DOSBox-X emulates a PC necessary for running many DOS games and applications that simply cannot be run on modern PCs and operating systems, similar to DOSBox.
However, while the main focus of DOSBox is for running DOS games, DOSBox-X goes much further than this.
Started as a fork of the DOSBox project, it retains compatibility with the wide base of DOS games and DOS gaming DOSBox was designed for.
But it is also a platform for running DOS applications, including emulating the environments to run Windows 3.x, 9x and ME and software written for those versions of Windows.
By adding official support for Windows 95, 98, ME emulation and acceleration, we hope that those old Windows games and applications could be enjoyed or used once more.
Moreover, DOSBox-X adds support for DOS/V and NEC PC-98 emulations so that you can play DOS/V and PC-98 games with it.
Publisher’s description
What is DOSBox-X?
DOSBox-X is an open-source pc game program for Windows from joncampbell123 [DOSBox-X Team]. It ranks 28th by popularity among pc games in this catalogue. It is written in C. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for Any CPU as EXE (Inno Setup). Installation asks for administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2026.10.01, released on October 1, 2026. 33 versions are listed since March 30, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 6 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 10,001 times. The source code on GitHub (joncampbell123/dosbox-x) has 3,785 stars. Similar programs include RetroArch, OpenTTD and PPSSPP.
Project description on GitHub: “DOSBox-X fork of the DOSBox project”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Also runs on Linux
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: DOSBox-X is an open-source pc game tool for Any CPU PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is DOSBox-X 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:
36C36A5D7B2994495F32390F6B0D265D0B1B2334FD8848A3D0E5265EB8020D07· 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 joncampbell123/dosbox-x repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Security policy10
- Code review10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Restricted token permissions10
- Licence declared10
- Fuzzing10
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- No binaries in the repository0
- Signed releases0
- Branch protection0
- Static code analysis0
- Pinned dependencies0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 33 versions ›33 versions over 6 years · about 6 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026.10.01Latest | October 1, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2026.08.31 | August 31, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2026.08.02 | August 2, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2026.07.02 | July 2, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2026.05.02 | May 3, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2026.01.02 | January 3, 2026 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2025.12.01 | December 1, 2025 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
| 2025.10.07 | October 7, 2025 | — | Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup)Any CPU EXE (Inno Setup) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id joncampbell123.DOSBox-X -echoco install dosbox-x -yscoop install extras/dosbox-xdosbox-x-windows-2026.10.01-setup.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Program files (.exe): dosbox-x.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install dosbox-xflatpak install flathub com.dosbox_x.DOSBox-XInformation
- Publisher
- joncampbell123 [DOSBox-X Team]
- Category
- PC games
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/joncampbell123/dosbox-x
- Written in
- C
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- Any CPU
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Other platforms
- Linux
- Version
- 2026.10.01
- Released
- October 1, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 33
- Updates / year
- 6
- Chocolatey downloads
- 10,001
- GitHub stars
- 3,785
- GitHub forks
- 599
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- joncampbell123.DOSBox-X
- Chocolatey package
- dosbox-x
- Scoop package
- extras/dosbox-x
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is DOSBox-X free?
Yes. DOSBox-X is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is DOSBox-X 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-X 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-X be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does DOSBox-X run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
The installer is architecture-neutral.
Where can I download an older version of DOSBox-X?
The versions page lists all 33 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use DOSBox-X without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to DOSBox-X?
RetroArch, OpenTTD, PPSSPP, Steam and ScummVM. The alternatives page compares them.
