Are you having trouble with a or just setting up the folder structure?

Once you have enabled portable mode by creating the user folder, you must place your keys in the correct subdirectory. Step-by-Step Installation Path Open your main folder. Navigate to the user folder you created.

To decrypt and play your legally dumped 3DS games, Citra requires a specific text file named aes_keys.txt . Setting this up in a portable environment requires a few specific steps to ensure the emulator knows exactly where to look for your decryption data. What are Citra AES Keys?

Note: The file must be empty. Its presence tells Citra to store data in the local folder, not %APPDATA% . 3. Obtain the aes_keys.txt You will need to source the aes_keys.txt .

Once you have pasted your valid cryptographic keys into the file, save it and close your text editor. Troubleshooting Common Errors

: When Citra detects this user folder at startup, it redirects all settings, save files, and system data there instead of the default system paths.

Right-click inside the folder, hover over , and select Folder . Name this new folder exactly user (all lowercase).

: If managing keys is too complex, many users choose to use decrypted ROMs (often found in .3ds format), which bypass the need for an aes_keys.txt file entirely.

Creating a forces Citra to save everything within its own program folder, making it entirely self-contained. Step-by-Step Portable Configuration

Are you receiving a when launching your games?

For a , the user directory is located in the same folder as the Citra executable. Navigate to your Citra folder. Open or create a folder named user .

Create a brand new folder inside this directory and name it exactly .

For Citra to work in a portable mode, where it's run from a directory (such as a folder on a USB drive) without installation, several conditions need to be met:

If Citra still claims your games are encrypted after setup, check for these common issues: