RetroArch iOS — iPhone and iPad Setup Guide, Best Cores 2026

Install RetroArch from the App Store

1. Open the App Store and search RetroArch. Download the free app by Libretro. It requires iOS 13 or later. An iPhone XS or newer is recommended for smooth emulation of 16-bit and 32-bit systems; iPhone 12 or newer for 64-bit systems (N64, PS1).

Download a core

RetroArch is a front-end — it needs system-specific cores to emulate each console. Cores are downloaded from inside the app:

1. In RetroArch, go to Main Menu → Online Updater → Core Downloader.
2. Scroll or search for the core you need and tap to download. iOS App Store policy requires cores to be interpreted, so the core list available on iOS is smaller than on PC/Android — not all cores are present.

Well-supported cores on RetroArch iOS (2026)

• NES: Nestopia UE, FCEUmm
• SNES: Snes9x (best compatibility), bsnes (accuracy)
• Game Boy / GBC / GBA: mGBA (recommended), Gambatte
• Game Boy Advance: mGBA
• Sega Genesis / Mega Drive: Genesis Plus GX
• PS1: Beetle PSX (hardware-rendered, sharp upscaling)
• N64: Mupen64Plus-Next (accuracy), ParaLLEl-N64 (speed)
• NDS: melonDS (full Nintendo DS emulation with BIOS)
• TurboGrafx-16 / PCE: Beetle PCE Fast

Note: PS2, PS3, GameCube/Wii, and Switch cores are not available in RetroArch iOS due to performance and App Store JIT restrictions.

Adding ROM files

1. Transfer your ROM files to your iPhone via AirDrop, USB cable (Finder/iTunes), or iCloud Drive.
2. Place ROMs inside the RetroArch folder in your Files app (iCloud Drive → RetroArch, or On My iPhone → RetroArch).
3. In RetroArch: Load Content → Browse to navigate to your ROM file → select a core when prompted → tap Run.

Scanning your library for a proper game list

1. Place all ROMs in a consistent folder structure (e.g., separate subfolders per system: ROMs/SNES/, ROMs/GBA/).
2. In RetroArch: Import Content → Scan Directory → navigate to your ROMs folder. RetroArch will match ROMs against its database and build a menu list organized by system.

BIOS files

Some systems need BIOS files to boot. Copy them to the RetroArch/system/ folder via Files app:

• PS1: scph5501.bin (or similar region BIOS) for Beetle PSX HW
• NDS: bios7.bin, bios9.bin, firmware.bin for melonDS
• GBA: gba_bios.bin — optional for mGBA (mGBA has an open-source fallback BIOS)

Connecting a physical controller

1. Pair your controller in iOS Settings → Bluetooth. RetroArch supports DualSense (PS5), DualShock 4 (PS4), Xbox Wireless, and MFi controllers automatically.
2. Once connected, RetroArch maps the controller to default RetroPad layout. Most games require no additional mapping.
3. To remap: Settings → Input → Port 1 Controls → assign buttons per game or globally.

Performance settings for iOS

• Video Driver: Settings → Drivers → Video → metal. Metal is Apple's native GPU API; always use it instead of gl or glcore on iOS.
• Threaded Video: Settings → Video → Threaded Video: ON. Reduces input lag and helps maintain frame rate on mid-tier iPhones.
• Audio Driver: Settings → Drivers → Audio → coreaudio (default on iOS; do not change).
• Rewind: Settings → Frame Throttle → Rewind → OFF unless you specifically need it. Rewind significantly increases CPU usage.

Core Downloader is empty or cores won't download

• The App Store version of RetroArch periodically loses its core download list due to Apple's content policies. Go to Online Updater → Update Core Info Files and Update Assets first, then retry Core Downloader.
• If the list is empty after updating, check your internet connection and try again later — the buildbot servers are occasionally under load.
• Alternative: RetroArch for iOS can also sideload cores via AltStore if you need a core not available in the App Store version.

ROM crashes immediately / black screen

• Confirm you selected the correct core for your system. Wrong core (e.g., loading a GBA ROM with an NES core) causes an immediate crash or black screen.
• For PS1: Beetle PSX requires a BIOS file (scph5501.bin) in the RetroArch system folder. Without it, PS1 games crash to menu.
• For NDS: melonDS requires all three BIOS files. Without bios7.bin and bios9.bin, DS games black screen.

Save states not working

• Save states require the core to explicitly support them. Most RetroArch cores do. In-Quick Menu (press the menu button during gameplay): Save State and Load State should be visible. If they are greyed out, the current core does not support save states — use in-game battery saves instead.

No audio in games

• Confirm the iOS hardware mute switch is not engaged (the physical toggle on the side of the iPhone).
• In RetroArch: Settings → Audio → confirm Audio Enable: ON and Volume is above 0.
• Some PS1 games on Beetle PSX require CD Audio: ON in the core options (Quick Menu → Core Options) for music to play.