If you are seeking to run iOS apps on your laptop, here are the 20 best iOS emulators to run iOS apps on Mac and Windows.
There are nine most popular mobile operating systems in the world, including Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Bada, MeekGo OS, Windows Mobile, and others. According to Statista, of all these operating systems, Android has the highest number of users worldwide, hitting 3.2 billion in 2019.
However, on another metric, Apple’s iOS is the most secure operating system due to the company’s strict controls on the availability of the mobile apps on its App Store, which ensures all apps on the platform are vetted to avoid malware risk or presence.
Apart from this, when we are talking about user privacy and OS security, the Cupertino-based tech giant has fortified all its armoury to achieve the same feat. iOS contains an array of strict security checks for third-party mobile apps & services, which must be accepted for the App Store. We also have apps, exclusively offered on iPhone, iPad, and the likes.
But with the right app and know-how, you can enjoy the same privilege on your Windows or Mac laptop. Below, we will show you the 20 best iOS emulators to run iOS apps on Mac and Windows. Meanwhile, it is necessary to gain a basic understanding of what an emulator is.
What’s an Emulator?
This is a piece of software, which lets a computer system act like another computer system. For instance, in this case, where we want to run iPhone apps on Mac/Windows, the emulator app will function as an iOS system that can be installed on the Mac/Windows laptop, with apps from Store now installed on this emulator.
Having discussed what an emulator is, it is time we looked at the soul of this post:
Top iOS Emulators to Run iPhone Apps on Windows
Smartface
Smartface is an exclusive app for app developers and contains some of the most useful features for testing your mobile app. The software, which is generally suitable for professional developers, makes it stress-free to develop for both iOS & Android on a Windows PC.
It introduces a fresh perspective for app development on cross-platform tech. You can easily test the mobile application on various screen resolutions. Smartface is a great app that works as an Android and iOS debugger for Windows, offering cross-platform development.
It comes highly recommended for app development & testing.
iPhone Simulator
This app works as a basic iPhone simulator that allows you to run iPhone apps & games on your laptop. It primarily emphasizes running games, so you can look forward to enjoying excellent graphics on the simulator.
While iPhone Simulator does not have some beneficial features, it is your best bet if you mainly need a simulator for gaming. It has a similar user interface to the iPhone.
iPadian
This tool is among the most popularly used emulators, designed with a neat and smooth user interface. This UI also looks fairly like your iPad. It is easy to use: Simply install it, and you can get started instantly with your mobile apps.
Though the software isn’t a complete emulator, it will simulate iOS UI on your laptop. You’ll not be able to run all the Store apps on this emulator, but the software itself offers a native App store that contains millions of apps to select from and download to your device. The iPadian requires Adobe Air on your laptop for it to work, based on the way it is developed on the PC platform.
It requires low power to run and can play games & other mobile apps without you getting any clutter.
iMame
The iMame emulator puts more emphasis on letting you run games as well as other mobile apps on the PC. It is regarded as an emulator that does not have any features for app testing/development.
The tool has low resource & power consumption. What this emulator does is to allow you to run your iPhone apps on your laptop. Designed with a simple yet sleek UI, the iMame emulator works without any clutter, and any laptop with average specs will be able to load the games on this emulator quickly and seamlessly.
MobiOne Studios
This is a discontinued yet working emulator that’s deployed by the developers for testing their apps. However, you can also get it for personal use for installing and running iOS Apps on a laptop. It’s equally perfect for developing cross-platform apps to run the apps on both iPhone & Android.
MobiOne Studios is a powerful emulator that is fast and produces a more realistic experience. It can run all the apps on the PC with zero clutter.
Appetize.io
This is the most effective and robust iOS emulator for app testing & development. Appetize is a freemium-based service that offers limited time for free usage. It is a lightweight emulator, which doesn’t come with an IDE for app development, so you must have a simulator build of your app handy to upload.
Appetize is popularly used for testing apps since it has a range of features to do this, and it is easy to use. It lets you develop cross-platform apps over the cloud and supports every Windows version.
App.io
App.io is among the best emulators on the market by a wide margin. It comes with an array of fascinating features, including fast and straightforward installation, free services, easy-to-use interface, and much more.
This emulator places a greater emphasis on simplicity; all you need do is to sync your app bundled with the application and you’re all set. App.io is ideal for testing cross-platform apps or simply playing any iPhone exclusive games.
Air iPhone
This is one of the 20 best iOS emulators to run iOS apps on Mac and Windows. It runs on the ubiquitous Adobe Air Framework. For users that are familiar with Adobe Air Framework, you would know Adobe Air is quite remarkable.
This emulator creates a virtual screen on the laptop, bearing a resemblance to the iPhone Screen. The Air iPhone is straightforward and fast to install — simply download and install it with Adobe Air, and you’re good to go. It works seamlessly without any issues.
iPad Simulator
iPad Simulator is actually a Chrome extension, implying you won’t encounter any installation issues. This extension offers you a user interface that looks like the iPad, and it allows you to use iPad features, such as iMessenger and Siri on your laptop.
With iPad Simulator, you can use other features and capabilities without a virtual iPad; the iPad Simulator extension provides you with a complete feel of an iPad. It allows you to store mobile apps in the cloud by simply using a drag & drop option.
Xamarin TestFlight
This is an official emulator for testing apps on Windows and is owned by Apple. You may find that at first, this app isn’t easy to use, but if you can try working around with it for a while, you would see it is a great tool.
Xamarin TestFlight is most suitable for professional app developers; however, it’s not limited to them since any conventional app developers can try it out. This emulator only runs Apps that are compatible with iOS 8.0 & above. It is also ideal for testing your app on iOS 8.0 and above.
Nintendo 3DS Emulator
Nintendo 3DS Emulator is best suited for those users looking to play amazing iOS games on Nintendo Console. It is designed by the Nintendo developers to allow you iPhone games as Windows applications.
The software works efficiently and runs various games seamlessly. It lets you run 3D games as well as all iPhone games smoothly.
Ripple
This is also a Chrome extension emulator — like iPad Simulator — that can help you avoid any installation complications. It is a lightweight extension for testing old, older, and new applications on the Chrome browser.
It is famous as a result of its wide range of support for app testing, its simple user interface, and great features even with its small size.
Remoted iOS Simulator
This is another great product from Xamarin. Remoted iOS Simulator is an app testing program, which can carry out operations on the majority of iOS Apps. This simulator for Windows will help you conduct tests on your apps on an iOS simulator, which is displayed in Windows in addition to Visual Studio 2017.
Remoted iOS Simulator lets you debug apps on your Windows device. Its maker, Xamarin, has been purchased by Microsoft for iOS development on Windows Studio.
XAMARIN
Xamarin is among the latest products on the market, which helps you emulate iOS on your Windows laptop. The software is primarily used by developers for testing the cross-platform compatibility of iOS mobile applications with the Windows platform.
It is designed by Apple Inc. and comes with great features, like all Apple products.
Xamarin lets you run apps, such as iMessage on your Windows laptop. You can make use of a visual studio, as an IDE developer, for debugging iOS apps on your Windows laptops easily. Apart from Windows, Xamarin is also compatible with Mac and Linus. It is an awesome emulator when it comes to app development.
Electric Mobile Studio
This is yet another powerful tool for professional app developers and is one of the 20 best iOS emulators to run iOS apps on Mac and Windows. If you’re in need of a program for both iPhone & iPad app development, we recommend Electric Mobile Studio for you.
It is best suited for heavy-duty app developers and has a free version that contains limited features. To unlock all its features completely, you can go for the paid version for $40. This cost may seem slightly high, but the emulator software can be a full-blown app better than all its alternatives.
It is a versatile emulator for app testing, which is also easy to use.
iDOS Emulator
iDos Emulator comes last in this section, and it is a piece of software that works smoothly to offer you iOS experience on your Windows PC. It is a free tool, with a simple UI, which beginners will find very easy to use for.
As of now, it is not receiving updates on features or bug reports. Even though the tool can do the job, it’s not recommended for your use. But you may give it a try if you want.
Top iOS Emulators to Run iPhone Apps on Mac
App.io
Now closed, App.io is an emulator that is compatible with both Windows & Mac. Since Mac is an Apple product, it will integrate remarkably well with this iOS emulator. App.io comes with cool features and capabilities, allowing you to perform all required actions and tests without any issues.
To get started, you’ll be given a 7-day free trial. After that, if you are satisfied with its performance, you can upgrade to a premium plan. This emulator is a robust yet straightforward program for running and carrying out a deep test of iPhone Apps.
Appetize.io
This emulator is an App.io alternative, because App.io is no longer in development, now defunct. Appetize.io is a freemium-based service that offers limited time for free. It doesn’t offer an IDE for app development and you must have a simulator build of your app handy to upload.
Appetize.io integrates very well with Mac and is widely used for testing apps owing to its quality features and user-friendliness.
Xamarin TestFlight
This is an iOS app testing platform mainly used by developers & testers. It is owned by Apple. Xamarin TF requires a learning curve if you are using it for the first time.
You have to devote time to develop and learn how to use this software. However, once you are familiar with its usage, you would love it. Xamarin TF is not available for free, but it is worth every penny you pay to get it to test your iOS App on Mac.
Xamarin
Like Windows, Xamarin is an excellent tool to run iOS apps on Mac. It is developed and owned by Apple, so you can anticipate great quality and superb performance.
Xamarin comes with a range of cool features that let you run and test iOS apps on your Mac. It has the basic features that you would find in an emulator.
Wrapping up
In the two sections above, we have reviewed the 20 best iOS emulators to run iOS apps on Mac and Windows. Skimming through this compilation, you can choose the most suitable for you, which best takes care of your needs.
Have you used any of these emulator apps? What is your experience working with it?
