ePSXe for Android is a paid app ($3.75) sold only on Google Play — currently v2.0.19 (July 2026). Any website offering a free ePSXe APK is distributing a paid app without permission, so install it from Play and nowhere else. This guide covers the install, the BIOS path, storage permissions and controllers.
1. Install from Google Play
Open the ePSXe for Android listing on Google Play (publisher: epsxe software s.l.) and install it. The app is rated 4.48 from about 53,000 reviews on Google Play, with over a million installs — a useful sanity check that you have the genuine listing and not a clone.
2. Add your BIOS and games
The app includes no games and no BIOS. Copy a BIOS file dumped from your own PlayStation (see the legal BIOS guide) and disc images ripped from your own games into a folder on the phone, then set the BIOS path in Preferences > BIOS. Supported images include BIN/CUE, ISO, IMG, PBP and CHD — v2.0.19 improved CHD support further.
3. Grant storage access (scoped storage)
On modern Android versions the app can only see folders you approve. When prompted, grant access to the exact folder holding your BIOS and games; if a game does not appear in the scanner, the folder permission — not the game file — is almost always the problem. The 2.0.18 update added cheat support inside scoped storage folders, and v2.0.19 targets SDK 35 for current Android releases.
4. Pick a renderer and sound engine
- Video: start with the hardware renderer; switch to the OpenGL plugin for HD upscaling on a strong phone, or the software renderer if a game glitches.
- Sound: v2.0.19 added the Oboe sound engine — select it in sound preferences for lower audio latency.
- Shaders: v2.0.19 fixed the CRT shaders and added CAS and MMPX shaders for sharper 2D games.
5. Controls: touch or a real pad
The virtual touchscreen pad works, but a Bluetooth controller is the single biggest upgrade for PS1 games on a phone. Pair it before launching the app and map it under Preferences; the app supports 1–4 players and a two-player split-screen mode. Our controller guide and the controller buying guide cover the details.
6. Protect your saves
v2.0.19 added Google Drive support and updated the Dropbox API, so memory cards and save states can sync off the device. Turn it on before a long RPG — our cloud save guide walks through it.