# Henge (Leviidev/Henge)

> Henge runs macOS on an iPhone or iPad. It is its own emulator with its own JIT, MMU and devices, and it installs macOS from Apple's restore image on the device itself.

- GitHub: https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge
- GitHub.Locker page: https://github.locker/Leviidev/Henge
- Stars: 771
- Language: C
- License: GPL-2.0
- Last push: 2026-11-07

## Questions and answers

Written by GitHub.Locker from the README and the repository; check the README below for details.

**Is this a Mac app or a phone app?**

It is an iOS/iPadOS app you install on the device. macOS itself is Apple's software, which Henge downloads during installation.

**How do I get it running?**

Sideload Henge.ipa from Releases with SideStore or AltStore, or install Henge.tipa with TrollStore or TrollStore Lite. Then open the Install tab, pick macOS Sequoia 15.6.1, and keep Henge open with the device plugged in.

**What do I need before installing?**

You need iOS or iPadOS 17 or later on an A14 or M1 chip or newer, a JIT option such as StikDebug or the StikJIT helper built into Henge (iOS 26 or later), and about 43 GB of free storage. No Mac is needed for the install.

**What are the main limits?**

It runs slower than a real Mac because it is emulation. Signing in to an Apple Account inside macOS fails with a verification error, and only one Mac can start per launch.

**Which devices has it been tested on?**

So far it has only been tested on an iPhone 17 Pro. iPad support is new and has not yet run on a real iPad.

**Is it free, and can it go on the App Store?**

It is free under GPL-2.0-or-later. It cannot go on the App Store because the shipped binary combines usbmuxd and Husk code into one GPL work.

**Does it work with an external display?**

Yes. During a Mac session, a display connected by a video-capable USB-C cable or a USB-C/HDMI dock takes over automatically, while the device keeps its trackpad and keyboard controls. USB-C video is user-confirmed only on an iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 27.

**Why build its own emulator instead of using QEMU?**

iOS gives apps no hypervisor, so Henge runs the Mac's arm64 code through its own JIT, with its own MMU and devices. It does not use QEMU or Virtualization.framework.

**How fast does macOS start on the phone?**

On an iPhone 17 Pro, macOS reaches the lock screen in about 15 seconds. Discord installs, opens in about 15 seconds, logs in and sends messages.


---

## README (checked against GitHub 2026-11-08)

Source: https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge/blob/main/README.md

<p align="center">
  <img src="docs/icon.png" width="120" height="120" alt="Henge">
</p>

<h1 align="center">Henge</h1>

<p align="center">macOS on your iPhone and iPad.</p>

<p align="center">
  <a href="#install">Install</a>
  ·
  <a href="docs/architecture.md">How it works</a>
  ·
  <a href="https://itslevii.dev">Website</a>
  ·
  <a href="https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge/releases">Releases</a>
</p>

<p align="center">
  <a href="https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge/releases"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/Leviidev/Henge/total?style=flat-square&color=2E6BFF&labelColor=111111" alt="Downloads"></a>
  <a href="LICENSE"><img src="https://img.shields.io/github/license/Leviidev/Henge?style=flat-square&color=2E6BFF&labelColor=111111" alt="GPL-2.0-or-later"></a>
</p>

Download macOS, install it on the device, and use it.

- **Own emulator** — iOS gives apps no hypervisor, so Henge runs the Mac's arm64 code through its own JIT, with its own MMU and devices. It doesn't use QEMU or Virtualization.framework.
- **Installs on the device** — Henge downloads Apple's restore image and restores it the way a Mac does. No Mac needed, and nothing is decrypted or patched.
- **Graphics** — macOS draws through a virtual GPU, and Henge replays its commands with Metal. Safari and Electron apps like Discord draw on it.
- **Touch** — The screen is a trackpad: hold to drag, two fingers to scroll. Esc, Tab, Control, Option and Command sit above the keyboard.
- **Keyboard and mouse** — On iPad, a Magic Keyboard or a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse drive the Mac directly.
- **External display** — During a Mac session, connect a display with a video-capable USB-C cable or a USB-C/HDMI dock. The mode activates automatically: the monitor shows the Mac, while the iPhone or iPad keeps its trackpad and keyboard controls. Disconnect to return the image to the device. The existing guest resolution is preserved. On iOS 17–26 the same happens through an older iOS route, not yet tried on hardware; outside a Mac session the display mirrors the device. USB-C video is user-confirmed on an iPhone 17 Pro running iOS 27 (development build 0.1/2).
- **Sharing** — Copy and paste between macOS and the device, and a shared folder that shows up in Files and on the Mac.
- **Fits the screen** — On iPad, a new Mac gets a screen the shape of the iPad's, so there are no black bars.

On an iPhone 17 Pro, macOS reaches the lock screen in about 15 seconds. Discord installs, opens in about 15 seconds, logs in and sends messages.

## Install

Sideload `Henge.ipa` from [Releases](https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge/releases) with SideStore or AltStore, or install `Henge.tipa` with TrollStore or TrollStore Lite. iOS or iPadOS 17 or later, on an A14 or M1 chip or newer. So far it's tested only on an iPhone 17 Pro: iPad support is new and hasn't run on a real iPad yet.

- **JIT** is required: StikDebug, TrollStore (which stops at iOS 17.0), TrollStore Lite (which needs a jailbreak), a jailbreak on its own, or the StikJIT helper built into Henge (iOS 26 or later).
- **Storage:** about 43 GB free for macOS Sequoia. That's 17 GB for the download, which you can delete afterwards, and 26 GB for the Mac.
- **Memory:** a Mac gets 4, 6 or 8 GB. Sign Henge with the increased memory limit entitlement if your certificate has it.

Then open the Install tab, pick macOS Sequoia 15.6.1, and keep Henge open with the device plugged in. Tahoe 26.6.2 and macOS 27.2 are offered too, but they aren't tested yet.

## Sharing with the Mac

Do this once for each Mac: open Terminal on the Mac, then in Henge open Details and tap **Type the Set Up Command**. Press Return on the Mac, and choose Allow when macOS asks about `henge-agent` and local networks. It needs the Mac's keyboard layout to be U.S.

Then a Henge folder in the Mac's home folder is the same folder as Files › Henge › Shared. What you copy on the Mac is copied on the device too, and the paste button pastes from the device into the Mac.

## Known limits

- Signing in to an Apple Account inside macOS fails with a verification error.
- Graphics are tested on macOS's own apps, Chrome, Firefox, VS Code and Discord. Other apps may draw wrongly.
- For the first few minutes after you log in, macOS is busy starting up in the background, so apps open more slowly.
- Only one Mac can start per launch. Quit Henge and open it again to start another, and to start one again after restarting or shutting down macOS.
- iPadOS keeps some keyboard shortcuts for itself, such as Command-Tab.
- It's emulation, so it runs slower than a real Mac.

## Screenshots

<table>
  <tr>
    <td align="center" colspan="3"><img src="Screenshots/ipad.jpg" alt="Discord on an iPad"><br><sub>iPad</sub></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td align="center" width="33%"><img src="Screenshots/macs.png" alt="Macs"><br><sub>Macs</sub></td>
    <td align="center" width="33%"><img src="Screenshots/trackpad.png" alt="Trackpad"><br><sub>Trackpad</sub></td>
    <td align="center" width="33%"><img src="Screenshots/install.png" alt="Install macOS"><br><sub>Install macOS</sub></td>
  </tr>
</table>

<sub>Captured on a Mac: the app's own screens with sample data, at iPad and iPhone sizes, showing a frame from Henge's renderer.</sub>

## Building

To use Henge, install the [latest release](https://github.com/Leviidev/Henge/releases). Every change lands on `main` as it's made, so `main` can be unfinished between releases.

On a Mac with Xcode 27 or later and `xcodegen`. Henge takes StikJIT, on-device pairing, libslirp and glib from a built [Husk](https://github.com/Leviidev/Husk) checkout at `~/Documents/Coding/Husk` (set `HUSK` to use another path):

```bash
ios/scripts/fetch_deps.sh
tools/build_ios_restore.sh
make ios-lib
ios/scripts/package_ipa.sh
```

That produces `~/Desktop/Henge.ipa`, and `package_ipa.sh --trollstore` writes `Henge.tipa`.

`make` builds the engine for the Mac, `build/hengevm`, and `make test` runs its tests.

## Licence

GPL-2.0-or-later. Henge compiles in usbmuxd (GPLv2 or GPLv3) and code from Husk (GPL-2.0-or-later), so the shipped binary is a combined GPL work. It cannot go on the App Store. See [docs/licensing.md](docs/licensing.md).

macOS and the Mac's boot ROM are Apple's and aren't part of Henge. Henge downloads both from Apple when you install.