10 Best Emulators for Chromebook in 2024

Switching from Windows or macOS to a Chromebook offers unique benefits, including a lighter OS experience, faster performance, and better battery life. However, there may be times when you miss your regular apps and want to run them on Chrome OS. Windows and macOS allow you to do this using a number of virtualization software. However, Chromebooks have limited emulation support. Nevertheless, we have found the 10 best emulators for Chromebook that allow you to use Windows programs, Android apps, and retro arcade games from old consoles. These Chromebook emulators let you run the software environment you need. With that in mind, jump to our list and check out the best Chromebook emulators.

This list includes top Chromebook emulators for several different use cases. From running Windows programs and Android apps to playing retro games, we’ve explored many ways to emulate the software environments of other operating systems. Therefore, please expand the table below and navigate to the section you require.

1.QEMU

If you’re looking for the best emulator for your Chromebook to run desktop operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Android, you can use QEMU. It is a free and open source emulator with powerful features and can run almost any operating system. I tried running Windows 10 on a Chromebook using QEMU and it worked very well, as well as VMware and VirtualBox. Performance is even better if your Chromebook supports KVM (kernel-based virtual machine).

Also, since Chrome OS Flex users don’t get support for Android apps, you can use QEMU to run Android-x86 on your Chromebook . However, please note that QEMU requires Linux support on your Chromebook. Google offers Linux support on all Chromebooks, including school ones, so running emulators on your Chromebook is now easy. In summary, QEMU is the best emulator you can use to run anything you want on your Chromebook.

Price : Free How to set up QEMU on a Chromebook

2. Parallels Desktop

In 2021, popular virtualization company Parallels announced support for Chromebooks. You can now run Windows on your Chromebook using Parallels’ powerful hypervisor. Although targeted at enterprises and business users , Parallels Desktop on Chrome OS is also available to consumers. However, this is a paid solution and, unlike QEMU, it is not available for free. However, if you pay a premium price, you get seamless integration between Chrome OS and Windows. Drag and drop files between the two environments, adjust storage using simple sliders, print documents, run Office apps, and more.

Recently, Parallels added more CPU support, including Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 (11th generation and newer) . On the AMD side, you’ll need a Chromebook with Ryzen 3, 5, or 7 (5000 series or newer). Overall, Parallels Desktop is one of the more capable emulators available for your Chromebook, and you should definitely check it out, especially if you’re running business-critical apps.

Price : Free trial available, price determined on request Visit website

3. Wine

Wine stands for “Wine is not an emulator,” but it is a compatibility layer that allows you to run Windows apps seamlessly on your Chromebook . It’s a free, open-source solution that works like an emulator without requiring you to set up an entire desktop environment. If QEMU and Parallels Desktop are too heavy for you, try Wine.

Your Chromebook should support Linux and can run almost any Windows software with great stability. I’ve been using a lot of Windows apps on my Chromebook with Wine, including IDM, IrfanView, and Microsoft Office. You can also run a full-fledged desktop version of MATLAB on your Chromebook. How cool is that? So, if you are looking for the best emulator to run Windows 10/11 apps, choose Wine above all.

Price : Free How to set up Wine on your Chromebook

4. Android Studio

If you are a developer and looking for an Android emulator for Chromebook to test and debug your apps , you can try the official Android Studio. To facilitate Android development on Chromebooks, Google added Android Studio support to Chromebooks in 2020. And now it supports ARM-based Chromebooks as well as x86 machines. Get ADB debugging support, sideloading capabilities, and built-in deployment within Android Studio.

The best part is that you no longer need to go into developer mode to develop Android apps. All of this is possible by simply setting up Android Studio via Linux containers. Not to mention, you get the latest Android SDK support , NDK libraries, multi-window, orientation support, and more. Simply put, for development purposes, Android Studio is a better on-device emulator for Chromebooks than many cloud-based solutions.

Price : Free Visit Website

5. now.gg

Now.gg isn’t strictly an emulator that you can install locally on your Chromebook, but it emulates a similar environment on your browser via the cloud. Essentially, Now.gg lets you play many Android games on the cloud, even if your Chromebook doesn’t officially support the Play Store. This makes it a promising platform for Chrome OS Flex users who want to play Android games. In fact, users who are issued Chromebooks by their schools can also play many Android games via Now.gg, despite the Play Store being locked out.

You can play Roblox, one of the popular adventure games, on your Chromebook through Now.gg. Apart from that, it also supports Android games such as Super Sus, Granny, State of Survival, Brain Out, Arknights, Ludo King , Chess, League of Angels, etc. In conclusion, if your Chromebook doesn’t support Android apps and you’re looking for an Android emulator, your best bet is to try the Now.gg service on the cloud for free.

Price : Free Visit Website

6. Skupy

Scrcpy is not an emulator per se, but a screen mirroring tool that allows you to view and control your Android device from your Chromebook. We suggest this solution for Chromebook users who don’t support Play Store but want to access Android apps and games on a larger Chromebook screen. Scrcpy allows you to connect your Android smartphone via USB or wirelessly and access the entire Android environment on your Chromebook desktop.

Launch and play Android apps and games with both keyboard and mouse input. You can also reduce resolution (30-75ms) to improve latency, enable audio throughput, and customize frame rate between 30-120FPS. Not to mention, you can copy and paste between two environments at the same time. Although it requires a physical Android device, I think it’s a smart way to run Android apps on a Chromebook with near-native performance.

Price : Free Visit Website

7. Retro arch

If you’re looking for a multi-console emulator for your Chromebook, install RetroArch from the Play Store. You can add cores from various retro game official websites and add the content you want to play. No games are included, but you will need to add your own core and games . The core essentially behaves like an emulator and also supports hardware controllers. Admittedly, the app is a little difficult to understand, but once you understand the basics, you can use RetroArch to play any retro game on your Chromebook. In summary, RetroArch is a great app for all your retro game emulation needs on your Chromebook.

Installing RetroArch ( free )

8.GPemu

GPemu is one of the rare Chromebook emulators that lets you play classic arcade and retro games on any Chromebook, whether it’s a school-issued machine or a Chrome OS Flex device. You can install and start using the app from the Chrome Web Store. The app was last updated in 2015, but thankfully it still works. GPemu is a web-based retro emulator that supports most consoles including SNES, NES, Gameboy, and Gameboy Advance.

Just load the ROM and you’re ready to go. The good thing is that GPemu supports hardware controllers , so we have that. On the downside, there’s no way to customize the controls and you can’t adjust the speed. Still, GPemu is a great emulator for Chromebooks, and you should definitely check it out.

Install GPemu ( free )

9. M64Plus FZ Emulator

M64Plus FZ emulator ranks as one of the best Nintendo 64 (N64) emulators and can be installed on your Chromebook via the Play Store. There are very few N64 emulators with very good features, but M64Plus FZ emulator can easily handle most games. Various plugins are supported and can also be configured for local multiplayer gaming. This emulator is available for free with some limitations, so try out some N64 games before purchasing the paid version.

Install M64Plus FZ Emulator ( Free , $3.99)

10. John GBAC

Want to play Game Boy console games on your Chromebook? Try John GBAC, one of the best GBA emulators available for Chromebooks. We cover most GBA console games from Game Boy to Game Boy Color to Game Boy Advance . And the best part is that it is very easy to use and well developed. Not to mention, there’s support for hardware controllers, and you can even save the current state of the game. And for those wondering, this emulator allows you to use cheat codes. In summary, John GBAC is a competent Game Boy emulator on Chromebook, available directly from the Play Store.

Install John GBAC ( Free , $4.49)

These are the 10 best emulators for Chromebook that you can use to run Windows and Android apps. Let’s play some retro games. I tried running Anbox and Waydroid through a Linux container to access Android apps, but it didn’t work. Therefore, you must use QEMU or other solutions to run Android apps on unsupported Chromebooks. Anyway, that’s all from us. If you’re looking for the best Chromebook games , check out our curated list. If you want a powerful, gaming-focused Chromebook, visit the linked article. Finally, if you have any questions, please write them in the comments section below.