Quick Info
  • Apple approves UTM SE, a PC emulator, for the App Store.
  • With UTM SE, you can emulate classic software and old-school games; it can emulate Linux, macOS, and Windows on iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.
  • The app supports both VGA and terminal modes, can emulate x86, PPC, and RISC-V architectures, as well as run pre-built machines or lets you configure your own.
  • The app will also be available in the third-party app store, AltStore PAL, in the EU soon.

After initially rejecting a couple of PC emulators from the App Store a few weeks ago, Apple has had a change of heart and reversed its decision; the tech giant has finally approved a PC emulator for iPhone and iPad. UTM SE is an app for emulating Windows, macOS, and Linux on iOS devices.

Not only had Apple rejected the app from App Store in June, it had also barred its notarization for the third-party app store, AltStore PAL, in the European Union. However, now the app is available for free download in the App Store for iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS. The app will also soon be available in the AltStore PAL in the EU.

The cupertino giant has provided no explanations to the developer about what brought about this change of heart. Neither did they previously provide any clear explanations for the app was rejected. The company had only said that the app apparently violated the guideline 2.5.2 of their App Review guidelines.

The developer of the other PC emulator app that was rejected by Apple (which is still rejected), iDOS 3, received the same ambiguous explanations that clarified nothing for them. Apple said that the PC emulator was not a retro game console emulator and hence, it did not qualify for the App Store as per the guideline 4.7. Notably, Apple made the changes to the App Store guidelines earlier this year to allow retro game console emulators.

Whatever the company's reasons may be for earlier rejecting and now accepting the app, the fact is that you can now emulate computers and classic games on your iPhone and iPad. However, it is to be noted that UTM SE is a JIT-less (just-in-time compilation) emulator – you can thank Apple's restrictions for that – and hence, it's performance is not the same as other emulators available on other platforms.