86Box

X86 PC EMULATOR

86Box

86Box is an open-source emulator that recreates IBM‑compatible PCs and period expansion hardware (from early 8-bit/16-bit PC-era systems through many Pentium‑era motherboards), intended for running historical operating systems and vintage DOS/Windows software.

Jump to download ↓Jump to setup guide ↓

86Box emulator screenshot.

x86 PCPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

Open sourcePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why use 86Box?

86Box focuses on low-level, component-accurate emulation of PC hardware and expansion cards to reproduce period-compatible behavior. It exposes many motherboard models, CPU options, ISA/PCI cards, and peripherals that make it suitable for preservation, software testing on authentic hardware combos, and retro gaming that depends on specific legacy hardware.

BEST FOR

Best for

People who need detailed, configurable x86 PC hardware emulation (IBM PC/XT/AT era through late-1990s PC hardware) — hobbyists preserving old software, retro gamers needing specific cards or BIOSes, and researchers testing period configurations.

Gameplay from Prince of Persia on DOS.

The people behind 86Box

History & status

86Box is a community-driven emulator with a public source repository and published releases. The project and its documentation are actively maintained; releases and development activity are available from the official GitHub repository and the project's website/blog. Documentation describes supported machine types, ROM/asset requirements, and development APIs. The project continues to receive updates and new hardware support via releases and changelogs available on the project's release page.

What 86Box supports

Windows (x86_64/x64)
Linux (x86_64, x86-64; packaged/built from source)
macOS (host builds available)
Wide range of vintage x86-compatible guest OSes (DOS, Windows 3.x/9x, early Windows NT, vintage BSD/Linux builds)

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get 86Box

Official downloads are provided from the project's releases and the 86Box website. Release archives include the emulator binary and (on some platforms) an 'assets' folder; builds and nightly artifacts are published through the project's GitHub releases/CI. The emulator does not include commercial BIOS/firmware/OS files — required ROMs and BIOS images must be obtained and placed into the emulator's roms/asset directories as described in the docs.

Get 86Box ↗

DOCUMENTATION

Official documentation

Read the official configuration, compatibility, and troubleshooting material before changing advanced options.

Read official documentation ↗

Broken or missing download? Emulator projects move and official links sometimes change. Please contact Retro Replay so the source can be verified and updated.

86Box setup guide

Setup note: Practical setup checklist and step-by-step configuration notes for getting 86Box running and creating an emulated PC.

1) Obtain the emulator build and the documentation: Download a release archive from the official GitHub releases or the project's website. Read the project's documentation (Read the Docs) to understand the file layout, machine manager, and asset/ROM requirements before running the program.
2) Prepare ROMs and assets (required): 86Box requires machine BIOS/firmware/ROMs and, optionally, an asset pack for some features. These files are not distributed with the emulator. Place your legally obtained BIOS/ROM files into the ROM directory described in the documentation (the docs explain default locations and XDG behaviour on Unix-like hosts). If you downloaded a release that includes an assets folder, extract it alongside the emulator per the release notes.
3) Start the emulator and the machine manager: Run the 86Box binary. The first-run manager or the built-in Machine Manager (if present in the release) lets you create and store multiple machine configurations. If 86Box cannot find required ROM files it will show an error — consult the 'roms' section of the docs for exact filenames expected by each machine model.
4) Create a machine: pick motherboard, CPU, and chipset: Use the Machine Settings to select a specific motherboard model and an appropriate CPU option for the era you want to emulate. The UI lists compatible CPUs and speed grades for the selected motherboard. For software compatibility, pick hardware matching the target OS (for example, a late‑1990s chipset for Windows 98).
5) Add expansion cards and peripherals: Add ISA/PCI cards, video adapters, audio devices, network adapters, and storage controllers from the components list. Some games and software require specific sound cards (Sound Blaster family, Ensoniq, etc.) or graphics adapters; consult the docs or community resources for recommended cards for particular games.
6) Configure storage and media: Attach virtual floppy images, CD-ROM images, and virtual hard disks. Create or attach an empty HDD image and mount installation media (ISO or virtual floppy) to install an operating system inside the emulated machine.
7) Install the guest OS: Boot from the installation media and install the operating system as on real hardware. Follow OS-specific installation steps (partitioning, filesystems) inside the VM. Note that certain OS installers expect particular hardware — choose matching controller drivers when necessary.
8) Performance and options: The emulator provides a dynamic recompiler and configuration options impacting accuracy versus speed. The documentation and settings explain enabling/disabling the recompiler and other performance options. For highly accurate emulation, use conservative timing settings; for playable performance, enable the recompiler where supported by your host CPU and architecture.

Software reminder: 86Box does not include commercial games, OS installers, or proprietary BIOS images. You must supply any firmware/ROM and guest OS images yourself and ensure you have the legal right to use them.