How to emulate Windows on iPhone and iPad (iOS)

Those who are used to dealing with computers may miss some features when using their smartphone. This is one of the reasons why users may want to use resources that allow the use of PC operating systems on cell phones.

With the recent change in the rule for distributing emulators on the App Store, it is possible to use an application to have complete operating systems on iOS, such as old versions of Windows and Linux, directly on the iPhone.

Recently, the company approved the first PC emulator for iPhone and iPad, UTM SE. With the app, iOS users can simulate running older versions of Windows, macOS, and other operating systems on their device.

It is worth remembering that, even though UTM SE has a great proposal, it may still not fulfill its function fully due to iOS restrictions. Check out the step-by-step guide below on how to use the app to emulate Windows on the iPhone.

How to emulate Windows on iPhone and iPad (iOS)

UTM SE is a retro PC emulator that allows you to run old operating systems (OSes) and games on iPhone and iPad. Check out some information:

• To use UTM SE on iPhone, you must have iOS 14.0 or later;
• The app is free and open source;
• UTM SE allows the device to emulate more than 30 processors, including x86, PPC and RISC-V;
• Supports both VGA graphics and text terminals;
• It is possible to run operating systems such as Windows and Linux on iOS;
• Allows you to create your own virtual machine configurations or run pre-configured machines;
• It is possible to share directory, forwarding port and clipboard;
• The UTM SE supports different types of input, such as mouse, external keyboard, Apple Pencil, tochpads and controllers;
• It uses QEMU, a robust and widely used emulator.

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How does UTM SE work?

The application does not have pre-installed virtual machines, but offers links to guides and downloads on the UTM SE website. This allows users to configure their own virtual machines, or use pre-configured machines for operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows 11, Mac OS 9.2.1 and DOS.

Limitations of UTM SE on iOS devices

Often, users of iOS devices end up encountering significant limitations when using applications like UTM SE, and one of them is related to the fact that applications on the iOS platform cannot use the JIT compiler.

This directly affects the functionality and performance of UTM SE on iPhones and iPad, causing them to end up being less powerful than on other platforms. With the absence of the JIT compiler, UTM SE's ability to perform complex operations and real-time processes may be compromised.

The efficiency and speed of tasks performed by the application are affected, limiting advanced functionalities that are easily accessible on other platforms.