Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common questions about Dolphin for Android.
Where can I get the latest development builds?
If your device meets the system requirements, you can find the latest builds on the download page.
I can't install Dolphin! I get a message, "Application not installed".
Your device does not meet the system requirements.
I can install older dev builds, but when I try to run a game, all I see is a black screen.
Your device does not meet the system requirements.
Dolphin is so slow! What are the fastest settings for [insert-device-here]?
There are many reasons Dolphin could be running slowly:
In general, the performance you get out of the box with Dolphin for Android is the best you will get. There are isolated cases for some combination of device/game where a setting might help a little bit, but the reality is we are at least another year or two away from mobile devices capable of running most Dolphin games full-speed.
Can I upgrade my device to 64-bit?
We don't know of any device manufacturers who have offered a software update that enabled 64-bit apps on their devices. (This would almost certainly break several of the apps already installed on the device by the user; and the benefits would rarely be visible to the user.) There just isn't anything in it for a manufacturer to do this, so we don't see this changing in the future.
When will [insert-desktop-feature-here] be available on Android?
We don't know. There are very very few developers working on the Android port (3-4 developers depending on time of year, since 2012; the desktop port has had hundreds of contributors over its 10+ year history) and there is a lot of work left to do. Generally speaking, most Android contributions have gone to making the emulation core better (there is no point in supporting cheats, for example, if the games don't work for you to cheat in.) We'd like to see feature parity with the desktop version, but it will take time for your favorite feature to be ported.
Can I use a real Wii Remote?
As of the most recent developer builds, you can! A Mayflash Dolphinbar is required, as well as a device with either a full-size USB port or USB-OTG support.
Here are answers to common questions about Dolphin for Android.
Where can I get the latest development builds?
If your device meets the system requirements, you can find the latest builds on the download page.
I can't install Dolphin! I get a message, "Application not installed".
Your device does not meet the system requirements.
I can install older dev builds, but when I try to run a game, all I see is a black screen.
Your device does not meet the system requirements.
Dolphin is so slow! What are the fastest settings for [insert-device-here]?
There are many reasons Dolphin could be running slowly:
- Emulation is complicated, and there are very very few developers working on the Android port (3-4 developers depending on time of year, since 2012; the desktop port has had hundreds of contributors over its 10+ year history)
- Dolphin requires a lot of processing power. Smartphone manufacturers have great marketing departments who like to talk about how powerful their phones are, but generally speaking mobile hardware is roughly 5-6 years behind desktop PC hardware. Your average 2010 PC will struggle to run Dolphin as well.
- Desktop PC hardware can count on an effectively limitless power supply and a fan to dissipate heat. Your mobile phone has neither, and will aggressively limit its performance to avoid burning your hand. Disabling this functionality is possible in some cases, but generally not a good idea.
In general, the performance you get out of the box with Dolphin for Android is the best you will get. There are isolated cases for some combination of device/game where a setting might help a little bit, but the reality is we are at least another year or two away from mobile devices capable of running most Dolphin games full-speed.
Can I upgrade my device to 64-bit?
We don't know of any device manufacturers who have offered a software update that enabled 64-bit apps on their devices. (This would almost certainly break several of the apps already installed on the device by the user; and the benefits would rarely be visible to the user.) There just isn't anything in it for a manufacturer to do this, so we don't see this changing in the future.
When will [insert-desktop-feature-here] be available on Android?
We don't know. There are very very few developers working on the Android port (3-4 developers depending on time of year, since 2012; the desktop port has had hundreds of contributors over its 10+ year history) and there is a lot of work left to do. Generally speaking, most Android contributions have gone to making the emulation core better (there is no point in supporting cheats, for example, if the games don't work for you to cheat in.) We'd like to see feature parity with the desktop version, but it will take time for your favorite feature to be ported.
Can I use a real Wii Remote?
As of the most recent developer builds, you can! A Mayflash Dolphinbar is required, as well as a device with either a full-size USB port or USB-OTG support.
