This is a beta preview of the May 2026 update to 86Box, bringing in the obligatory bugfixes, some performance improvements, user interface updates and lots of new hardware.
Important note: The ROM set for this beta release is not displayed on the roms GitHub page. Download it through this link.
Main features
After the floppy drive sounds feature in v5.2, the same contributor now brings in hard disk sounds, configurable through the hard disk settings separately from the existing model presets. Recordings from three 3600 RPM disk models are currently available, with more to come in the future.
The long-awaited local switch allows for networking multiple 86Box machines running on the same host computer and across multiple hosts on the same real network, automatically and across platforms, unlike previous solutions such as VDE which required manual configuration and left Windows users in the dark. Multiple networks can be created and isolated by passwords, and more technically-inclined users can connect other emulators to the switch; see the documentation for more information.
Serial and parallel connectivity also saw many updates. On the parallel side, printers are now configurable, new sound devices join the existing DACs, and the new Named Pipe device can connect machines together with a LapLink cable or the rare DirectParallel cable for high-speed Windows Direct Cable Connection. On the serial side, the passthrough feature has evolved into serial devices bringing many improvements: Named Pipe (now supported on Linux and macOS) has an automatic client/server mode, Serial Passthrough no longer requires setting the host port’s baud rate separately, and Virtual Console (now supported on Windows) can automatically connect a terminal to the emulated port.
SCSI tape drives are now emulated, in case you’re emulating a retro server and want to make period-accurate backups. Tape drives for the floppy interface, which were more common in the consumer space, are planned for the future.
Many updates have been made to the user interface, starting with some updated icons, including a more colorful logo. New toolbar buttons allow for fast forwarding emulation (running as fast as your host system can handle) and quickly taking a screenshot to file or clipboard. The Settings window was starting to become overwhelming with the sheer amount of options available, so it now has tabs on most pages; most of the options you know are still there, just organized into tabs, and some no longer require a hard reset to be applied. All device selectors now have search, activated by clicking the X button and typing a search query. The Preferences window now has pages like the Settings window.