Emulators make it easy to run and test iOS apps on Windows PC or Mac. These are especially useful for developers who want to know how a specific app will appear and function on the iPhone and iPad. Emulator software works by replicating Apple's design, interface, and some limited functionality. If that sounds interesting, try these best iOS emulators for PC.
1. iPadian
iPadian is more of a simulator than an emulator. That is, it does not create a local version of iOS on your device but gives you a taste of using it. You cannot access the iOS app store, but you can use the apps that have been specially designed for iPadian. These include the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Tiktok, Whatsapp, Crossy road, and more.
MobiStudio is among the best iOS Emulators for PC. With this emulator, we can run both iOS apps as well as Android apps on our PC. It is very useful for developers because MobiOne cross-platform apps are built on the popular HTML5 hybrid-native app model using the open-source Cordova or PhoneGap framework. AIR iPhone Emulator is one of the best iOS Emulators To Run iOS Apps on Windows PC which has an iOS-like interface. For installing AIR iPhone emulator you need to install Adobe Air first. If you run the emulator without installing Adobe Air it might not function well.
This software imitates the design and appearance of iOS but not the features and system actions. The interface is clean and clutter-free while also not consuming a large amount of power. So it's perfect and the most popular option for all those who simply want to get a feel of iOS on their Windows or Mac computers.
Platform: Windows and Mac
Pricing: $25.00
2. Smartface
This is one of the best iOS emulators for PC because it provides an incredibly user-friendly experience. It is widely utilized by developers to test the iOS apps that they are creating. This requires an Apple device with the Smartface app to be connected to a Windows system that has iTunes installed.
Once that setup is in place, you can initiate emulation with a couple of clicks and experience a cross-platform programming experience. Further, it is frequently updated to keep up with changes in operating systems. In case you don't have an Apple device and just want to run some iOS apps, Smartface lets you do so in a browser.
Platform: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Pricing: Free
3. Appetize
Although one can only use this for 100 minutes a month for free, it is an emulator that very closely resembles what an actual iPhone would run like. This is due to features that help users easily develop, test, and update iOS and Android apps. Moreover, it also offers iCloud access, which is an additional benefit.
You can upload your app to its website or through an API. And within mere seconds, your app runs within any major web browser on your PC. The interface is easy to use, and there is a demo available on the website. This is best suited for both independent developers as well as large scale enterprises. There is flexible pricing according to your needs.
Platform: Windows (works in any browser)
Pricing: $40 per month for the basic plan
4. Xamarin
This is a plugin that you can use in Microsoft Visual Studio to develop iOS apps. It's quite an advanced iOS emulator that is pretty complicated to configure on PC. But once you do the hard work, you have a powerful tool to code iOS apps from Visual Studio IDE on your Windows computer.
The minimum requirements include a PC with the latest version of Visual Studio and a network-connected Mac that has Xamarin.iOS and the Apple build tools installed. It is powerful enough to support enterprise applications.
Platform: Windows
Pricing: $99/Month
5. Xcode
Xcode is Apple's own Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which helps developers create and review the performance of apps. Moreover, they can check the compatibility of their apps on several different iPhone models.
Unlike other emulators, Xcode is made for macOS only; hence, you cannot use it on Windows systems. For iOS developers, they can take full advantage of SwiftUI, which has a declarative Swift syntax.
In a single click, you can bring your iPad app to Mac. Xcode 11 has support for Swift packages; therefore, you can share code among all of your apps or use packages created by the community.
Platform: Mac
Pricing: Free
6. Adobe Air
This iPhone emulator can replicate the graphical user interface of iOS. Before any developer goes for the final release of their apps, they can use AIR to upload the app. Here, they can check how the app will look like.
However, it should be noted that hardware replication limits do not give an entirely accurate comparison of an app's behavior. What you see within this emulator may not be precisely what renders or occurs on an actual iOS device. Nonetheless, it's suitable to get a feel of what your iOS app will look like.
Platform: Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free
7. Electric Mobile Studio
Electric Mobile Studio allows full-fledged emulation of iPhone and iPad apps. You can test out responsive apps, and Windows users can integrate this tool with Visual Studio for convenience.
Further, you can add hot-key navigation for your favorite shortcuts. There are also integrated WebKit and Chrome debugging tools to take advantage of. Once you buy this product, you can use it on two machines to work seamlessly between them.
Platform: Windows
Pricing plans: $39.99 (Free 7-Day Trial)
8. TestFlight
This iPhone emulator is Apple's officially recommended method for testing iOS apps. It comes with extensive documentation that makes it easier to use. It supports apps for iOS, iMessage, watchOS, and tvOS.
Further, there is an option for external beta testing of your app before a final review that helps get a better picture of any issues faced by users. However, the setup is quite technical, and you will need to have an Apple Developer account to use it.
Platform: Mac
Pricing: Free How to download google drive link.
Summing Up
Install Ios On Windows Pc
So, which of these iPhone emulators have you tried out on your Windows or Mac computer? Share your experience with us in the comments below. You can also check out our guide to run Android apps on your Mac.
You may also like to read these:
I have been writing about tech for over 10 years now. I am passionate about helping people solve their tech problems with easy and practical solutions. At iGeeksBlog, I write and edit how-to guides and accessory reviews for all things Apple. My work has previously appeared in Live IT and Woman's Era magazines. When not working, I love reading and traveling.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/Using 'Rebuild' Feature of Database Utility in Mac Entourage
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
Nowadays the emulation software is already well known because it has some years in the market. Many relate this type of application with video games, the truth is that there is also the emulation of old systems such as Dos. As we have seen, in a matter of weeks we will be able to run Android applications on our Windows, and now this will also be valid for iPad applications.
That's right, a new open source application aims to do something like what BlueStacks will offer us. This nascent application named iPadian will be aimed at running applications for iPad from the Windows desktop. Free download iPadian iOS 12 from here.
How to use iPadian?
Until now it is known that this application will not need a typical installation, rather it will make use of third-party resources such as Adobe AIR. So, if you have this Adobe platform, iPadian will be able to read those applications for iPad that we wanted in tango in Windows.
For the misfortune of many the iPadian development still owes us the support for multitouch screens. This first version (numbered as 0.1) only allows manipulating the applications with the mouse pointer. On the other hand, there is no support (official) for the App Store, instead of this iPadian will offer its application store.
Not every, the thing is bad, because iPadian performs intelligently. It is even able to take an active session of pages or applications such as Facebook and thus stay connected from the iPad version.
Tablet simulation
Once you run iPadian, you'll see an interface that blends Mac OS and iOS features. At the top of the screen, there is a shortcut bar – like the Dock on Apple computers. Through this mechanism, the user has access to a chat, an email manager, a WebKit browser and some Windows directories.
How To Run Ios Apps In Windows 10
In turn, at the top of the window of this program, the user checks the status of his internet connection and the time. Also, in the options in the upper right corner. It can switch between the screens of open service, run the application in full screen. Close one or all of the running services.
Services for all activities on the PC
IPadian has services for most of the activities normally performed on the computer. All applications offered by this program are arranged in the central section of your interface.
While displaying application icons available on iPad, the software ends up redirecting you to online services. It is avoiding installing a long list of programs. For example, for you to communicate, it's interlinked with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, an email manager, and a chat.
As far as entertainment is concerned, the iPadian has a music player, picture editors, e-book reader, radio, TV broadcast, piano simulator and several games (including the popular Angry Birds).
How to put audio into imovie. As a general utility, the application provides a WebKit browser, YouTube access. The New York Times news summary, an iOS-like notepad, a file sharer, and a virtual phone – which works only for the US calls.
Our Opinion on iPadian
iPadian is an interesting application for those who want to know a little about the features offered by the iPad. It has a well-organized interface, very attractive and can be executed in full screen. It is the features that promote an uncomplicated and pleasant interaction.
Simple and practical, the program is easy to use and requires no change or configuration. To run, iPadian needs the machine to have already Adobe Air installed. In it, you can find a huge variety of application and game options that are commonly found on the iPad.
An interesting experience within the possibilities
Browsing the browser offered is very slow, compromising the user experience. Also, not all related services have worked properly – applications. It should show the weather and student information appear to be broken links.
Even the calculator function does not perform correctly. Because some characters are not visible on the screen due to the color and illumination used. Also, many times the software refuses to be closed. As much as the icon that terminates the application fires, only an error message is displayed, leaving the program open on your computer.
Taking into account that it is only a simulator, the iPhone Simulator fulfills its role and manages to give a basic notion of what a real device would look like. Although it has its limitations, if you want to know what it's like to have an Apple tablet, it's worth trying the iPadian.
