MeloNX
MeloNX is a free, open-source Nintendo Switch emulator for iPhone and iPad, based on Ryujinx and licensed under GPLv3.
What MeloNX is
MeloNX is a free, open-source Nintendo Switch emulator for iPhone and iPad, based on Ryujinx and licensed under GPLv3. It does not require a jailbreak, but JIT is mandatory and the emulator cannot run without it. The recommended installation guide uses PlumeImpactor to sideload the IPA, with SideStore as an optional on-device sideloading route. The maker recommends iPhone 15 Pro or newer and certain iPad Pro and iPad Air models; its lowest listed compatible devices are iPhone 6s with a paid developer account and iPhone 12 with a free developer account. Users add encryption keys and firmware through the in-app file picker. Commercial games require legally dumped firmware and keys, along with purchased games. Audio output works, but microphone input is unsupported. Controls include keyboard, touch, JoyCon, and nearly all MFI controllers; JoyCon motion is unavailable because of an iOS limitation. The emulator supports DLC and game updates, while mods are unsupported but may work. Its graphics emulation uses Metal through MoltenVK.
Good
- No jailbreak required.
- Supports keyboard, touch, JoyCon, and nearly all MFI controllers.
- Supports DLC and game update add-ons.
- Offers resolution and controller remapping settings.
Watch out
- Requires JIT to run.
- Microphone input is unsupported.
- JoyCon motion support is unavailable.
- Mods are unsupported, though they may work.
Who it suits
MeloNX is for iPhone and iPad users seeking an open-source Switch emulator who can meet its JIT requirement. It also suits users prepared to sideload the app and provide the required game files.
Verdict
MeloNX offers Switch emulation on iPhone and iPad with several controller options and configurable settings. JIT is required, and commercial games require legally dumped firmware and keys plus purchased copies.
Plans and prices
From MeloNX's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| MeloNX | Free | Open-source Nintendo Switch emulator for iPhone and iPad |
The facts
Each one read from MeloNX's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Architecture
- The project is an iOS emulator based on Ryujinx and written mainly in C# and Swift.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Audio
- Audio output is supported through OpenAL wrappers with SDL2 and libsoundio fallbacks, while microphone input is unsupported.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Bundled licenses
- The project says it incorporates libvpx under BSD terms and FFmpeg under LGPLv3 terms.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Configuration
- Settings include logging controls, controller remapping, resolution options and shader-cache controls.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Controller support
- Input includes keyboard, touch, Joy-Con and nearly all MFi controllers, with rumble generally supported.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Controls
- The emulator supports keyboard, touch, JoyCon, and nearly all MFI controllers; JoyCon motion support is unavailable due to an iOS limitation.checked 8 Oct 2026
- CPU emulation
- Its ARMv8 CPU emulator translates guest instructions through an intermediate representation and supports several memory-manager modes plus persistent translation caching.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Dependencies
- Credits identify Ryujinx, LibHac, AmiiboAPI, ldn_mitm and ShellLink as project components or dependencies.checked 15 Oct 2026
- DLC and mods
- MeloNX supports DLC and game update add-ons, while mods are unsupported but may work.checked 8 Oct 2026
- DLC and updates
- MeloNX supports downloadable content and game-update add-ons.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The repository README contains FAQ, device requirements, entitlement explanations, installation steps, feature descriptions and legal-use guidance.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Game files
- Users add encryption keys and firmware through the in-app file picker; commercial games require legally dumped firmware, keys, and purchased games.checked 8 Oct 2026
- GPU emulation
- The graphics layer emulates the Switch Maxwell GPU through Metal and MoltenVK using a custom Silk.NET build.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Graphics
- The GPU emulator uses Metal through MoltenVK to emulate the Switch Maxwell GPU.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Installation uses a sideloaded IPA through PlumeImpactor, with optional SideStore or AltStore integration and separate JIT activation.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Jailbreak
- The maker says MeloNX requires no jailbreak.checked 8 Oct 2026
- JIT requirement
- The emulator requires Just-in-Time compilation and cannot run without JIT enabled.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Legal content requirement
- Commercial games require users to dump their own legally purchased games, firmware and keys from a Switch capable of custom firmware.checked 15 Oct 2026
- License
- The project states that its software is licensed under GPLv3.checked 8 Oct 2026
- License claim
- The README describes MeloNX as GPLv3-licensed open-source software.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Breath of the Wild performance
- An iPhone 15 Pro user reported Breath of the Wild running around 20 FPS with drops to 8 FPS and severe stutter.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: game compatibility
- Users reported that a game working in one MeloNX version could crash or fail after an update, requiring multiple installed versions.checked 15 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Compatible devices
- The maker lists iPhone 6s with a paid developer account and iPhone 12 with a free developer account as the lowest compatible devices.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Device requirements
- The maker lists iPhone 15 Pro or newer and certain iPad Pro and iPad Air models as recommended devices.checked 8 Oct 2026
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