Running iPhone apps on a Mac with an emulator. New, iPhone-app-compatible Macs may be coming soon, but that's not the entire story. Because software developers need to be able to test iPhone apps. When connected, the emulator will launch and show the app you have open in App Inventor. If this is the first time you are using the emulator after installing the App Inventor Setup software, you will see a message asking you to update the emulator. Follow the directions on the screen to perform the update and reconnect the emulator. 1.iPhone emulator for PC. There is a growing demand for iPhone emulators for pc so that it creates an environment to run the iOS applications on PC. It is popular because it lets you use all the games and applications originally designed for iPhone to be accessible over PC. Jun 09, 2020 An iOS Emulator refers to the software that runs on MAC and allows the users to create a virtual environment for mobile operating systems. By using an iOS Emulator, the user can install and run all the apps and games as can be done on an iPhone. App or game developers use iOS Emulators to properly scale or test their applications.
7 Best iOS Emulators for MAC in 2020
Do you want to run iOS applications on MAC? This can be done using iOS Emulators. If you don’t own an iPhone but want to try an interesting application available only for iOS then you can use iOS Emulators to run that app on you MAC. Before knowing more about iOS Emulators, let me tell you about emulators. Emulators are a great way to strike out in the world of iOS. Generally, an emulator refers to a hardware or software that enables one system to operate or behave like another system. Emulators can be used for MAC. Emulators are an imperative tool for developers. They help the developers to know how their app will look and behave or respond. These are the programs that help to create a virtual iOS on the operating system to run a particular program. It’s important to note that emulators only create a virtual environment for software but the hardware remains the same. Sometimes it may happen that various apps require a specifichardware; such apps may not work properly. For example, if an application requires touch feature and your MAC doesn’t have it, then that particular app will not work on your MAC. Emulators also need a good quality RAM (minimum 4 GB RAM). One must keep in mind that more the RAM is smoother will the emulator work. An iOS Emulator refers to the software that runs on MAC and allows the users to create a virtual environment for mobile operating systems. By using an iOS Emulator, the user can install and run all the apps and games as can be done on an iPhone. App or game developers use iOS Emulators to properly scale or test their applications. Various iOS Emulators for MAC available in the market are listed below.
- Smartface Smartface is an iOS Emulator which is mostly used by app developers. App developers use it to test their apps for various iPhones and iPads. The emulator is paid and starts at $99. It also avails the users with a free version to test it. It is an ideal emulator for testing cross-platform iOS apps. It also functions as an Android and iOS debugger.
-iPadian iPadian is yet another unanimous iPhone emulator that offer a UI similar to iOS. It costs around $20 and requires Adobe Air for proper functioning. It consumes low resources and can be used to play dozens of iOS games and run various iOS apps. It is not a full-fledged emulator. It provides the user with the list of apps that he/she can induce on the desktop to see how it will appear on iPad. It is user friendly, smooth and clutter-free. It has been a choice of professionals for long and comes with a customizable interface and includes a facebook notification widget as well. One thing to note is that it does not allow access to the official Appstore. The user can run the apps specifically designed for iPadian simulator.
- Appetize.io Appetize.io is a powerful emulator and an alternative to App.io. It is used for developing and testing iOS apps. It is a cloud-based iOS emulator and eliminates the need for downloading additional software. A user can use Appetize.io completely free for about 100 minutes per month. After exceeding the limit of 100 min/month, the user will be charged $0.05 per minute.Appetize.io runs iOS and Android apps within a web browser on any computer. It has an easy access to network traffic, debug logs and video recordings. It closely resembles an iPhone which helpthe users to easily develop, test and update the apps.
-Air iPhone This iOS emulator has a UI that resembles iOS 6 and can be used for playing games and using iOS applications. This iOS Emulator requires anAdobe AIR framework to work correctly. Developers use this emulator for testing the layout before finally compiling the application. It is Simple and has an intuitive UI.
- iPhone Stimulator This software allows users to use and interact with iOS apps and games. The UI of this simulator is identical to that of original iOS, but the UX is different. Consequently, it’s a simulator and not an emulator. You can use this iOS simulator for playing iOS games. iPhone Simulator offers a realistic simulation. It also enables access to the clock, calculator, notepad and iOS system preferences. iPhone Simulator is mainly used for games and other smaller apps, due to the lack of cutting-edge features. The lack of bugs in the emulation is also impressive and helps deliver a near-native iPhone gaming experience. Another additional benefit is that it’s free.
- Ripple Emulator Ripple emulator helps you emulate an iPad on PC for testing purposes and is an easy option since it is not software-based, requiring a Google Chrome extension. It can be used for developing and testing apps while online on your PC. However, there is a drawback of Ripple; it is still in the beta stage presently. You are likely to encounter bugs. Ripple Emulator is available as a browser extension. So, you can install it in your Chrome browser and setup everything easily. Overall, it works fine and you can test or run iOS apps and games. While Appetize.io is a browser-based iPhone emulator for PCs, Ripple does its job in the form of a Chrome extension. It’s popular for testing cross-platform mobile and HTML5 applications without going through a complicated setup process. Targeted towards platforms like PhoneGap and Webworks, Ripple aims to help developers by providing features like HTML DOM Inspection, Automated Testing, JS Debugging, and more. In real-time, one can run the apps on different screen resolutions and devices. This iOS emulator for your computer doesn’t need to be restarted if you choose a new device, which makes the experience pretty convenient.
- Xamarin TestFlight Emulator Xamarin TestFlight is the next iPhone emulator. It is the official Apple emulator that is created for testing the apps developed for iOS. It is worth noting, that Xamarin TestFlight is not meant for beginners, there’s some learning curve to use this emulator to its full potential. You can upload your app and check its compatibility on different iOS devices.Furthermore, Xamarin TestFlight can only run applications that are developed for iOS 8 or later. These were all the best iOS Emulators for MAC. User can choose from the above according to their needs and satisfaction. Most of emulators are focused on app development and testing but some are also based on playing games and running various iOS apps. Depending on the need, the user can choose any of these emulators.
Using an Android or iOS emulator to run a mobile app on your desktop has many advantages.
For example, you can duplicate the mobile device’s behavior without any added hardware cost.
You can run games like PUBG and Pokemon Go on your computer by using an emulator. It also helps app developers find unexpected behavior during the testing phase of the apps.
OR If you’d like to know how a particular app will appear and function on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch from a Windows laptop or desktop, you’ll need an iOS emulator for PC.
We all know that there are plenty of Android emulators out in the world for both Windows and macOS devices. But what about iPhone emulators?
Well, if you’re looking for an iOS emulator for testing your new app, or just to run some iOS apps on your computers, we’ve got you covered. Here are 14 iOS emulators for Windows 10 and macOS you can try.
There are not many iOS emulators out there. Apple is very stringent about emulation and always blocks and kills such apps.
We will be including both types of emulators(Windows & Mac) in this list. So, regardless of your use-case, you will find something that fits your needs.
Most of the listings in this article are free, and others let you use the emulator program for a certain trial period.
1. TestFlight
Platform: Mac
Pricing plans: Free
TestFlight, which is now owned by Apple, is often used by developers to beta test their iOS apps coded using Xamarin.
You can also consider it as Apple’s officially recommended method for testing the apps.
TestFlight’s extensive documentation is a plus point for this iOS emulator for PCs. This free app supports apps for iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and iMessage.
It also includes an option for external beta testing of the apps before the final review. The downside of this emulation service is a comparatively technical setup, and one also needs to create an App Store distribution profile.
2. Appetize.io
Appetize.io is one of the easiest to use iOS emulators.
It’s cloud-hosted which means you don’t need to install any apps on your computer. Plus it’s compatible with Windows 10 and macOS.
With Appetize, you get access to iPhones from iPhone 5s to the iPhone 11 Pro Max, and a couple of options from iPads and iPod Touch as well.
You can choose the OS version from iOS 10 to iOS 14. That’s pretty cool.
Appetize is mainly meant for developers. As such, you can’t install just about any app on the emulator here. You need a public key for the app you want to install. The reason I have included this at the top of this list is because it’s incredibly easy to use, and it offers a nice free tier that allows you 100 minutes of usage in a month.
You can also pay for additional use time and more features.
3. RunThatApp
Platform: Web Browser
This is another platform from where you can run iOS apps on virtual iPhones via your web browser.
Notably, it allows the user to upload their apps, and then with the help of an access link can be used on the emulator.
It is one of the best ways to test out the waters of the beta app, if you are a developer, and see how your app would look and operate in the actual environment.
4. Air iPhone
Air iPhone runs on the very popular Adobe Air Framework.
If you are familiar with Adobe Air Framework, then you may know that Adobe Air is very impressive. The Air iPhone creates a virtual screen on your PC which resembles the iPhone Screen.
Installing the Air iPhone is very simple, just download the Air iPhone and install it with Adobe Air, done. You can work with this without any issues.
- Simple installation setup.
- Runs on Adobe Air.
- Runs all basic features to give you a complete feel of the iPhone.
5. Remote iOS Simulator for Windows
Platform: Windows
Pricing plans: Free, Paid
Another popular option to test iOS applications on your Windows PC is Remoted iOS Simulator for Windows.
It’s a developer-focused tool that comes pre-loaded as a part of Xamarin in Visual Studio. Microsoft has detailed documentation available on its website that users can follow and test their apps with the iOS simulator.
The tool’s window shows a useful toolbar at the top that has useful options like Home, Lock, Settings, and Screenshot. From Settings, you can enable Touch ID-like functionality, simulate static and moving conditions, shake gestures, rotation, etc.
The tool also provides iPhone-like touch gestures and stylus input.
It is important to note that it’s a remote iOS emulator for windows.
To put it simply, it requires a Mac to run the iOS simulator, which then sends the feed to a Windows computer.
6. Smartface
This is an exclusive app for developers.
The Smartface houses some of the most powerful features to test your App. Smartface generally caters for professional App developers.
Smartface makes it easy to develop for iOS and Android on Windows with a new perspective for developing applications on Cross-Platform technologies. You can test the App on different screen resolutions.
Features of Smartface:
- The application works as Android and iOS debugger for Windows
- Cross-platform development
- Pretty Clean App and is much recommended for app development and testing
Pros:
- Frequently updated to keep up with operating system updates.
- Reliable and user friendly.
Cons:
- A slight performance loss for CPU-intensive apps.
- Requires an Apple device to work.
7. Ripple
Ripple is another Chrome extension emulator that can save you from all the installation complications.
You can use this tiny extension to test old, older, and new Apps on Chrome. The extension App is quite popular due to its wide range of support for App testing and also it offers some good substance for its small size.
Features of Ripple:
- Small size without any download complications.
- A wide range of test support
- Simple interface.
Pros:
- A minimal learning curve for those unfamiliar with emulators.
- Ideal for testing websites for iOS devices.
Cons:
- Hasn’t been updated in a few years.
- Isn’t supported by its developers.
8. Corellium
Platform: Web (browser-based)
Pricing plans: $99/ month for a 2-core CPU plan; $295/ month for a 6-core CPU plan
Corellium is another iOS emulator for PCs, mostly used by security researchers to run a simulated iOS device within the browser.
The people behind Corellium are one of the earliest members of the iPhone jailbreak scene, so you are in safe hands.
Earlier, Corellium was only available to enterprise users but now individuals can also use the iOS virtualization software.
However, getting your hands on the tool is difficult since Corellium doesn’t want it to be used by the wrong people.
9. iPadian
Platform: Windows, Mac
Pricing plans: Paid | $35
Iphone App Emulator Mac Free
One of the best iOS emulators for Windows 10, iPadian is a completely paid solution, so you can’t really get a free trial or anything for it.
As the name suggests, this is an iPad simulator. Like other simulators, you don’t get things like the App Store with iPadian.
You only get access to a particular set of apps, although there are over a 1000 of these apps including Facebook, WhatsApp, and others.
Iphone Simulator For Windows 10
iPadian is pricey, as far as emulators go, which is the only reason that it’s not number 1 on this list.
However, if you’re looking to get an iPad experience on your Windows machine, you can definitely consider using iPadian.
10. iPhone Simulator
It is a plain iPhone simulator to run iPhone Games and Apps on laptop PC.
The app mainly focuses on running the games thus you can expect the simulator to be good on graphics.
Though the App lacks some useful features, if you wish to have it just for gaming then I recommend going for it without any second thought.
- Features of iPhone Simulator
- Power Application for gaming.
- High-quality graphics.
- The UI is similar to iPhone
11. Xcode
Platform: Mac
Pricing plans: Free
If you’re an iOS developer, you obviously already use Xcode on your Mac (or hackintosh) to build your apps.
If you do, you probably don’t need another iOS emulator or simulator on your computer just to test your app. Xcode has a really good iOS emulator built in for testing purposes and so you can run your app on a virtual device instead of deploying it on a physical device.
The best thing about the built in Xcode emulator is the fact that you get access to a variety of devices and screen sizes with different iOS versions.
What’s more, the emulator works really fast and it’s really smooth which is pretty awesome. Obviously, you can’t install any random app on these emulators either, you will have to have the source code for the app you want to install on the emulator.
12. iMame (Game Emulator)
Platforms: Windows and Mac
This emulator is more focused on allowing the user to run games and running other applications.
iMame can be said as an emulator without any App testing or development feature. The sole purpose of the emulator is to allow the user to run iPhone Apps on the PC.
The App works without any clutter and any average computer can load the games on the emulator without any issues.
Features of iMame
- Low resource and power consumption.
- More centric towards gaming.
- Simple and sleek user interface.
13. Electric Mobile Studio
Pricing plans: Freemium
Electric Mobile Studio is another powerful application for professional App developers.
This is a paid app mostly used for testing out and running iOS apps. However the interface here isn’t all that good. Plus, EMS iOS emulator is mostly aimed at testing HTML 5 and JS apps on iPhones and iPads.
It comes with WebKit and Chrome debugging tools to allow developers to test out their web apps.
You can also run multiple instances of emulators with Electric Mobile Studio which can be helpful if you’re trying to test out your app in multiple devices at the same time.
If you are looking for both iPhone and iPad app development, then this Studio is for you. The App generally caters to heavy-duty App developers. There is a free version with limited features and a paid version for $40 with completely unlocked features.
The cost may seem a little high but this single emulator can be a full-blown application to all its alternatives.
Features of Electric Mobile Studio:
- All in one emulator for app testing
- Powerful and easy to use
14. App.io
This is by far one of the best emulators I have loved the most.
The few reasons which made me love this application are hassle-free installation, free services, and ease to use among many others. The App.io focuses more on simplicity, you just need to sync your App bundle with the Application and you are good to go.
Use this app for testing cross-platform apps or to just play any iPhone exclusive games.
To use the emulator and test apps or games before finalising the code, upload iOS app .zip file or Android.Apk file.
Once uploaded, you can properly interact with your application and test it yourself. App.io provides a capable ecosystem for checking and enhancing applications.
Once you sync your iOS app with App.io you can use this cloud-based service on Windows, Mac, and Android devices.
Features of App.io:
- Completely free service
- Easy setup along with simplicity in use.
- Play games or test Apps.
Conclusion
That’s pretty much it! So, there are Best iOS Emulators For PC (Windows And Mac) To Run iOS Apps and Games.
If you have any other favorite iOS Emulators For PC (Windows And Mac) then don’t forget to share them with us in the comment below. Also, if you liked this article, Share on your favorite Social media platform.
Source:
If you like our content, please consider buying us a coffee.
We are thankful for your never ending support.