DOSBox Staging is a modern continuation of DOSBox with advanced features and current development practices.
It is a (mostly) drop-in replacement for older DOSBox versions—your existing configurations will continue to work, and you will have access to many advanced features.
DOSBox Staging comes with sensible defaults, so you’ll need to write a lot less configuration than with older DOSBox versions. Most games and applications require no tweaking and will work fine with the stock settings. However, the extensive configuration options and advanced features are available if you wish to delve deeper. Please refer to the Feature highlights on our front page to learn more about these.
Publisher’s description
What is DOSBox Staging?
DOSBox Staging by DOSBox Staging is open-source Windows software in the pc games category. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (Inno Setup) installers for 64-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.83.0-7b400, released on August 27, 2026. The version history goes back to March 18, 2024: 8 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 3.2 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging) has 1,824 stars. Similar programs include RetroArch, OpenTTD and Steam.
Project description on GitHub: “DOSBox Staging is a modern continuation of DOSBox with advanced features and current development practices.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: DOSBox Staging is an open-source pc game tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is DOSBox Staging 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:
A3F30B34870C1A3845258BEE92F325D0EFE22761ADCE9827820FB86EDEAC651D· 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
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Security policy10
- Restricted token permissions10
- Static code analysis10
- No binaries in the repository9
- Licence declared9
- Branch protection6
- Pinned dependencies4
- Code review1
- No dangerous workflows0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 8 versions ›8 versions over 2 years · about 3.2 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.83.0-7b400Latest | August 27, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.82.2 | June 17, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.82.1 | April 3, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.82.0-9df43 | October 27, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.81.2 | July 21, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit ZIP64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.81.1 | May 12, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit ZIP |
| 0.81.0 | February 27, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit ZIP64-bit EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 0.80.1 | March 18, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)64-bit ZIP64-bit EXE (Inno Setup)32-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging -edosbox-staging-windows-x64-v0.83.0-setup.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask dosbox-staging-appflatpak install flathub io.github.dosbox-stagingInformation
- Publisher
- DOSBox Staging
- Category
- PC games
- Licence
- GPL-2.0-or-later
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/dosbox-staging/dosbox-staging
- Written in
- C++
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 0.83.0-7b400
- Released
- August 27, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 18, 2024
- Versions listed
- 8
- Updates / year
- 3.2
- GitHub stars
- 1,824
- GitHub forks
- 252
- Website
- dosbox-staging.org
- winget ID
- DOSBoxStaging.DOSBoxStaging
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is DOSBox Staging free?
Yes. DOSBox Staging is open-source software under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.
Is DOSBox Staging 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 DOSBox Staging 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.
Can DOSBox Staging be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does DOSBox Staging 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 DOSBox Staging?
The versions page lists all 8 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 18, 2024.
Can I use DOSBox Staging without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to DOSBox Staging?
RetroArch, OpenTTD, Steam, PPSSPP and ScummVM. The alternatives page compares them.
