A developer managed to get iOS running on a first-generation Nintendo Switch, but the result is far from practical. The boot time alone takes 20 minutes. Once it starts, the system crashes frequently. Apps don’t open. The experience isn’t usable. It’s a technical stunt that proves a point, not a real-world solution.

The project comes from a user known as PatRyk on X. He spent two days forcing iOS onto the Switch using QEMU, an open-source emulator. The process worked, but the outcome earned the console a new title: the world’s slowest iPhone.

20-Minute Boot Time and Total Instability

The Mac Observer
The World’s Slowest iPhone Is a Nintendo Switch Running iOS
Rajat Saini
Rajat Saini
@rajattxs
1 minute read
Jun 21st, 2025 12:57 AM EDT | News
Nintendo Switch Running iOS
Image Credits: @PatRyk on X
A developer managed to get iOS running on a first-generation Nintendo Switch, but the result is far from practical. The boot time alone takes 20 minutes. Once it starts, the system crashes frequently. Apps don’t open. The experience isn’t usable. It’s a technical stunt that proves a point, not a real-world solution.

The project comes from a user known as PatRyk on X. He spent two days forcing iOS onto the Switch using QEMU, an open-source emulator. The process worked, but the outcome earned the console a new title: the world’s slowest iPhone.

20-Minute Boot Time and Total Instability

The Nintendo Switch was never built for Apple’s ecosystem. That shows. According to PatRyk, the system kernel panics often, and every app tested either froze or crashed. The only consistent result was failure. While the Switch remains a strong gaming device with its native OS, it clearly can’t handle iOS in its current form.

Booting iOS on the Switch takes 20 minutes. You can’t run anything. The device stalls, reboots, and frustrates with every attempt. The project might amuse other tech tinkerers, but it offers no practical value for users.

QEMU Makes It Possible, Barely

As reported by Tom’s Hardware, the attempt used a version of QEMU created for the iPhone 11 by ChefKissInc. QEMU emulates Apple Silicon hardware, but using it on the Switch powered by Nvidia’s Tegra X1 chip was never going to be smooth. Still, it proves that the architecture mismatch can be bridged, at least in theory.

It’s unclear if PatRyk plans to refine the project further. Right now, it’s a broken novelty. But if you’re curious and technically inclined, you can try it at your own risk. Just don’t expect to replace your iPhone with a Switch anytime soon.