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Cemu is a Wii U Emulator.

Website: https://cemu.info/

Github: https://github.com/cemu-project/Cemu

Compatibility List: https://compat.cemu.info/

Cemu Table of Contents

  1. Getting started with Cemu

  2. Common Issues

  3. Cemu Tips and Tricks

Getting started with Cemu

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IMPORTANT: Cemu is shifting away from encrypted ROMs (WUX, WUD). It is strongly recommended you use decrypted ROMs (Loadiine, WUA). Decrypted ROMs do not need any additional configuration and should launch without any issue.

Cemu is a fairly straight-forward emulator to set up, if you use decrypted ROMs. Place your ROMs in Emulation\roms\wiiu. Do not install your games. No additional setup is required.

Read the Configuration section to learn more about Cemu and its folder locations.

For updates and DLC, read How to Manage DLC and Updates.

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

  • EmulationStation-DE
  • Nintendo WiiU - Cemu (.rpx) or Nintendo WiiU - Cemu (.wud, .wux, .wua)
    • Read the File Formats section to learn more about these various file formats
    • .rpx and .wua are decrypted ROM formats
  • Emulators

If you intend on using encrypted ROMs, proceed to the Setting up Cemu Questionnaire.

Setting up Cemu Questionnaire

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IMPORTANT: Cemu is shifting away from encrypted ROMs (WUX, WUD). It is strongly recommended you use decrypted ROMs (Loadiine, WUA). Decrypted ROMs do not need any additional configuration and should launch without any issue. If you use decrypted ROMs, you do not need the following questionnaire.

Setting up Cemu Questionnaire

  1. Is your ROM encrypted? If yes, do you have a keys.txt in the right place with the correct keys for your games in the keys.txt file?
    1. What are keys?: Keys are required to decrypt Wii U ROMs. Your keys.txt needs to contain keys (one key per game) that must be dumped from a Wii U console. Any other method of obtaining keys is piracy and cannot be discussed here or on the EmuDeck discord.
    2. Which Cemu ROM Formats are encrypted?: File Formats
    3. keys.txt Location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
    4. If your ROM is NUS Format (a folder with .h3 and .app files), you will need to decrypt your ROM into the Loadiine format (folder format with three subfolders - code, content, meta). Decryption methods cannot be discussed here or on the EmuDeck discord.
  2. Is your ROM decrypted?
    1. Which Cemu ROM Formats are decrypted?: File Formats
    2. If your ROM is decrypted, place the ROM in Emulation\roms\wiiu. Your game should launch without needing any keys.
  3. If you are getting an Unable to launch game error, did you place the keys.txt in the right place?
    1. keys.txt Location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
  4. If you placed the keys.txt in the right place, and your ROM is still not working, does your keys.txt have the correct key for the ROM?
    1. Even if you placed a key for your game in keys.txt, you may still have the incorrect key.
  5. Did you transfer your ROM from another computer and did you compare file sizes to ensure it transferred successfully?

Cemu Configuration

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IMPORTANT: Cemu is shifting away from encrypted ROMs (WUX, WUD). It is strongly recommended you use decrypted ROMs (Loadiine, WUA). Decrypted ROMs do not need any additional configuration and should launch without any issue.

  • Executable Location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu\Cemu.exe
  • Config Location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
  • ROM Location: Emulation\roms\wiiu
  • keys.txt location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
    • Only necessary if the Wii U ROM is encrypted
  • Storage Location: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu\mlc01
  • Saves Location:
    • Shortcut: Emulation\saves\cemu\saves
    • Target: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu\mlc01\usr\save

Works With

  • Steam ROM Manager
  • EmulationStation-DE

How to Update Cemu

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How to Launch Cemu

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  • Launch Cemu from the EmuDeck folder in the Start Menu
  • Launch cemu.bat file in Emulation\tools\launchers
  • Launch Cemu.exe in %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
  • Launch the emulator from Steam after adding it via the Emulators parser in Steam ROM Manager

Cemu File Formats

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  • Loadiine (rpx)
    • Three folders (code, content, meta)
    • Folders should be inside a folder with the name of the game. This game folder is placed in Emulation\roms\wiiu
    • Visual Reference:
    • Decrypted, does not require keys.txt
  • WUA
    • Decrypted, does not require keys.txt
  • WUX
    • Encrypted, requires keys.txt in %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
  • WUD
    • Encrypted, requires keys.txt in %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
  • NUS
    • A folder with .h3 and .app files
    • Encrypted, can be decrypted into a Loadiine (rpx) folder. Decryption methods cannot be discussed here or on the EmuDeck discord.

IMPORTANT:

  • Some of these formats may require keys. We cannot help you get these. Place your keys.txt in: %USERPROFILE%\emudeck\EmulationStation-DE\Emulators\cemu
    • keys.txt needs to contain keys (one key per game) that must be dumped from a Wii U console. Any other method is piracy and cannot be discussed here or on the EmuDeck discord.
  • Once you put ROMs in place, you must refresh the list of games by right clicking in the Cemu UI and clicking Refresh Games List.
    • Your game will not show up in Cemu until you refresh.
  • Refer to How to Manage DLC and Updates, for DLC and Updates specifically

How to Convert to WUA

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How to Manage DLC and Updates

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Common Issues

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Cemu Tips and Tricks

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