How to Install Emulators on iOS

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Last Updated: June 6, 2024

Apple has recently made the decision to allow emulators on the App Store. This means no more sideloading IPAs downloaded from dodgy web sites that have to be resigned every so often. You can now download them on any iOS device!

Steps

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1
Open the App Store and search for your emulator. This will depend on the console you intend to emulate. Delta is a emulator for early Nintendo Consoles up to the OG DS, while other emulators can emulate other things, like PS1.
2
Install the app. When you find the app, it should have a button that says "Get". You will need to be signed into an Apple ID, which you most likely already have, and meet the requirements for storage, which is iOS 14 or later with at least 70MB free storage.

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3
Obtain some ROMs. Legally, the only way to do this is to dump cartridges you legally own, and transfer the file to your iPhone. However, emulators are unable to distinguish between legit and pirated ROMs. Still, be careful when downloading ROMs as many websites contain viruses or ads that have viruses.
- Some ROMs you download may come as zip files. If so, go into the files app and extract the ROMs.
4
Load the ROM. The exact steps for this will vary from emulator to emulator, but in most cases there will be an import button which you can click and then open a ROM file. Once this is done, you can play your game.
5
Consider a game controller. While most emulators come with touch controls, you will have a much better experience playing with a proper controller like an Xbox or a PlayStation controller. These controllers can be connected wirelessly to your device and most work very well.
- Some emulators may require you to bind keys. Be aware that on Nintendo consoles, A and B are swapped, so pressing B on your Xbox Controller will tell the game you pressed A. To change this, most emulators will let you select a different button, so B can be mapped to the actual B, rather than A.