OpenEmux wraps the power of RetroArch in a clean GNOME-native frontend — so you can browse your collection with cover art, pick up a gamepad, and just play. No config files. No setup rabbit holes.
Free and open source · MIT licensed · AppImage, .deb & .rpm
RetroArch is one of the most powerful emulation platforms ever built. OpenEmux gives it an interface that gets out of your way.
Your library, organized by console with full cover art synced automatically from the libretro thumbnail archive.
On first launch OpenEmux sets up its config, downloads every libretro core, and gets RetroArch ready. You just wait for the bar to fill.
Map keyboard and gamepad inputs per system in a friendly panel. Bindings are injected into RetroArch at launch time.
Pick a CRT or scanline shader per console from a curated catalog and it just applies — no shader menu spelunking.
Built in GTK4 and Adwaita, following the GNOME HIG. Adaptive sidebar, dark mode, and the shortcuts you already know.
A clear checklist of which BIOS files each console needs and which ones you already have. No more silent launch failures.
OpenEmux is a front-end for RetroArch, built to make emulation approachable. It is not a source of games — it ships no games, no ROMs, no BIOS files, and never will.
Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Atari and more — each with its own cores, cover art, input profiles and shader settings.
Cover art, organized by console — the way a game library should look.
ROM paths, BIOS checks, input mappings and shaders — all in one clean panel, no config files.
Grab a package for your distro, or the universal AppImage. OpenEmux handles the rest on first launch.
chmod +x OpenEmux-x86_64.AppImage
./OpenEmux-x86_64.AppImageNo FUSE? Prefix with APPIMAGE_EXTRACT_AND_RUN=1.
sudo apt install ./openemux_*_amd64.debUbuntu 24.04 LTS or newer.
sudo dnf install ./openemux-*.x86_64.rpmFedora 40 or newer.
Prefer building it yourself? make bootstrap && make run — see the build instructions.
OpenEmux was directly inspired by OpenEmu, the beloved macOS emulator that made retro gaming feel effortless and beautiful. Since OpenEmu is macOS-only, OpenEmux exists to bring that same polish to Linux. None of it would be possible without the incredible work of the RetroArch and libretro teams. ❤️
If it made your retro shelf a little nicer, consider buying me a coffee. It helps me keep improving features and stability. And come say hi on r/OpenEmux — share your setup, ask for help, or follow what's coming next.