HaloPad
Play Halo: Combat Evolved on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.
The original Xbox campaign, online matches of up to 128 players, and the PC community's Custom
Edition servers. Play with touch controls, a controller, or keyboard and mouse.
HaloPad at Halo's own main menu. iPhone 14, iPad Pro and Apple silicon Mac builds play local and online.
What you need · Build and install · Add your disc · Playing · FAQ · Discord
Important
HaloPad does not include Halo, and there is no app to download. You bring your own copy of the game and build the app yourself, for free. For most people that means one file, the Xbox disc image described below, and a build that mostly runs by itself. HaloPad is a preview: playable on real hardware, with frame pacing and some Xbox graphics still being tuned.
AI disclosure: HaloPad is developed with substantial AI assistance. The status log records what has actually been checked, and on which device.
What you need
HaloPad plays two editions of Halo. Start with the Xbox edition. It has the full campaign and the busiest online games, it builds on any computer, and it needs only one file from you.
Xbox edition: one disc image file
You need a disc image of Halo: Combat Evolved for the original Xbox, the 2001 game for the first Xbox console.
| The game | Halo: Combat Evolved, original Xbox (2001) |
| The file | Ends in .iso or .xiso. Use it as it is. If it came inside a .zip, .7z or .rar, unpack it first |
| Best choice | The USA (NTSC) version, often named Halo - Combat Evolved (USA). This is the one tested on iPhone, iPad and Mac |
| Other regions | OpenCE, the engine HaloPad uses, says European (PAL) and other versions work. HaloPad has only been tested with the USA version |
| Free space | About 2 GB on the device you play on for the maps HaloPad copies out, plus room for the file itself while you add it |
These will not work: Halo for PC, Halo: Custom Edition, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the Master Chief Collection, Halo 2 or any later Halo, and versions for Xbox 360, Xbox One or Xbox Series consoles.
Make the disc image from a Halo disc you own. If you already play Halo in the xemu Xbox emulator, the file you use there works here too. HaloPad checks the file when you add it: a message that it is "not an Xbox disc image" or "not Halo: Combat Evolved" means you picked the wrong file.
PC edition (optional): Custom Edition
Add this only if you also want to join the Halo PC community's Custom Edition servers. It needs an Apple silicon Mac to build, and these files in one folder:
HaloCESetup.exe, the original Halo Custom Edition 1.00 installer. Do not use the 1.10 update patch; HaloPad downloads Bungie's free update for you.product-key.txt, a text file holding your Halo PC product key. Halo will not start without it.- Wine installed on your Mac.
The retail Halo PC game (halo.exe) and the Master Chief Collection are not supported.
A device to play on
- iPhone or iPad with iOS or iPadOS 17.4 or later. Installing your own app on it requires Apple signing; the install guide explains it.
- Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or newer) and macOS 14.4 or later. No Apple account needed.
Build and install
Pick the path for the computer you have. Both are free.
| Your computer | What you can build | How |
|---|---|---|
| Mac with Apple silicon | Xbox edition, or both editions | PadMint |
| Windows, Linux, an Intel Mac, or anything else | Xbox edition | GitHub, in your browser |
The current release is HaloPad 0.3.9.
On an Apple silicon Mac
- Install Xcode (version 26 or later) from the Mac App Store and open it once to finish setup.
- Download PadMint (0.4.12 or later) and open it.
- Select HaloPad, then choose where you will play: iPhone/iPad or Mac.
- Choose your game file:
- Xbox edition only: your
.isoor.xiso. No PC installer, product key or Wine needed. - Both editions:
HaloCESetup.exe, withproduct-key.txtin the same folder.
- Xbox edition only: your
- Let PadMint build. It tells you if a tool is missing and how to install it. The first build needs about 35 GB of free space and takes the longest.
- Mac: unzip the app and open it. iPhone/iPad: sign and install the IPA with the install guide.
- Add your Xbox disc inside the app.
If you built both editions, PadMint also makes a HaloPad game data folder. Copy its
Halo-CE.halopad.zip to your device, open HaloPad, choose Custom Edition, then
Choose Prepared Package….
Your build is yours alone. It contains Halo game code, so never share or upload it.
On Windows, Linux or any computer
The Xbox edition of the app contains no Halo files. You add your disc inside the app after installing it, so GitHub can build the app for you on its free Mac computers. This works for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Custom Edition still needs an Apple silicon Mac.
- Sign in to GitHub and Fork this repository. Your copy is public, like this one.
- In your fork, open Actions, enable workflows if asked, choose Build HaloPad (Xbox edition) and click Run workflow. It takes about 15 minutes.
- Open the finished run and download its artifact. It holds
HaloPad-v0.3.9-ios-unsigned.ipa,HaloPad-v0.3.9-mac.zipandSHA256SUMS, and GitHub keeps it for 7 days. - Install the IPA with Sideloadly (Windows or Mac) or another tool that signs with your own Apple ID, or follow the install guide. On a Mac, unzip the Mac app and open it.
- Add your Xbox disc inside the app.
The build uses the OpenCE engine recorded for this release, and no secrets, accounts or game files.
Add your Xbox disc
You do this once, after installing.
- Put your
.isoor.xisowhere HaloPad can reach it. On iPhone or iPad, copy it into the Files app. On a Mac, anywhere works. - Open HaloPad. On the edition picker, choose Add Your Xbox Disc, then Choose Disc Image, and select your file.
- Wait while HaloPad copies the maps (about 2 GB). Then press Play Xbox.
HaloPad keeps its own copy of the maps, so you can delete the disc image afterward to save space. If your build has only the Xbox edition, Custom Edition shows Not included in this build; Add Custom Edition… explains how to build both later.
Updating HaloPad
Always install the new version over the old app. Never delete HaloPad first: deleting it deletes your saves, profiles and imported maps. On iPhone and iPad, sign the update with the same identity or Apple ID you used before.
- PadMint: update the HaloPad recipe, build again with the same game file you chose before, and install over the existing app.
- GitHub: press Sync fork on your fork, run the workflow again, and install the new IPA over the old one.
You rarely need to update just to keep playing online. OpenCE publishes new engine builds
almost daily, but your installed HaloPad keeps working. Each release builds the exact OpenCE engine
it was tested with (currently OpenCE build 170, network version 25, recorded in
config/xbox-release.json). OpenCE only lets players on the same network version play together.
When OpenCE raises that version with a change older builds can still handle, HaloPad downloads a
small signed compatibility file and joins those games the next time you press Play Xbox, with
no rebuild. A change is followed only after
ChupathingyCE's cross-play tests mark it as
compatible. Updates… on the edition picker shows which versions your app plays with. When
OpenCE changes online play in a way older builds cannot handle, a new HaloPad release follows.
The campaign never expires. Xbox checkpoints may need a level restart after an engine change.
What's new
- 0.3.9: building both editions works again. 0.3.8 stopped at its last step, packaging the Custom Edition game files, when you chose the PC installer. Xbox-only builds were not affected.
- 0.3.8: OpenCE updates no longer break your build. Each HaloPad release builds the exact OpenCE engine it was tested with, and your installed app keeps up with compatible online changes by itself (see Updating HaloPad). The Xbox edition also builds without a Mac.
- 0.3.6: corrected Wine setup. Homebrew disabled its Wine package; follow the Wine installation guide.
Earlier changes are on the releases page.
What is HaloPad?
HaloPad (the codebase is Project Reach) brings two editions of Halo: Combat Evolved to iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Macs. When your build includes both, it asks which one to open at launch.
| Halo: Combat Evolved (Xbox) | Halo Custom Edition (PC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Your files | Your Xbox disc image (.iso or .xiso), added in the app |
Your Custom Edition installer and product key |
| Campaign | The original Xbox campaign | No |
| Online | Internet and system link games of up to 128 players, with PC, Linux and Android players on OpenCE | Community-run Custom Edition servers and LAN, alongside PC players |
| Runs on | iPhone, iPad and Mac | iPhone, iPad and Mac |
| Build on | Any computer: PadMint on a Mac, or GitHub | An Apple silicon Mac with PadMint |
| How it runs | OpenCE, the port of the Xbox decompilation, built for Apple devices | Your own haloce.exe 1.10, translated from x86 to native ARM64 ahead of time |
For Custom Edition, HaloPad supplies the Windows services the game expects: Direct3D 9 rendered through Metal, DirectInput mapped to touch and controllers, audio, files, the registry and Winsock networking. Nothing is compiled on the device, so it needs no JIT. The Xbox edition draws with Metal through ANGLE. Both editions share the touch controls and the ⋯ menu, and keep their own saves.
Current status
| Area | Where it stands |
|---|---|
| iPad | iPad Pro 12.9" (6th gen) plays both editions, local and online |
| iPhone | iPhone 14 plays local matches, including 1280 × 720 widescreen; slower in loading and busy scenes. Online play not fully tested |
| Mac | Both editions run on Apple silicon Macs (macOS 14.4+) with keyboard and mouse: Custom Edition lists public servers; the Xbox edition imports your disc and plays the campaign |
| Online | Custom Edition joins public PC servers; the Xbox edition joins internet games through the decompilation's game browser |
| Controls | Movable, resizable touch overlay, look-speed settings, iOS keyboard for chat and names, Xbox-style controllers, trackpad and mouse in menus |
| Custom maps | .map files import from the ⋯ menu. DLL mods (Chimera, OpenSauce, HAC2) do not load |
| Xbox edition | Preview: campaign and multiplayer run on a physical iPad; some textures and effects differ from the original |
Known issues: the first time a map, weapon or effect appears, play can hitch for up to a second. Some Xbox textures look softer or different from the original. A few players have seen a controller stop responding after reconnecting it; if that happens, please share the diagnostic log. Changing Halo's resolution is tested on iPhone, not yet on iPad, so 800 × 600 is the safest choice there. Measurements and open checks are in docs/STATUS.md.
Playing
Create a Halo profile, then use the game's own Multiplayer menus to host or join.
- ⋯ menu: the same in both editions: touch settings, controller guide, display options, Report a Problem, Share Diagnostic Log and Switch Edition. Custom Edition adds keyboard and chat, join by address and custom maps; Xbox adds System Link
- Touch: move and resize the overlay; tune look speed in Controls › Look Speed & Touch Settings
- Mac: keyboard and mouse as on a PC. The pointer locks while you play. In Custom Edition Esc opens Halo's menu and frees it; in the Xbox edition F12 frees or recaptures it, as on PC. Then click ⋯ for the menu, including Switch Edition. Aim too fast or slow? ⋯ › Controls › Mouse Speed (both editions); Custom Edition's own Settings › Controls sensitivity applies on top
- Controllers: connect before opening HaloPad for the most reliable result. In menus the D-pad moves, A selects, B goes back and Menu pauses. Halo's "Button 6" pickup is RB
- Leaving a match: ⋯ › Open Leave Game Menu…, then Leave Game
- Resolution: 800 × 600 (4:3) by default. Halo's Settings › Video goes up to the screen's own size; 1280 × 720 is true widescreen, or use Fill to stretch 4:3
- Recording: play a warm-up match on the same map first, so new effects don't hitch on camera
Frequently asked questions
Which Halo file do I need?
For the Xbox edition: a .iso or .xiso disc image of Halo: Combat Evolved for the original
Xbox, ideally the USA (NTSC) version. For the PC edition: the original HaloCESetup.exe Custom
Edition installer plus your product key. Full details are in What you need.
Can I download an IPA?
No public HaloPad IPA exists today. PadMint builds a personal IPA on your Mac, and on any other computer GitHub can build the Xbox edition's IPA in your own fork (steps). You then sign and install it on your iPhone or iPad. The IPA is the app only; your disc image is added afterward and never goes inside it.
A simpler download, install, add your disc, play route is being evaluated. The Xbox app still contains a compiled engine derived from the game, so leaving out the maps does not settle the distribution question, and a public download also needs a verified signing and installation route. Progress is tracked in installation delivery.
Do I need a paid Apple developer account?
Not for the Mac app. On iPhone and iPad, HaloPad asks for the Extended Virtual Addressing and Increased Memory Limit capabilities, because it reserves Halo's full 32-bit address space. Sign with an Apple development profile that allows both.
The Xbox edition may not need them: on an iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 6th generation), the same build signed without either capability opened and played its campaign. A free Apple ID through Sideloadly or AltStore may therefore be enough for the Xbox edition, but that route and iPhones are not tested yet.
Can I play online with people on PC?
Yes. Custom Edition joins the community-run PC servers in Halo's own lobby. The Xbox edition plays with other OpenCE players on PC, Linux and Android, up to 128 per match. The two editions cannot play each other.
OpenCE's voice chat works in listen-only mode in HaloPad: you hear other players, but HaloPad does not use your microphone yet.
Why can't I join someone's Xbox game?
OpenCE players can only join hosts on a network version their game accepts. Close HaloPad and open it again so it can check for a newer compatibility file, then press Play Xbox. Updates… on the edition picker shows the versions your app plays with. If the host uses a version that OpenCE changed in an incompatible way, you need a newer HaloPad release. Players who have not updated OpenCE may also be on an older version. The server browser finds games through OpenCE's public brokers; there is no HaloPad game server.
Does it run on iPhone?
Yes. An iPhone 14 has imported the game and played local matches, including in widescreen. Loading and busy scenes are slower than on iPad for now.
Does it run on Mac?
Yes, on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 14.4 or later. It is the same app as on iPad, with the same edition picker and ⋯ menu, and it needs no Apple account.
Is this an emulator?
Not in the usual sense. Custom Edition's x86 code is translated to ARM64 ahead of time and runs natively, with no JIT; HaloPad provides the Windows, Direct3D 9, input, audio and network pieces it calls into. The Xbox edition is a native port of the decompiled game.
Can I use mods and custom maps?
Custom .map files, yes: ⋯ › Add Custom Maps…. Windows DLL mods such as Chimera, OpenSauce and HAC2
cannot load into a translated game.
Will updates keep my profile and saves?
Yes, when you install over the existing app with the same signing. Never delete HaloPad to update.
Building from source
PadMint and the GitHub workflow run these commands for you. Use them only if you work on HaloPad itself. You need an Apple silicon Mac with Xcode 26 or later.
# Xbox edition only: add your disc in HaloPad after installing. brew install cmake ninja lld llvm sdl3 scripts/builder/build.sh --xbox-only --mac --zip HaloPad-Xbox.zip scripts/builder/build.sh --xbox-only --ipa HaloPad-Xbox.ipa # Both editions: install Wine with the guide above, plus the PC tools. brew install sevenzip winetricks llvm lld cmake ninja sdl3 scripts/builder/build.sh /path/to/HaloCESetup.exe --xbox --mac --zip HaloPad.zip scripts/builder/build.sh /path/to/HaloCESetup.exe --xbox --ipa HaloPad.ipa
The builder downloads this release's recorded OpenCE engine and the pinned ANGLE renderer from their own repositories and builds them; none of that code is part of HaloPad. For PC builds it downloads Bungie's free 1.10 update, checks the PC files by hash, translates the game and creates your product ID locally. The first Xbox build needs about 35 GB free. Repeated builds reuse verified work when the inputs match.
For experiments, --xbox-latest builds upstream's newest engine (a failure stops without substituting
another), --xbox-release-record FILE replays an exact saved candidate, and
HALOPAD_XBOX_PINNED=1 keeps the older reviewed development pin. Use only one of these at a time.
Xbox engine covers the tested disc (USA, maps build 01.10.12.2276) and the
lower-level scripts/xbox/build-ios.sh steps.
Help and community
- Discord: discord.gg/xwHfUD2bxW for setup help, testing and news, shared with HaloPad's sibling projects such as KartPad, BlueWake and MeleePad
- Bugs: ⋯ › Report a Problem or open an issue with your device, iOS version, build and what you did. Never attach game files, maps or app packages
- Diagnostic log: ⋯ › Help › Share Diagnostic Log…, or Files › HaloPad › HaloPad Logs. It records controller, display, stall and crash events, never typed text, names, chat or server addresses
Documentation
Install guide · Xbox engine · Status · Journal · Execution model · Graphics contract · D3D9 inventory · Runtime and networking · Rights status
Credits
HaloPad stands on a lot of other people's work. Thank you to:
- SR by M-HT, the static x86 recompiler at the heart of the translation pipeline
- OpenCE (formerly halo-ce-universal) by cybersecurity and its contributors, the Xbox engine port, built on the decompilations bnunu/halo-1 and punpckhdq/halo
- ANGLE, whose Metal backend draws the Xbox edition
- xboxrecomp by sp00nznet, used for runtime research
- SunPad, whose touch overlay and three-dot menu HaloPad adapts
- Xiph.Org contributors for Ogg and Vorbis, and udis86 for disassembly
- The Halo Custom Edition community, who have kept servers, maps and the master server running for over twenty years
Each project keeps its own license and notices. This repository does not claim a blanket license over upstream work or Halo content.
Legal
HaloPad is an independent fan project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, Xbox or Halo Studios. Halo and Halo: Custom Edition are trademarks of their respective owners. HaloPad grants no rights to Halo content: you need your own legitimate copy and are responsible for the laws that apply to it. Upstream notes that parts of the Xbox decompilation were reconstructed with help from leaked Bungie material; the Xbox edition currently remains a personal build. No project-wide license has been chosen yet; see rights status.