WinUAE

AMIGA EMULATOR

WinUAE

WinUAE — a Windows Amiga emulator that reproduces classic Commodore Amiga systems (A500, A600, A1200, A4000 and related variants) on modern Windows PCs. It provides accurate chipset and CPU options, floppy/hardfile support, and many configuration options for graphics, sound, and peripherals. Kickstart/ROM files and Amiga system software are not included.

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WinUAE emulator screenshot.

AmigaPRIMARY SYSTEM

History documentedPROJECT BEGAN

FreewarePROJECT MODEL

WHY IT MATTERS

Why use WinUAE?

WinUAE is the most widely used native Windows port of the UAE-family Amiga emulators. It targets accurate emulation of multiple Amiga models, offers detailed hardware configuration (CPUs, chipsets, RAM, disk images, expansion devices) and is designed for Windows users wanting a native, configurable Amiga environment.

BEST FOR

Best for

Users on Microsoft Windows who want a highly configurable and well-maintained Amiga emulator capable of running a wide range of classic Amiga software with detailed hardware tuning and peripheral options.

Gameplay from The Secret of Monkey Island on Amiga.

The people behind WinUAE

History and status

WinUAE is the Windows-specific, long-lived branch of the UAE family of Amiga emulators. It has evolved to support many Amiga model presets and cycle-accurate options used by the community. The project remains actively used and distributed (official site and downloadable builds exist), but users must supply Amiga Kickstart ROMs / system files themselves because these are proprietary and not bundled with the emulator.

What WinUAE supports

Amiga 500 / A500+ (OCS/ECS)
Amiga 600
Amiga 1200 (AGA)
Amiga 3000 / Amiga 4000 (030/040)
CD32 (Amiga CD console)
Floppy disk images (.adf), hardfile/hdf, archives (.zip .lha .7z), and host directory mounts

Download and availability

OFFICIAL DOWNLOADS

Get WinUAE

Official Windows builds and installer files are published on the project's download page. Always download WinUAE from the official site or trusted mirrors to reduce the risk of tampered builds.

Get WinUAE ↗

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.

WinUAE setup guide

Setup note: Setup checklist (high-level)

1) Get WinUAE: Download the official WinUAE build for Windows from the project's download page. Use the binary marked for your Windows bitness if provided. Do not expect Amiga Kickstart ROMs or Workbench system files to be included — these must be acquired separately from legitimate sources you own.
2) Place ROMs and system files: Create a dedicated folder for WinUAE and a subfolder called 'ROMs' or 'Kickstarts'. Copy legitimate Kickstart ROM files and any licensed Workbench or OS files into that folder. WinUAE will not run many commercial Amiga games without correct Kickstart ROMs; the emulator will prompt for their location in configuration dialogs.
3) Configure an Amiga model (quickstart): Run WinUAE and open the configuration dialog. Choose a preset model (for example A500, A1200 or A4000). Set the CPU type (68000 / 68EC020 / 68030 / 68040 as appropriate), chipset (OCS/ECS/AGA), and RAM sizes according to the target original machine. Select the Kickstart ROM file that matches the model selected.
4) Attach storage and media: Attach floppy images (.adf) in the floppy drive section or configure hardfiles (HDF) or host directory mounts for file access. For CD32 or CD support, attach ISO or CD images in the CD-ROM settings. If using real floppy or IDE devices, follow WinUAE documentation for host device passthrough (administrative privileges may be required).
5) Graphics, sound and input: Choose a display mode (windowed, full screen or scaled) and configure chipset display options. Configure sound output device and buffer sizes to reduce glitches. Map mouse, keyboard and joystick inputs; WinUAE supports emulated joystick and mapping of host devices.
6) Save configurations and run: Save the machine configuration as a .uae or profile so you can quickly re-load specific setups (for example a gaming profile vs a development profile). Start the emulated Amiga, monitor the log output for missing ROM or disk errors, and adjust settings (CPU speed, cycle-exact options) if a title needs compatibility tuning.
7) Optional: networking and advanced hardware: WinUAE includes options for networking (e.g., host networking interfaces) and many expansion devices. These require additional configuration and occasionally host privileges. Consult the official documentation for specific guidance on network bridging, PCAP devices, parallel/serial passthrough, and real hardware integration.

Software reminder: WinUAE does not include proprietary Amiga Kickstart ROMs, Workbench, or commercial games. You must supply any ROMs, system files, or game data yourself from legal sources.