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Citra is a Nintendo 3DS Emulator.

Website: https://citra-emu.org/

GiHhub: https://github.com/citra-emu/citra

Compatibility List: https://citra-emu.org/game/

Citra Table of Contents

  1. Getting Started with Citra
  2. Common Issues
  3. Citra Tips and Tricks
  4. Custom Screen Layouts

Getting Started with Citra

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Citra is a fairly straight-forward emulator to set up. Place your ROMs in Emulation/roms/n3ds or Emulation/roms/3ds. No additional setup is required if you are using decrypted ROMs. Read the Configuration section to learn more about Citra and its folder locations. The Configuration section covers where to place your aes_keys.txt if you are using encrypted ROMs.

To launch your ROMs in game mode, use Steam ROM Manager and use one of the following parsers to play your Citra ROMs:

  • EmulationStation-DE
  • Nintendo 3DS - Citra
  • Emulators

Citra Configuration

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  • Type of Emulator: Flatpak
  • Config Location:
    • /home/deck/.config/citra-emu
    • /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu
  • ROM Location: Emulation/roms/3ds or Emulation/roms/n3ds
  • aes_keys.txt location: /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/sysdata
    • Only necessary if the 3DS ROM is encrypted
    • If the sysdata folder does not exist, create the folder
  • Saves Location:
    • Symlink: Emulation/saves/citra/saves
    • Target: /Emulation/storage/citra/sdmc
  • Save States Location:
    • Symlink: Emulation/saves/citra/states/
    • Target: /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/states

Note: ~/.config and ~/.local are hidden folders by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders.

Works With

  • Steam ROM Manager
  • ES-DE

Citra Folder Locations

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These file locations apply regardless of where you chose to install EmuDeck (to your internal SSD, to your SD Card, or elsewhere). Some emulator configuration files will be located on the internal SSD as listed below.

$HOME refers to your home folder. If you are on a Steam Deck, this folder will be named /home/deck (you will likely not see deck in the file path when navigating using the file manager).

Paths beginning with Emulation/.. correspond to your EmuDeck install location. If you installed on an SD Card, your path may be /run/media/mmcblk0p1/Emulation/roms/... If you installed on your internal SSD, your path may be /home/deck/Emulation/roms/..

Note: Folders with a . (.var, .local, .config, etc.) at the beginning are hidden by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders.

/home/deck/.config/citra-emu

citra-emu/
├── custom
├── qt-config.ini
└── qt-config.ini.bak

/home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu

citra-emu/
├── cheats
├── load
│   └── textures
├── log
│   ├── citra_log.txt
│   └── citra_log.txt.old.txt
├── shaders
│   └── vulkan
├── states
├── sysdata
│   └── mcu.dat
└── textures

Emulation/storage/citra

citra/
├── cheats -> /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/cheats
├── nand
│   └── data
│       └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
│           ├── extdata
│           │   └── 00048000
│           └── sysdata
│               ├── 00010017
│               ├── 00010026
│               └── 00010035
├── screenshots
├── sdmc
│   └── Nintendo 3DS
│       └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
│           └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
│               └── title
└── textures -> /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/load/textures

How to Update Citra

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How to Update Citra

  • Through the Update your Emulators & Tools section on the Manage Emulators page in the EmuDeck application
  • Manual file replacement of citra-qt.AppImage
  • Through binupdate.sh in Emulation/tools/binupdate, double click to launch

How to Launch Citra in Desktop Mode

How to Launch Citra in Desktop Mode

  • Launch Citra from the Applications Launcher (Steam Deck icon in the bottom left of the taskbar)
  • Launch the script from Emulation/tools/launchers, citra.sh
  • Launch the emulator from Steam after adding it via the Emulators parser in Steam ROM Manager

Citra File Formats

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  • .3ds
  • .3dsx
  • .app
  • .axf
  • .cci
  • .cxi
  • .elf

IMPORTANT:

  • .cia can only be used if you install it through Citra. Do not place your .cia ROMs in either the Emulation/roms/3ds or the Emulation/roms/n3ds folders. The .cia file format is not compatible with Steam ROM Manager and EmulationStation-DE.

How to Manage DLC and Updates

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Read: https://citra-emu.org/wiki/dumping-updates-and-dlcs/ to learn how to properly dump your DLC and update files from your 3DS.

DLC and update files typically are .CIAs, an installable file format through Citra. After installing your DLC or updates, you may discard these files.

How to Install DLC and Updates

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Citra
  2. Click File in the top left
  3. Click Install CIA...
  4. Navigate to your DLC or update files

Citra Hotkeys

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Citra comes with a Steam Input profile for Hotkeys. When playing Citra ROM shortcuts through Steam, the EmuDeck - Controller Hotkeys profile will automatically be applied so you may use the below hotkeys. For more info, see Emulator Button Combinations Profile.

When using a frontend (ES-DE, Pegasus, or the emulator itself), the EmuDeck - Frontend Controller Hotkeys will automatically be applied. Hold Start for a few seconds to switch to the action set required to use the below hotkeys. For more info, see Emulator Frontends Button Combinations Profile.

Hotkey Citra
Toggle Full Screen Select + R3
Save State Select + R1
Load State Select + L1
Fast Forward Select + R2
Pause/Play Select + A
Reset Emulation Select + L3
Stop Emulation Select + Start or hold L5 or hold R5
Toggle Screen Layout L4 or R4 or Start + DPad Left or Select + Y
Swap Screens L5 or R5 or Start + DPad Down or Select + X
Load Amiibo Start + DPad Right

Note

Citra Common Issues

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Why did my game suddenly stop working?

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If your game ever crashes or you exit the game by pressing the STEAM button and clicking Exit Game instead of using the hotkey (Quit on the left trackpad), you may end up corrupting the shader cache.

To clear the shader cache:

  1. In Desktop Mode, open the /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu folder
    • ~/.local is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  2. Delete the shaders folder
  3. Try your game again

Note: Use the Select + Start hotkey to exit your game instead of using the STEAM button.

Citra Tips and Tricks

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How to Configure Gyro

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Gyro for Citra requires SteamDeckGyroDSU. SteamDeckGyroDSU can be installed via EmuDeck, or it can be installed manually.

Visit SteamDeckGyroDSU to learn how to install and utilize SteamDeckGyroDSU.

How to Configure Gyro With External Controllers

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Desktop Mode

  1. Switch to Desktop Mode
  2. Exit out of Steam
    • You may exit out of Steam a couple of different ways:
      • Right click the Steam icon in your taskbar and click Exit Steam
      • Open Steam, click the Steam button in the top left, click Exit
      • Open a terminal (Konsole) and enter killall -9 steam
      • Do note that clicking the the X button in the top right of the Steam window will not exit out of Steam
    • Your controls will switch to Lizard Mode. Use L2 to right click, R2 to left click, and the Right Trackpad to move the mouse
    • You may also connect an external keyboard and mouse
  3. Click the bluetooth icon in the bottom right of your taskbar and connect your controller
  4. Open Citra
  5. Click Emulation at the top, click Configure
  6. Click Controls on the left
  7. Click New to the right of Profile and give it a unique name
  8. Click Motion / Touch.. in the bottom left
  9. To the right of Motion Provider, select SDL in the drop-down menu
  10. Click Configure and follow the instructions
  11. Click OK
  12. Click OK again and exit out of Citra
  13. Switch to Game Mode

Game Mode

  1. In Game Mode, connect your controller
  2. Select your Nintendo 3DS game
  3. On the Play screen, select the Controller icon to the right of the screen
  4. Select your controller tab at the top
  5. Click the Gear icon to the right, and click Disable Steam Input
    • You may need to restart first for this setting to properly apply
  6. Your controller's gyro will now work for this selected game, repeat as needed for your other games

Post-Configuration

To restore the default Steam Deck controls:

  1. Open Citra
  2. Click Emulation at the top, click Configure
  3. Click Controls on the left
  4. To the right of Profile, select SD-Default in the drop-down menu
  5. Click OK and exit out of Citra

(Optional) To restore Steam Input:

  1. Select your Nintendo 3DS game
  2. On the Play screen, select the Controller icon to the right of the screen
  3. Select your controller tab at the top
  4. Click the Gear icon to the right, and click Enable Steam Input
    • You may need to restart first for this setting to properly apply
  5. The controls will be reverted to Steam Input and the Steam Deck controls will be restored

How to Optimize Performance (Power Tools)

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Visit Power Tools to learn how to optimize performance using Power Tools.

How to Install Custom Textures

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Here's how to install custom textures for Citra:

Citra Configuration

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Citra
  2. Click Emulation in the top left. Click Configuration, Graphics, and check both Use Custom Textures and Async Custom Texture Loading

Note: Preload Custom Textures is no longer recommended. Leave Preload Custom Textures off

How to Install Custom Textures

Note: Your texture pack may already come properly named and packaged with the correct TitleID and texture files. You may place the included texture pack folder directly into /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/textures/. You do not need the following section if this is the case.

  1. In Desktop Mode, open https://3ds.jdbye.com/?details=USA&split=0&display=0 in a browser
  2. Note down the Title ID for the game
    • For example, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D's (US) Title ID is: 0004000000125500
  3. Open /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/textures/
    • ~/.local is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  4. In the textures folder from Step 3, create a folder matching the TitleID from Step 2
  5. Put your texture files directly into the TitleID folder you created in Step 4
  6. Your texture pack should now be installed

Tip

Consider enabling Preload Custom Textures. This may help performance in some cases.

How to Use Cheats

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Cheat Sources

This list is not exhaustive

How to Use Cheats

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Citra
  2. Right click a game of your choice, click Properties
  3. Click the Cheats tab
  4. Click Add Cheat
  5. Name the cheat and add the code to the box under Code:
  6. Click Save in the top right
  7. Check the box to the left of the cheat to enable it

How to Roll Back Citra to an Older Version

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If you do not have access to a mouse and keyboard for the below section, use L2 to right click and R2 to left click. Alternatively, remote into your Steam Deck using one of the methods found in the FAQ, How do I remotely control my Steam Deck?.

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Konsole
  2. To see a list of prior versions of the emulator, type:
    • flatpak remote-info --log flathub org.citra_emu.citra
  3. If Konsole prompts you to select system or user, enter 2 to select user
  4. Konsole will list a list of previous versions for the flatpak. The important line for each version is the Commit: line. The Commit: line will have a long accompanying alphanumeric string (the “commit” code). Copy the string for the version you want to downgrade to.
    • How to Roll Back Flatpaks: 1
  5. To downgrade to the version you want:
    • flatpak update --commit=put_commit_code_here org.citra_emu.citra
    • Replace put_commit_code_here with the actual code you located in Step 2.
      • For example:
        • How to Roll Back Flatpaks: 2

If the above steps did not work and you are getting an error message along the lines of Flatpak not installed, your Flatpak is likely installed at the system level instead. Select one of the below solutions:

Solution 1: Open the EmuDeck application, click the Manage Emulators page, select the emulator in question, and click Reinstall / Update.

Solution 2: Add sudo in front of the commands written in Step 2 and Step 5. In Step 2, write sudo flatpak remote-info --log flathub org.citra_emu.citra and in Step 5, write sudo flatpak update --commit=put_commit_code_here org.citra_emu.citra.

How to Configure Language Settings

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UI

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Citra
  2. At the top, click Emulation, click Configure
  3. On the left hand-side of the screen, click General
  4. Click the UI tab
  5. Under General, select your preferred language in the drop-down menu

In-Game

  1. In Desktop Mode, open Citra
  2. At the top, click Emulation, click Configure
  3. On the left hand-side of the screen, click System
  4. Click the System tab
  5. Under System Settings, select your preferred language in the drop-down menu

Custom Screen Layouts

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How to Create Custom Screen Layouts

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Use https://jesuscc1993.github.io/miscellaneous/citra-layout-generator/ to create custom layouts.

After you have created your custom layout, use the following steps to use it.

  1. Open the folder: /home/deck/.config/citra-emu/
    • ~/.config is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  2. Right click qt-config.ini, and click Open with Kate or a text editor of your choice
  3. Locate the [Layout] section
  4. Replace the content of the [Layout] section with your newly created layout

How to Configure Bottom Screen as PiP

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Credit: NexLevel

Citra allows you to configure the bottom screen as a sort of PiP (Picture in Picture) overlay on the top screen, by editing the qt-config file.

Here's How

  1. Open the folder: /home/deck/.config/citra-emu/
    • ~/.config is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  2. Right click qt-config.ini, and click Open with Kate or a text editor of your choice
  3. Locate the [Layout] section

  4. Replace the content of the [Layout] section with the below text:

    [Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=800
custom_bottom_bottom\default=false
custom_bottom_left=520
custom_bottom_left\default=false
custom_bottom_right=760
custom_bottom_right\default=false
custom_bottom_top=620
custom_bottom_top\default=false
custom_layout=true
custom_layout\default=false
custom_second_layer_opacity=33
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=false
custom_top_bottom=784
custom_top_bottom\default=false
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=1280
custom_top_right\default=false
custom_top_top=16
custom_top_top\default=false
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=@Variant(\0\0\0\x87@\x80\0\0)
large_screen_proportion\default=false
layout_option=1
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true

  5. (Optional) To move the PiP screen up, try setting custom_top_top=0 and custom_top_bottom=768

  6. Save and exit out of the text file, Citra will now be using the bottom screen as PiP

Note: To revert back to defaults, the default [Layout] section is: 

[Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=480
custom_bottom_bottom\default=true
custom_bottom_left=40
custom_bottom_left\default=true
custom_bottom_right=360
custom_bottom_right\default=true
custom_bottom_top=240
custom_bottom_top\default=true
custom_layout=false
custom_layout\default=true
custom_second_layer_opacity=100
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=true
custom_top_bottom=240
custom_top_bottom\default=true
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=400
custom_top_right\default=true
custom_top_top=0
custom_top_top\default=true
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=@Variant(\0\0\0\x87@\x80\0\0)
large_screen_proportion\default=true
layout_option=2
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true

How to Configure Bottom Screen With PiP and Opacity

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Credit: NexLevel

A recent update of Citra allows the ability to set the opacity on the bottom screen. In combination with setting the bottom screen as a PiP overlay, you can create a Citra layout that looks like the following:

Example 1:

Example 2:

Here's How

  1. Open the folder: /home/deck/.config/citra-emu/
    • ~/.config is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  2. Right click qt-config.ini, and click Open with Kate or a text editor of your choice
  3. Locate the [Layout] section

  4. Replace the content of the [Layout] section with the below text:

    [Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=800
custom_bottom_bottom\default=false
custom_bottom_left=520
custom_bottom_left\default=false
custom_bottom_right=760
custom_bottom_right\default=false
custom_bottom_top=620
custom_bottom_top\default=false
custom_layout=true
custom_layout\default=false
custom_second_layer_opacity=33
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=false
custom_top_bottom=784
custom_top_bottom\default=false
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=1280
custom_top_right\default=false
custom_top_top=16
custom_top_top\default=false
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=@Variant(\0\0\0\x87@\x80\0\0)
large_screen_proportion\default=false
layout_option=1
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true

  5. To adjust the PiP opacity, the opacity can be any integer between 1-100

  6. Save and exit out of the text file, Citra will now be using the bottom screen as PiP with custom opacity

Note: To revert back to defaults, the default [Layout] section is: 

[Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=480
custom_bottom_bottom\default=true
custom_bottom_left=40
custom_bottom_left\default=true
custom_bottom_right=360
custom_bottom_right\default=true
custom_bottom_top=240
custom_bottom_top\default=true
custom_layout=false
custom_layout\default=true
custom_second_layer_opacity=100
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=true
custom_top_bottom=240
custom_top_bottom\default=true
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=400
custom_top_right\default=true
custom_top_top=0
custom_top_top\default=true
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=@Variant(\0\0\0\x87@\x80\0\0)
large_screen_proportion\default=true
layout_option=2
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true

How to Configure Bottom Screen as PiP in the Top Right Corner

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Picture:

How to Configure Bottom Screen as PiP in the Top Right Corner

Credit: busywait

  1. Open the folder: /home/deck/.config/citra-emu/
    • ~/.config is a hidden folder by default. In Dolphin (file manager), click the hamburger menu in the top right, click Show Hidden Files to see these folders
  2. Right click qt-config.ini, and click Open with Kate or a text editor of your choice
  3. Locate the [Layout] section

  4. Replace the content of the [Layout] section with the below text:

    [Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=240
custom_bottom_bottom\default=false
custom_bottom_left=960
custom_bottom_left\default=false
custom_bottom_right=1280
custom_bottom_right\default=false
custom_bottom_top=0
custom_bottom_top\default=false
custom_layout=true
custom_layout\default=false
custom_second_layer_opacity=80
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=false
custom_top_bottom=800
custom_top_bottom\default=false
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=1200
custom_top_right\default=false
custom_top_top=80
custom_top_top\default=false
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=4
large_screen_proportion\default=true
layout_option=1
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true

  5. Save and close out of the text file

  6. Citra will now apply your custom layout

Note: To revert back to defaults, the default [Layout] section is: 

[Layout]
anaglyph_shader_name=dubois (builtin)
anaglyph_shader_name\default=true
custom_bottom_bottom=480
custom_bottom_bottom\default=true
custom_bottom_left=40
custom_bottom_left\default=true
custom_bottom_right=360
custom_bottom_right\default=true
custom_bottom_top=240
custom_bottom_top\default=true
custom_layout=false
custom_layout\default=true
custom_second_layer_opacity=100
custom_second_layer_opacity\default=true
custom_top_bottom=240
custom_top_bottom\default=true
custom_top_left=0
custom_top_left\default=true
custom_top_right=400
custom_top_right\default=true
custom_top_top=0
custom_top_top\default=true
factor_3d=0
factor_3d\default=true
filter_mode=true
filter_mode\default=true
large_screen_proportion=@Variant(\0\0\0\x87@\x80\0\0)
large_screen_proportion\default=true
layout_option=2
layout_option\default=false
mono_render_option=0
mono_render_option\default=true
pp_shader_name=none (builtin)
pp_shader_name\default=true
render_3d=0
render_3d\default=true
swap_screen=false
swap_screen\default=true
upright_screen=false
upright_screen\default=true