Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your Computer
March 5th, 2007 | 53 Comments
If you develop for Windows Mobile or are just curious to check out how the new Windows Mobile 6 works, you can simulate (for free!) a Windows Mobile (WiMo) device on your computer without having to handle an actual device. You can even interact with the virtual device using your mouse and keyboard, and you may find that more informativie than just looking at screenshots.
In this blog post I will explain how to setup the emulator and images to simulate a WiMo device on your computer. The following is a screenshot of me running the latest WiMo 6 on my computer:
There are three files you will need to download and install in the following order:
- Visual Studio 2005 SP1
- Device Emulator 2.0 Beta
- Compact Framework 2.0 SP1
- Windows Mobile 6 Professional SDK
Once you have installed all of the above three components, launch the Device Emulator from your Start Menu/Orb and navigate to Microsoft Device Emulator 2.0 Preview | Device Emulator Manager. The Device Emulator Manager window should appear along with a treeview listing of all of the Windows Mobile emulators present in your system.
Right click on the Windows Mobile 6 Professional Emulator item and select Connect:
That is all there is to it. After a few seconds, a window will appear containing a generic WiMo device running the new Windows Mobile 6 Professional. You can use your mouse and keyboard to use it. As far as I know, you cannot make actual phone calls from within the emulator though 
Troubleshooting - Could Not Access Network Location
I tested my above instructions on several XP and Vista computers I have laying around, and I ran into a problem in Vista where the Windows Mobile 6 SDK installer would give me the following error: Could Not Access Network Location. I was able to resolve the problem by following Frank Zandona's advice in his blog comment responding to others who ran into my similar issue.
A final remark is that with the Windows Mobile 6 SDKs installed, you can use Visual Studio to test your Compact Framework 2.0 (CF 2.0) applications in a similar Windows Mobile 6 emulator window. CF 2.0 development is an interesting topic of its own that I'll save for a future post!
Troubleshooting - Requires Visual Studio 2005
While I haven't been able to confirm this, several readers have pointed out that you need Visual Studio 2005 in order to get the emulation to work.
Cheers!
Kirupa 
March 5th, 2007 at 6:29 am
Very nice. I’ve made a few programs for WM 5.0, I hope to get a 6.0 device one of these days and this looks like it will be nice to develope with just like 5.0 currently is. Although its .net so its the same as dev. with a regular windows program just have to watch memory and limited namespaces.
March 5th, 2007 at 11:18 am
My senior project in college involves quite a bit of work using the Compact Framework, so I’ve been fiddling with this stuff also. It’s really convenient using the same language you use for desktop/web development for handheld development also.
=)
March 5th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Very interesting, even though I’ll never actually use it.
March 5th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
[...] [via kirupa blog] [...]
March 6th, 2007 at 5:11 am
[...] This blog post will explain how to setup the emulator and images to simulate a WiMo device on your computer. Read the Blog Post Here http://blog.kirupa.com/?p=70 Posted: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 1:10 PM by Najeeb Jarrar Filed under: Emulate, Windows Mobile [...]
March 6th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Requires Visual Studio 5, which won’t install. See MSDN blog (http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2007/01/11/known-issues-with-visual-studio-2005-service-pack-1.aspx) for more info. Pain… not worth it.
March 6th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
I haven’t had any major issues with VS2005 SP1, but the time and space needed to install are both large
March 6th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
[...] Check out the link to a Blog on how to setup the emulator and images to simulate a WiMo device on your computer : [...]
March 12th, 2007 at 10:01 am
[...] Check out this post on Kirupa Chinnathambi’s blog. He walks you through the process of emulating Windows Mobile 6 without the need for Visual Studio 2005. This gives customers a great chance to test drive Windows Mobile 6 (or see how an application will run), without shelling out for the developer tools. If you develop for Windows Mobile or are just curious to check out how the new Windows Mobile 6 works, you can simulate (for free!) a Windows Mobile (WiMo) device on your computer without having to handle an actual device. You can even interact with the virtual device using your mouse and keyboard, and you may find that more informative than just looking at screenshots. [...]
March 12th, 2007 at 10:33 am
[...] Check out this post on Kirupa Chinnathambi’s blog. He walks you through the process of emulating Windows Mobile 6 without the need for Visual Studio 2005. This gives customers a great chance to test drive Windows Mobile 6 (or see how an application will run), without shelling out for the developer tools. If you develop for Windows Mobile or are just curious to check out how the new Windows Mobile 6 works, you can simulate (for free!) a Windows Mobile (WiMo) device on your computer without having to handle an actual device. You can even interact with the virtual device using your mouse and keyboard, and you may find that more informative than just looking at screenshots. [...]
March 13th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Thanks, I was really looking for something like this. I’m going to publish it on my blog :
Http://raizaM.BlogSpot.com
linking here.
Thanks again Kirupa
March 14th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
[...] Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your Computer [Kirupa via Modaco via JKOnTheRun] [...]
March 15th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
is there a way that you can put this onto my pda phone? or is it made for the computer only?
March 15th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Cephas – I don’t think that would be possible unless your mobile operator provides you with access to the Windows Mobile 6 upgrades.
March 16th, 2007 at 1:47 am
then why would it be a requirement that you have active sync to use wimo 6 on the dload site?
March 16th, 2007 at 10:25 am
I do not know then
March 17th, 2007 at 8:01 am
that is great , great, great
March 18th, 2007 at 7:28 am
[...] i can absolutely confirm that the instrux at kirupa.com are dead wrong. as was posted here at the funcave as soon as the windows mobile 6 sdks were released, using the sdks to run windows mobile 6 unequivocally requires visual studio 2005 standard or higher to be installed. [...]
March 18th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
[...] Check the original post for some trouble shooting tips [...]
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Because I’m not satisfied with any Win PDA Pocket PC device on the market at all (or Palm’s either for that matter), I’m considering the Sony UX laptop the size of a PDA (4.5” screen).
However, I still would like to run a few PDA applications on it (because it’s a flash card program on for Pocket PC’s that saves my life every sememster).
However,…
Because it’s not a PDA, is there anyway for me to turn my $1,500 UX into a super killer PDA with an emulator of some sort?
It seems a bit extra for a PDA program sure, but I’m saving money buying a pocket size laptop so I won’t have to do both (I like small laptops anyway).
I hope someone could help with any suggestions or ideas, thank you sincerely in advance.
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Terrence – in XP, you can use the emulator to simulate an actual PDA device. That allows you to use ActiveSync to send application to your virtual device. I’ll write about how to do that later, but I hope that gives you some extra insight
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:31 pm
[...] http://blog.kirupa.com/?p=70 Technorati : Windows Mobile 6 Posted: Friday, March 23, 2007 3:34 PM by Santhosh Sivarajan Filed under: Windows Mobile [...]
March 29th, 2007 at 8:47 am
@ terrence
we’ve got a whole series regarding the installation & configuration of device emulator 1.0 over at the funcave: http://www.chrisrue.com/funcave/2006/06/wm5-device-emulator-index.html
April 16th, 2007 at 11:41 am
[...] Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your Computer Something I stumbled across which I hope might be interesting for does that are into this type of thing. kirupaBlog – If it isn’t broken, take it apart and fix it! Blog Archive Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your Computer __________________ …: To do a certain kind of thing, you have to be a certain kind of person …: …: The Devil is a looser and he is my bitch …: [...]
April 16th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
WM6 SDK will NOT INSTALL without VS2005 SP1 and Active Sync 4.5 already installed. They are prerequisites !!!
April 16th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
I mentioned that in my concluding notes after a few commenters pointed it out, but I’ve added it to the original instructions itself to make it more clear.
Cheers!
Kirupa =)
July 4th, 2007 at 10:42 am
I just want to run Windows Mobile 6
with out actually device connected.
Like we used to run Java Mobile Applications
July 4th, 2007 at 10:43 am
I cannot be able to see what i have designed
on the form, i only sees the Already designed
windows mobile form.
Please Help me i have to develop a project
in Windows Mobile
July 5th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Hi Mahesh – are you doing your development outside of Visual Studio? VS allows you to test your mobile applications without having to use the steps outlined in this post.
Cheers!
Kirupa
July 23rd, 2007 at 1:53 am
Hi i have windows mobile 5.0 PPC apllication and can i run it over winodows mobile 6.0 ? if yes then how ? please suggest me
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:24 am
prakash – as long as your app is written targeting the Compact Framework, then your WM5 app should work in WM6. If it is written in something else, then I’m not sure.
The process for transferring an application to your PPC device and running it should not be any different. You can use ActiveSync to transfer over the installer, and you can install directly from the PPC itself.
Cheers!
Kirupa
July 24th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C62D54A5-183A-4A1E-A7E2-CC500ED1F19A&displaylang=en
Device Emulator 1.0 so that you dont need Visual Studio 5
October 21st, 2007 at 4:40 pm
can you help me I just got a Q and I want to do cool shit on it but everyone says I need a bunch of stuff like a flash drive and windows upgrade and stuff. I don’t have a lot of money is there any way I could upgrade my phone for free? please help me.
October 21st, 2007 at 7:26 pm
You can add free applications to your phone for free using the ActiveSync or Windows Mobility Center.
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:31 pm
How do I delete contact information from this page? No big deal, but I really would like to know if my particular comments can be deleted (due to my regretful and unecessary contact info shown).
Can anyone help me delete my comment on this page?
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:32 pm
It’s shown on this particular blog towards the top
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Derek – which comment is it in particular? While I probably can’t delete it, I’ll definitely remove any contact information.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Kirupa, thank you sincerely, it’s the comment with the two yahoo e-mail addresses listed. They should be the only two yahoo addresses on this page. Thanks a bunch kind one.
October 24th, 2007 at 11:10 am
I wonder… can you run it on a Mac? Because I have this game called Shadow of Legend (http://www.shadowoflgend.com) that I can only play on either PC or WM mobile device. However, I don’t have a PC, and if I can find a way to play this game on my Mac, that would be cool too.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:05 am
Does windows mobile 6.0 come with .Net 3/0 installed on it so WPF can be used to developed application the will run on windows mobile 6.0?
stevensrf1@inbox.com
October 31st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Steve – no it does not. Windows Mobile 6 only comes with the Compact Framework support, so your WPF apps will not run on it.
November 19th, 2007 at 12:16 am
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November 21st, 2007 at 4:57 am
[...] Full story: Kirupa’s blog Related PostsMSFN – Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your ComputerMSFN – Run/Emulate Windows Mobile 6 on your ComputerMSFN – Recuva 1.08.174MSFN – Recuva 1.08.174MSFN – Recuva 1.08.174MSFN – Recuva 1.08.174MSFN – Nokia unveils successor to N95MSFN – Nokia unveils successor to N95Share This [...]
November 22nd, 2007 at 9:59 am
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October 8th, 2008 at 10:08 am
wondering if anyone knew of any good sites for tutorials on the SDK 6 windows mobile standalone emulators
May 16th, 2009 at 9:53 am
[...] [upmod] [downmod] kirupaBlog – If it isn’t broken, take it apart and fix it! » Blog Archive » Run/Emulate Windows … (blog.kirupa.com) 0 points posted 1 year, 10 months ago by phalgun tags delicious saved by 1 [...]
May 26th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
With regards to Windows Mobile, we’ve recently developed a Windows Mobile e-Form app that let’s you and others collect data in a few simple steps.
http://www.heronmobile.com/html/eForm.html
September 26th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Хорошо, давайте обсудим это в отдельной теме. Хотя это не столь важно.