4.4
716 reviews
10K+
Downloads
Content rating
Everyone
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About this app

PLEASE READ THIS TEXT IN FULL BEFORE INSTALLING:

Select from thousands of Sinclair ZX Spectrum games and play them through the headphone jack to load them onto your Speccy. You can also select your local (on the device) TAP or TZX files, convert them to sound files and play them. This way you can load games for not only the ZX Spectrum micro but also any other retro computer that have compatible audio jacks.

IMPORTANT:
1. This is not an emulator, *it* will not play those games! You need an actual ZX Spectrum.

2. If you cannot browse and select your own files, it is likely caused by new Android permissions that Google changed with their newer development kits.
Please try this: Go to "System" -> "Apps & Notifications" -> Select "PlayZX" app -> scroll down to "Permissions" and allow "Storage" permission.

3. Make sure that your Android device is *not* connected to USB (for example, to charge it), while using this app. (Electrically, its ground needs to be floating with respect to the ZX Spectrum power supply)

4. Put your Android device in "Do Not Disturb" mode (*not* the Airplane mode as it needs internet access). This will prevent random notifications to disturb the signal output.

5. Use a good quality, preferably short, audio cable. For best results, use a stereo cable and turn the option to invert one stereo channel. Play with the volume: you may get different results on your phone vs. on your tablet, for example.
Updated on
Aug 25, 2025

Data safety

Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region, and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time.
No data shared with third parties
Learn more about how developers declare sharing
No data collected
Learn more about how developers declare collection

Ratings and reviews

4.4
658 reviews
Pete Seymour
August 27, 2025
I wasn't expecting such a vast list of titles, so that was a pleasant surprise. seems to play these titles ok, however I'm unable to select menu options from the bottom of the screen, such as settings. Hopefully a future release can address the issue. specifically with my Honor Magic 7 Pro.
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Stuart Brand
August 15, 2025
An excellent app. I've used it for years and has all the options you need. I noticed one odd thing. I'm using a small Ahenod Android MP3 player and it loads once but on the second load, everything is messed up and skewed. I found a workaround. if you clear data and cache, open the app, go to settings, enable bottom space and then click back to exit and say yes when asked it displays fine from then on. Mine is an edge case device and it's probably due to the small size but it works great now!
1 person found this review helpful
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Baltazar Studios, LLC
August 15, 2025
Thank you for the hint. Yes, the last update (both required by the new Android SDK and the matching Qt version) messed up some things. This has been frustrating since I didn't want to change the app any more -- since it was good, as-is. I dislike feature creep.
A Google user
October 11, 2019
Loads of games in the database. Only problem I have is that it doesn't find my local files on huawei mate 20 pro. Edit. Thanks for the quick response, worked a treat. For those complaining about this app, I suggest you take a little time to work out what it's for. "long time to load" yep it emulates a tape recorder. "can't open the game after it downloads" nope because it's a tape emulator, not a Speccy emulator. "getting loading errors" that's because your phone isn't loud enough.
6 people found this review helpful
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Baltazar Studios, LLC
October 11, 2019
This looks like it is caused by new Android permissions that Google changed with their newer development kits. Please try this: Go to "System" "Apps & Notifications" Select "PlayZX" app, scroll down to "Permissions" and allow "Storage" permission. You should then be able to freely browse your folders and put your files anywhere.

What’s new

The device will not go to sleep while this app is active
Fixed saving last wave file (in Settings) for all devices