diff --git a/docs/targets/pxtarget.md b/docs/targets/pxtarget.md
index 0f700e2ad3d..459d7e597bc 100644
--- a/docs/targets/pxtarget.md
+++ b/docs/targets/pxtarget.md
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ Each target has one board (plus optional parts).
         autoRun?: boolean;          // automatically run program after a change to its code
         stopOnChange?: boolean;     // stop execution when user changes code
         headless?: boolean;         // whether simulator should still run while collapsed
+        hideSim?: boolean;          // whether the simulator should be rendered
         
         // buttons and parts
         hideRestart?: boolean;      // hide the restart button 
diff --git a/localtypings/pxtarget.d.ts b/localtypings/pxtarget.d.ts
index d602d3a8473..09970e0bde9 100644
--- a/localtypings/pxtarget.d.ts
+++ b/localtypings/pxtarget.d.ts
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ declare namespace pxt {
         // instructions?: boolean;
         partsAspectRatio?: number; // aspect ratio of the simulator when parts are displayed
         headless?: boolean; // whether simulator should still run while collapsed
+        hideSim?: boolean; // whether simulator should be rendered
         trustedUrls?: string[]; // URLs that are allowed in simulator modal messages
         invalidatedClass?: string; // CSS class to be applied to the sim iFrame when it needs to be updated (defaults to sepia filter)
         stoppedClass?: string; // CSS class to be applied to the sim iFrame when it isn't running (defaults to grayscale filter)
diff --git a/webapp/src/editortoolbar.tsx b/webapp/src/editortoolbar.tsx
index 5a35201d8c5..22be5532b8a 100644
--- a/webapp/src/editortoolbar.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/editortoolbar.tsx
@@ -186,6 +186,9 @@ export class EditorToolbar extends data.Component<ISettingsProps, EditorToolbarS
 
     protected onDownloadButtonClick = async () => {
         pxt.tickEvent("editortools.downloadbutton", { collapsed: this.getCollapsedState() }, { interactiveConsent: true });
+        if (!pxt.appTarget.compile.hasHex) {
+            return this.saveFile();
+        }
         if (this.shouldShowPairingDialogOnDownload()
             && !pxt.packetio.isConnected()
             && !pxt.packetio.isConnecting()
@@ -199,6 +202,9 @@ export class EditorToolbar extends data.Component<ISettingsProps, EditorToolbarS
         // Matching the tick in the call to compile() above for historical reasons
         pxt.tickEvent("editortools.download", { collapsed: this.getCollapsedState() }, { interactiveConsent: true });
         pxt.tickEvent("editortools.downloadasfile", { collapsed: this.getCollapsedState() }, { interactiveConsent: true });
+        if (!pxt.appTarget.compile.hasHex) {
+            return this.saveFile();
+        }
         (this.props.parent as ProjectView).compile(true);
     }
 
diff --git a/webapp/src/sidepanel.tsx b/webapp/src/sidepanel.tsx
index 8c8500e1851..15ed0142b4e 100644
--- a/webapp/src/sidepanel.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/sidepanel.tsx
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ export class Sidepanel extends data.Component<SidepanelProps, SidepanelState> {
             handleHardwareDebugClick, onTutorialStepChange, onTutorialComplete } = this.props;
 
         const hasSimulator = !pxt.appTarget.simulator?.headless;
+        const hideSimulator = pxt.appTarget.simulator?.hideSim;
         const showOpenInVscodeButton = parent.isJavaScriptActive() && pxt.appTarget?.appTheme?.showOpenInVscode;
 
         const simContainerClassName = `simulator-container ${this.props.tutorialSimSidebar ? "" : " hidden"}`;
@@ -162,22 +163,22 @@ export class Sidepanel extends data.Component<SidepanelProps, SidepanelState> {
             <div id="editorSidebar" className="editor-sidebar" style={!this.props.tutorialSimSidebar ? { height: editorSidebarHeight } : undefined}>
                 <div className={simContainerClassName}>
                     <div className={`ui items simPanel ${showHostMultiplayerGameButton ? "multiplayer-preview" : ""}`} ref={this.handleSimPanelRef}>
-                        <div id="boardview" className="ui vertical editorFloat" role="region" aria-label={lf("Simulator")} tabIndex={inHome ? -1 : 0} />
-                        {showHostMultiplayerGameButton && <div className="ui item grid centered portrait multiplayer-presence">
+                        {!hideSimulator && <div id="boardview" className="ui vertical editorFloat" role="region" aria-label={lf("Simulator")} tabIndex={inHome ? -1 : 0} />}
+                        {!hideSimulator && showHostMultiplayerGameButton && <div className="ui item grid centered portrait multiplayer-presence">
                             <SimulatorPresenceBar />
                         </div>}
                         <simtoolbar.SimulatorToolbar parent={parent} collapsed={collapseEditorTools} simSerialActive={simSerialActive} devSerialActive={deviceSerialActive} showSimulatorSidebar={this.tryShowSimulator} />
-                        {showKeymap && <keymap.Keymap parent={parent} />}
-                        <div className="ui item portrait hide hidefullscreen">
+                        {!hideSimulator && showKeymap && <keymap.Keymap parent={parent} />}
+                        {!hideSimulator && <div className="ui item portrait hide hidefullscreen">
                             {pxt.options.debug && <Button key="hwdebugbtn" className="teal" icon="xicon chip" text={"Dev Debug"} onClick={handleHardwareDebugClick} />}
-                        </div>
-                        <div className="ui item grid centered portrait hide hidefullscreen">
+                        </div>}
+                        {!hideSimulator && <div className="ui item grid centered portrait hide hidefullscreen">
                             {showOpenInVscodeButton && <Button className={"teal hostmultiplayergame-button"} icon={"icon share"} text={lf("Open in VS Code")} ariaLabel={lf("Open in Visual Studio Code for Web")} onClick={this.onOpenInVSCodeClick} />}
-                        </div>
-                        <div className="ui item grid centered portrait hide hidefullscreen">
+                        </div>}
+                        {!hideSimulator && <div className="ui item grid centered portrait hide hidefullscreen">
                             {showHostMultiplayerGameButton && <Button className={"teal hostmultiplayergame-button"} icon={"xicon multiplayer"} text={lf("Host multiplayer game")} ariaLabel={lf("Host multiplayer game")} onClick={this.onHostMultiplayerGameClick} />}
-                        </div>
-                        {showSerialButtons && <div id="serialPreview" className="ui editorFloat portrait hide hidefullscreen">
+                        </div>}
+                        {!hideSimulator && showSerialButtons && <div id="serialPreview" className="ui editorFloat portrait hide hidefullscreen">
                             <serialindicator.SerialIndicator ref="simIndicator" isSim={true} onClick={this.handleSimSerialClick} parent={parent} />
                             <serialindicator.SerialIndicator ref="devIndicator" isSim={false} onClick={this.handleDeviceSerialClick} parent={parent} />
                         </div>}
diff --git a/webapp/src/simtoolbar.tsx b/webapp/src/simtoolbar.tsx
index 43995872341..5004b831484 100644
--- a/webapp/src/simtoolbar.tsx
+++ b/webapp/src/simtoolbar.tsx
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ export class SimulatorToolbar extends data.Component<SimulatorProps, {}> {
         const fullscreen = run && !simOpts.hideFullscreen && !sandbox;
         const audio = run && targetTheme.hasAudio;
         const isHeadless = simOpts.headless;
+        const hideSim = simOpts.hideSim;
         const screenshot = !!targetTheme.simScreenshot;
         const screenshotClass = !!parentState.screenshoting ? "loading" : "";
         const debugBtnEnabled = !isStarting && !isSimulatorPending && inCodeEditor;
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ export class SimulatorToolbar extends data.Component<SimulatorProps, {}> {
         const showSerialEditorSection = isFullscreen && (simSerialActive || devSerialActive);
 
         return <aside className={"ui item grid centered simtoolbar" + (sandbox ? "" : " portrait ")} role="complementary" aria-label={lf("Simulator toolbar")}>
-            <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
+            {!hideSim && <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
                 {make && <sui.Button disabled={debugging} icon='configure' className="secondary" title={makeTooltip} onClick={this.openInstructions} />}
                 {run && !targetTheme.bigRunButton && <PlayButton parent={parent} simState={parentState.simState} debugging={parentState.debugging} />}
                 {fullscreen && <sui.Button key='fullscreenbtn' className="fullscreen-button tablet only hidefullscreen" icon="xicon fullscreen" title={fullscreenTooltip} onClick={this.toggleSimulatorFullscreen} />}
@@ -150,8 +151,8 @@ export class SimulatorToolbar extends data.Component<SimulatorProps, {}> {
                     icon={`${collapsed ? 'play' : 'stop'}`}
                     title={collapseIconTooltip} onClick={this.toggleSimulatorCollapse}
                 />}
-            </div>
-            {!isHeadless && <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons computer only`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
+            </div>}
+            {!isHeadless && !hideSim && <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons computer only`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
                 {audio && <MuteButton onClick={this.toggleMute} state={parent.state.mute} />}
                 {simOpts.keymap && <sui.Button key='keymap' className="keymap-button" icon="keyboard" title={keymapTooltip} onClick={parent.toggleKeymap} />}
             </div>}
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ export class SimulatorToolbar extends data.Component<SimulatorProps, {}> {
                     onClick={this.openDeviceSerial}
                 />}
             </div>}
-            {!isHeadless && <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons computer only`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
+            {!isHeadless && !hideSim && <div className={`ui icon tiny buttons computer only`} style={{ padding: "0" }}>
                 {screenshot && <sui.Button disabled={!isRunning} key='screenshotbtn' className={`screenshot-button ${screenshotClass}`} icon={`icon camera left`} title={screenshotTooltip} onClick={this.takeScreenshot} />}
                 {fullscreen && <sui.Button key='fullscreenbtn' className={`fullscreen-button`} icon={`xicon ${isFullscreen ? 'fullscreencollapse' : 'fullscreen'}`} title={fullscreenTooltip} onClick={this.toggleSimulatorFullscreen} />}
             </div>}