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On Android, downloading an emulator can be a simple case by going to Google Play, searching for the emulator you want and hitting download. For iOS, it’s a little more cumbersome, but it’s still possible, and that’s what we’re explaining here today.

An app called AltStore lets you install emulators on your phone through a method called sideloading. If you’re not familiar with the term, sideloading is installing software without using the App Store. Why should you do this? Simply put, emulation software goes against Apple’s rules, so they don’t allow it to be accessed through their storefront.

So AltStore stepped in to give iOS users with a penchant for retro games a way to use an emulator on their phone. Unfortunately, installing AltStore is not a matter of going to the App Store and searching. It is not a difficult process, but it involves a few steps.

Install AltStore on Windows

  • First, make sure you have downloaded iTunes and iCloud.
  • Go to the AltStore website and download AltServer for Windows.
  • Once the file has been downloaded, unzip the folder and run ‘setup.exe’. Follow the instructions to install it.
  • After AltServer is installed, open it on your computer.
  • Open iTunes and connect your iOS device.
  • Click the device icon and scroll down until you see an option labeled “Sync with this iPhone/iPad over Wi-Fi.” Check the box and sync your device.
  • Then click the upward pointing arrow on your computer’s menu bar.
  • Click on the AltServer icon (it’s a simplistic diamond shape).
  • Then click “Install AltStore”, select your device and enter your App Store ID information when prompted.
  • AltStore will now be downloaded on your iOS device. However, you cannot open it yet.
  • Instead, go to Settings – General – Device Manager – Developer App – Tap AltStore to verify it and click OK. You can now use AltStore!

Install AltStore on macOS

  • On macOS, the process is simpler, as you might expect.
  • Go to the AltStore website and download AltServer for macOS.
  • After downloading, copy the file ‘AltServer.app’ to your /Applications folder.
  • Open AltServer, which should appear in the menu bar.
  • Connect your iOS device to your computer.
  • If you’re using macOS 10.14 Mojave or earlier, open iTunes and check the “Sync with this iPhone/iPad over Wi-Fi” box.
  • If you’re using macOS 10.15 Catalina or later, open Finder and check the “Show this iPhone/iPad on Wi-Fi” box.
  • In the Mac menu bar, click ‘AltServer’ – ‘Install AltStore’ and select your device.
  • Enter your App Store ID credentials when prompted, and AltStore will be installed on your device.

Emulator options and how to install them

There are several emulators that you can choose from to install on your iPhone or iPad. We’ll walk through some of those options here and let you know how to sideload on your iOS device via AltStore.

Delta

Delta is the easiest emulator to install. Since it was developed by the same person as AltStore, you can find it in the browse section and just tap where it says “Free”. Delta will then install on your device.

In terms of emulation, Delta can run ROMs from the following Nintendo consoles:

RetroArch

RetroArch is one of the most popular emulators, and for good reason. It can support a large number of platforms and even a few specific games. Below is a list of all the platforms it supports:

  • 3DO
  • Amstrad CPC
  • arcade
  • Atari 2600
  • Atari 5200
  • Atari 7800
  • Atari Valk
  • Atari Jaguar
  • Atari Lynx
  • Atari ST/STE/TT/Falcon
  • Bandai Wonder Swan
  • ColecoVision
  • Commodore 64
  • Commodore 128
  • Commodore Amiga
  • Commodore CBM-II
  • Commodore PET
  • Commodore Plus/4
  • Commodore VIC-20
  • DOS
  • Electronics – BK-0010/BK-0011
  • Fairchild Channel F
  • GCE – Vectrex
  • Handheld Electronic
  • Mac II
  • Magnavox Odyssey
  • Mattel Intellivision
  • Mega Duck
  • Microsoft MSX
  • NEC PC Engine/CD
  • NEC TurboGrafx-16/SuperGrafx
  • NEC PC-8000/PC-8800
  • NEC PC-98
  • NEC PC-FX
  • NEC TurboGrafx CD
  • Nintendo 3ds
  • nintendo 64
  • Nintendo DS
  • NES
  • Nintendo Famicom Disk System
  • Game Boy
  • Game Boy Color
  • Game Boy Advance
  • GameCube
  • Nintendo Pokemon Mini
  • SNES
  • Nintendo Virtual Boy
  • nintendo wii
  • Palm OS
  • Philips CD-i
  • Sega 32X
  • Sega Dreamcast
  • Sega Game Gear
  • Sega Master System
  • Sega Mega CD/Sega CD
  • Sega Mega Drive/Genesis
  • Sega Saturn
  • Sega ST-V
  • Sega VMU
  • SG-1000
  • Sharp X1
  • Sharp X68000
  • Sinclair ZX81
  • Sinclair ZX Spectrum
  • Original PlayStation
  • Playstation 2
  • PSP
  • SNK Neo Geo Bag/Color
  • Super NES
  • Spectra Video (SVI)
  • The 3DO company 3DO
  • Thomson computers
  • Uzebox
  • Vectrex
  • Watara supervision


Follow the steps below to install RetroArch:

  • Go to the RetroArch download page and find the iOS download link. This will give you access to the ipa file.
  • Then open a cloud-sharing service, although I’d recommend iCloud for convenience, and upload the ipa file there.
  • Once it’s synced to the cloud, open AltStore, click “My Apps” and tap the plus button in the top left corner.
  • After a few moments, RetroArch will appear in your list of apps in AltStore and you’re good to go!

Origin

Origin is another popular emulator that offers a comprehensive list of platforms, although admittedly not as comprehensive as RetroArch:

  • Atari 2600
  • Atari 5200
  • Atari 7800
  • Atari Lynx
  • Atari Jaguar
  • Bandai WonderSwan/WonderSwan Color
  • NEC PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 (PCE/TG16)
  • NEC PC Engine Super CD-ROM² System / TurboGrafx CD
  • NEC PC Engine Super Grafx
  • NEC PC-FX
  • NES
  • Nintendo Famicom
  • SNES
  • Game Boy
  • Game Boy Color
  • Virtual boy
  • N64
  • Game Boy Advance
  • pokemon mini
  • Sega SG-1000
  • Sega Master System
  • Sega Genesis or Mega Drive
  • Sega Game Gear
  • Sega CD/Mega CD
  • Sega 32X
  • Sega Saturn
  • SNK Neo Geo Pocket/Neo Geo Pocket Color
  • Original PlayStation

To install Provenance, follow the instructions for RetroArch after downloading the Provenance ipa from its website.


A few notes to remember

There are a few things to keep in mind when using AltStore. First, you need to have AltServer running in the background on your PC when using the app. Likewise, your phone should stay connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your PC.

There are a limited number of apps that you can install at once, and they also need to be refreshed every seven days. This isn’t particularly hard to do, and after a while your phone should handle it automatically.

Finally, you can only install a certain number of apps per week, and even then, only three can be active at a time. One of these apps must be AltStore, which means you can install two emulators at once. You can reactivate and deactivate them as needed, but it’s a limitation worth keeping in mind.