Emulator of x86-based machines
Publisher’s description
What is 86Box?
86Box by 86Box is open-source Windows software in the emulators category. It ranks 33rd by popularity among emulators in this catalogue. It is written in C. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 6.0, released on May 31, 2026. The version history goes back to January 7, 2025: 4 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 2.9 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (86Box/86Box) has 4,944 stars. Similar programs include PCSX2, BizHawk and SameBoy.
Project description on GitHub: “Emulator of x86-based machines.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: 86Box is an open-source emulator tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is 86Box safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
B86722ED547089F095E8875805411F83C76AAFD7D318F67286A5A69AECDD7644· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 4 versions ›4 versions over 1 year · about 2.9 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0Latest | May 31, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 5.3 | December 22, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 5.0 | August 27, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 4.2.1 | January 7, 2025 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id 86Box.86Box -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
flatpak install flathub net._86box._86BoxInformation
- Publisher
- 86Box
- Category
- Emulators
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/86Box/86Box
- Written in
- C
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 6.0
- Released
- May 31, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- January 7, 2025
- Versions listed
- 4
- Updates / year
- 2.9
- GitHub stars
- 4,944
- GitHub forks
- 623
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- 86Box.86Box
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to 86Box
See all ›-
Open source11.1K ↓ -
BizHawk2.11A core-based, multi-system emulator written in C#. Provides nice features for casual gamers such as full screen, and controller/joystick support in addition to full rerecording and debugging tools for all system cores.Open source4.3K ↓ -
SameBoy1.0.4SameBoy is an open source Game Boy (DMG) and Game Boy Color (CGB) emulator, written in portable C.Other licence712 ↓ -
Open source1.1K ↓ -
Open source★ 10K -
Open source50 ↓ -
Open source★ 33.9K -
Proprietary20.6K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is 86Box free?
Yes. 86Box is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is 86Box safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install 86Box with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does 86Box run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of 86Box?
The versions page lists all 4 versions with links to their official installer files, back to January 7, 2025.
Can I use 86Box without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to 86Box?
PCSX2, BizHawk, SameBoy, bsnes and Cemu. The alternatives page compares them.
