Real iOS on Android hardware
No emulator, no launcher theme, no Android underneath. HackiOS is an open-source research effort that boots Apple’s own iOS on Android phones.
Overview
What it is, and who is behind what.
In October 2026 developers showed real iOS 16 running on Snapdragon-based Android phones. The projects build Apple’s open-source kernel (XNU), write new drivers for each phone, and run system files from Apple’s own firmware on top. Press coverage has dubbed the scene “HackiOS”, after the Hackintosh.
OOSEX GANG
The only official source for HackiOS: the website, the GitHub organisation and the Telegram channel. Everything else on this page is community-made.
Everyone else
ios-sweet, its forks, PixeliOS, UniXNU and hackiosx.dev are independent. They are useful, but they are not run by the HackiOS team.
How it works
Four ideas shared by almost every port.
- Boot without flashing. A small shim or UEFI loader starts from a temporary
fastboot bootimage on an unlocked bootloader, so stock boot partitions stay untouched. - Apple’s kernel, new drivers. Apple’s published XNU source is patched for the phone’s chip, with new drivers for storage, display, touch and buttons.
- Pretend to be an iPhone. A device tree copied from an iPhone X makes iOS believe it runs on Apple hardware.
- Bring your own iOS. The userland is built on your machine from Apple’s firmware (IPSW). The repos do not ship Apple’s files.
Official: HackiOS by OOSEX GANG
The only official project, source and channels.
HackiOS
Open-sourced as a v0.1.0 pre-release “source drop” on 22 Oct 2026. It boots through a UEFI port with an XNU loader and runs from RAM, so Android stays on the phone. It also runs in QEMU on a Linux PC.
Reported working: GPU-drawn interface, Wi-Fi, audio, camera, multitouch, Sileo. Missing: cellular, Bluetooth, Metal for apps, App Store and Apple ID.
Community projects
Independent ports, not affiliated with the HackiOS team.
ios-sweet
The port by dipa-studio (MIT licence) that most forks build on. Boots to the home screen with touch and buttons; the CPU draws everything. It installs into userdata and erases Android data.
PixeliOS
A research port by PixOS-Project, based on ios-sweet, with layouts other Pixels can plug into. Reaches the home screen with touch, but is slow. The authors state that much of the code is written by AI agents.
Devices & forks
Community ports, mostly forks of ios-sweet. States change quickly.
| Device | Chip | Repo | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| POCO X5 Pro 5G Official | Snapdragon 778G | oosexgang/hackios-xnu-kernel | GPU UI, Wi-Fi, audio, camera. |
| Redmi Note 10 Pro (sweet) | Snapdragon 732G | dipa-studio/ios-sweet | Home screen, touch, buttons. CPU rendering. |
| Redmi Note 12 4G (topaz) | Snapdragon 685 | MakrSas/ios-topaz | Home screen, touch, Wi-Fi with Safari, sound, GPU via Mesa. The 5G and Pro models are not covered. |
| Nothing Phone (3a) (asteroids) | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | nothing-sm7635-devs/ios-asteroids | Early. The README is still the ios-sweet text; check NOTES.md and commits. |
| Google Pixel 4 (flame) | Snapdragon 855 | NWylynko/ios-flame | GPU-drawn apps, Wi-Fi, Safari, SSH over USB. |
| Google Pixel (2016) | Snapdragon 821 | joranv1/ios-sailfish | Stock apps, GPU, Wi-Fi, real battery. |
| Google Pixel 6a (bluejay) | Tensor G1 | PixOS-Project/pixelios-kernel | Lock and home screen, touch. |
| LG V60 ThinQ 5G | Snapdragon 865 | ch1tmdgus/ios-v60 | Interface with touch and buttons. |
| POCO M8 5G | Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | ios-topaz-experiments | SpringBoard runs; GPU in progress. |
| Samsung Galaxy S7 | Exynos 8890 | wardevsa/ios-a5xelte | Setup screen with touch; very slow. |
No Redmi Note 12 Pro fork is listed on hackiosx.dev yet. Browse ios-sweet’s fork list or ask on r/hackios.
Status
What works today, depending on the port.
Reported working
- Lock screen, home screen, Control Center, Settings
- Touch and hardware buttons
- Multi-core CPU
- GPU UI, Wi-Fi, sound and camera on the most advanced ports
Still missing (most ports)
- Cellular, calls, Bluetooth
- App Store and Apple ID
- Full Metal support for apps
- Reliable charging and battery reporting
- Face ID and data protection
Guides & docs
Community documentation, not run by the HackiOS team.
hackiosx.dev
A neutral docs site comparing the projects, with chip-family compatibility notes, a porting guide and a list of open problems.
Before you try
Use a spare phone.
- You need an unlocked bootloader, a Linux PC, and Apple’s firmware downloaded by you.
- Some ports install into the user-data partition, which erases Android. Back up persist, modem and boot partitions first.
- Never put personal data on it, because code signing and sandboxing are largely disabled.
- Beware of fake “iOS emulator” apps and one-click installers, which often carry malware.
- The official site also promotes a community crypto token on BNB Chain. This page is not affiliated with it and it is not financial advice.
Community & chat
Where news and help happen.
Reddit: r/hackios
Questions, port announcements and progress reports from the wider scene.
All links
Official first, then community.