Google Chrome.
This iOS emulator gives access to native iOS features without investing in an Apple device.
Ripple also includes debugging, simulation, and profiling tools, catering to developers looking to test their applications across diverse devices.
The emulator seamlessly integrates with various hardware components like cameras, GPS sensors, accelerometers, and other peripherals, allowing users to leverage the full capabilities of their Android devices.
Ripple prioritizes performance and battery life optimization, ensuring a smooth user experience across all device types.
MobiOne Studio
MobiOne Studio, one of the best iOS emulators for PCs, allows you to run iOS games and applications on Windows computers. Although officially discontinued, you can still make use of it. It is beneficial for app developers creating cross-platform mobile applications and enables you to enjoy beta apps. You can synchronize the ios.appi bundle for Android apk file with it.
Here are the key features:
It allows testing of the mobile apps for both iOS and Android platforms from a single codebase.
Using MobiOne, you can preview the design and interface of the iOS apps in real-time to evaluate their functionality.
You can also emulate different models of iPad and iPhone to perform app compatibility tests across different screen sizes and resolutions.
It allows developers to test the touch gestures, screen transitions, and interactive elements of the iOS emulated.
You can customize emulator settings, such as screen orientation, device orientation, and simulated network conditions.
Provide features to manage app resources, such as images, icons, and other assets.
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App.io
App.io is among the top web-based iOS emulators for Windows. While it’s easy to use and navigate, it may be slow. It operates based on the cloud, allowing you to sync the iOS app bundle or Android apk file for seamless usage. Further, it can be directly accessed from the web browser.
Here are the key features:
You can test the iOS apps directly in the web browsers, meaning there is no need for local installation of emulators.
There is no requirement for any complex setup and installation to preview and test the emulated iOS apps.
Interaction with the application in real-time is the key feature that allows you to test the touch gestures, UI responsiveness, and other interactive elements.
It also supports debugging features to identify and fix issues during the testing phase of the iOS applications.
You can also customize the testing environment, such as screen orientation, simulated network conditions, etc.
Citra
Widely regarded as one of the greatest gaming consoles, the Citra emulator is highly praised by iOS users. If gaming is your focus, this emulator enables smooth gameplay on your Windows PC.
Here are the key features:
This emulator supports both traditional gamepad controls for Citra games and touch controls for iOS applications.
You can customize control mappings for Citra and iOS games.
Using this iOS emulator for iPhones and PCs, you can access the iOS App Store within it, allowing them to download and install iOS applications directly.
It offers a user-friendly interface, thus making it easy for users to navigate through games and applications.
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iMAME
iMAME is a suitable iOS emulator for gaming, allowing you to download and install apps and games available on iPhone and iPad. While not the best in the industry, it’s worth a try for iOS 9/iOS 10 games.
Here are the key features:
The emulator replicates arcade games compatible with MAME, including a vast library of over 8000 ROMs.
iMAME is solely an emulator, not bundled with ROMs or copyrighted material.
iMAME offers native support for NVidia Shield Portable and tablet devices, ensuring a seamless gaming experience on these platforms.
The emulator features auto-rotate functionality with customizable settings for portrait and landscape orientations, providing users with flexibility and a personalized gaming experience.
Remoted iOS Simulator for Windows PC
Ideal for playing iPhone games on Windows PC, the Remoted iOS Simulator for Windows PC gives excellent graphics quality and is free of cost. It allows you to create a virtual clone UI of the iPhone on Windows.
Here are the key features:
With Remoted iOS Simulator, Windows users can remotely access and test apps on iPhones on a connected macOS machine, offering real device testing even without owning a physical iOS device.
This developer-centric iOS emulator for PCs is seamlessly integrated into Xamarin within Visual Studio, which is a pre-loaded feature.
The window of this iOS emulator features a toolbar with home, lock, settings, and screenshot options. In Settings, you can activate touch ID-like functionality, simulate static and moving conditions, shake gestures, rotation, and more. The tool also supports iPhone-like touch gestures and stylus input.
It’s essential to emphasize that this is a remote iOS emulator for Windows. In simpler terms, it necessitates a Mac to operate the iOS simulator, which then transmits the feed to a Windows PC.
Adobe AIR
With Adobe AIR, you can engage in cross-platform app development, including iOS, and effortlessly test apps on various devices. This emulator for iPhones excels at replicating the graphical user interface of iOS. Before your final app release, you can utilize AIR to upload and preview your app, allowing you to see how it will appear to real users.
Here are the key features:
You can build and deploy cross-platform applications using Adobe AIR. This versatile feature ensures smooth app development across both iOS and Android platforms, catering to multiple devices.
It supports iOS and Android platforms, providing a streamlined development process for creating apps that can be used on various devices.
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PPSSPP
PPSSPP provides a free PSP emulation experience, allowing you to play PSP games on your PC, including those designed for iOS.
Here are the key features:
You can use PPSSPP, a PSP (PlayStation Portable) emulator, to enjoy PSP games, including titles meant for iOS, directly on your PC.
PPSSPP is versatile and runs on multiple operating systems.
You can enhance graphics settings to improve the visual quality of games, including the ability to upscale textures and use anisotropic filtering.
When it comes to functionality, this iOS emulator for iPhones and PCs is designed with a focus on gaming rather than serving as a comprehensive tool for general iOS app usage or testing.
Testapp.io
Testapp.io is an iOS emulator for PCs that allows you to perform remote app testing on real iOS devices, proving to be an asset for developers who need to test their applications on actual devices without owning each device physically. However, it is crucial to note that as a remote testing service, it might be less ideal for those who favor standalone emulators for on-device testing.
Here are the key features:
It streamlines collaboration with the testing team.
This tool simplifies the process of pushing code and debugging on the platform.
It also facilitates easy updates and beta version releases.
Testapp.io presents four pricing options: A free plan tailored for freelancers, a Starter plan available at $15 per month billed monthly, and a Pro plan priced at $50 billed monthly.
Conclusion
In this blog, we discussed iOS emulators for PCs and brought the best emulators together. Our goal was to give information to the readers across different domains of iOS emulators, which will eventually help them select the best one for their software project. Let us summarize the key learning from this blog.
iOS emulators provide an efficient way to run and test applications designed for different devices on your PC. They offer a more predictable alternative to simulators and a more cost-effective solution compared to using real devices. Due to these attributes, emulators find widespread use for various purposes globally, some of which have been highlighted in this post.
This blog has explored the best iOS emulators for PCs, enabling the running of iOS applications on desktops with Windows or macOS. Now that you know about various iOS emulators or PCs, you can test them and choose which suits your requirements.