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NX Play
One library for extracting, playing, packaging and managing games, now paired with NX Play for iPhone and iPad. Each game keeps its inputs, build and saves together; the companion iOS launcher lists Mac games, requests installation over the local network, launches them with controller support and reminds you to renew signatures.
Third-partyChecked 3 November 2026
Requirements
- The app documents macOS 15+ and Apple Silicon for Mac play. Xcode, its Metal toolchain and Homebrew are required; device builds also need the iOS platform.
- Install on Device needs an Apple account in Xcode, a paired device and Developer Mode. Game compatibility and compiler requirements also depend on the selected nxnative revision.
Get started
- Download the release DMG and move NX Play to Applications. Open Setup and choose Install Missing.
- Select prod.keys in Settings and a library folder with one subfolder per game.
- Choose Extract (or Extract All), then Play. The log opens automatically when a build fails.
- Use the Game menu for Build IPA, Make Mac App or Install on Device. On a device, use NX Play for iPhone and iPad to see eligible Mac games, request a local-network install, launch installed games and manage signature renewal.
- Choose Transfer Saves to compare and copy saves between devices.
Usage & troubleshooting
- Keep This Build protects a working build from automatic rebuilds, but disables IPA, device and Mac-app packaging until it is rebuilt.
- Console Mode supports controller navigation. Settings can enable cloud saves or backups to your own private Git repository.
- NX Play can also prepare decrypted Switch 2 game folders on the Mac. This is Mac-only, needs no prod.keys, and still requires an nxnative profile for the exact build; availability on iPhone or iPad is not implied.
- Standalone Mac apps keep separate saves from NX Play. Use Open Build Logs when reporting a failure; game-engine problems and launcher problems have different issue trackers.