To use aes_keys.txt with a portable version of Citra, you must place the file within a specific sysdata folder inside your emulator's local "user" directory. This allows Citra to decrypt and load encrypted 3DS games directly from your portable drive. Step 1: Set Up Citra Portable Mode If you haven't already made your Citra installation portable, follow these steps: Locate your Citra executable : Find the folder where citra-qt.exe is located. Create a 'user' folder : In that same directory (next to the .exe), create a new folder named exactly user (all lowercase). Launch Citra : Open the emulator once. Citra will recognize this folder and automatically generate the necessary sub-directories inside it. Step 2: Place the aes_keys.txt File
To use Citra Portable, you must provide a file named aes_keys.txt . This file contains the cryptographic keys needed to decrypt and play 3DS games (ROMs) that are still in their encrypted format. 🔑 What is aes_keys.txt? Purpose : Decrypts encrypted .3ds or .cia files. Requirement : Citra cannot legally include these keys. Source : Users must typically dump them from their own 3DS console. 📂 Installation Guide for Citra Portable For Portable versions of Citra, the folder structure is self-contained. You do not look in the standard "AppData" folder. Locate your Citra Folder : Open the folder where your citra-qt.exe is located. Find the "user" folder : Portable versions use a folder named user within the main directory to store all data. Enter the SysData folder : Navigate to user > sysdata . Note: If the sysdata folder does not exist, create it manually. Place the file : Move your aes_keys.txt file directly into the sysdata folder. Restart Citra : Close and reopen the emulator to initialize the keys. 🛠️ Troubleshooting "Encrypted Cipher" Error If Citra still says the ROM is encrypted after adding the file: Check File Name : Ensure it is exactly aes_keys.txt (not aes_keys.txt.txt ). Check Content : The file must contain hex strings (e.g., slot0x2CKeyX=... ). Check Path : In Portable mode, it must be in the folder with the .exe , not in your Windows %AppData% profile. Alternative: Decrypted ROMs If you cannot obtain the keys, you can use a 3DS console to decrypt your games into .3ds format before moving them to your PC. Decrypted games do not require the aes_keys.txt file to run. To help you get your games running, could you tell me: What error message (if any) are you seeing? Are you using a Nightly or Canary build of Citra? What is the file extension of the game you are trying to play?
Unlocking the Vault: A Deep Dive into Citra Portable and aes_keys.txt If you’ve ever tried to play your Nintendo 3DS library on a PC using Citra , you’ve likely run into the dreaded "encrypted" error. This is where aes_keys.txt comes into play. For those using a portable installation of Citra, managing these keys is the final hurdle to a perfect, on-the-go gaming setup. What is aes_keys.txt? At its core, aes_keys.txt is a simple text file containing the cryptographic keys required to decrypt retail 3DS games. While Citra can run homebrew and already-decrypted .3ds files without help, many standard game dumps (especially .cia files) are encrypted. Without these keys, the emulator cannot "read" the data, and your game won't launch. Why "Portable" Matters A standard Citra installation hides its system files in your computer's AppData folder. However, Citra Portable is designed to keep everything in one place—usually on a USB drive or a specific folder you can move between PCs. In a portable setup, Citra looks for a folder named user inside the same directory as the citra-qt.exe executable. This "user" folder acts as the brain of your portable emulator, housing your saves, config files, and, most importantly, your system data. How to Set Up aes_keys.txt for Citra Portable To get your portable Citra reading encrypted games, follow these steps: Locate Your Portable Folder : Open the folder where your citra-qt.exe is located. Ensure the "user" Folder Exists : If it’s truly a portable installation, you should see a folder named user . If it isn't there, creating a folder named user in that directory will force Citra into portable mode. Create the Path : Inside user , navigate to (or create) a folder named sysdata . Path Example: Citra_Portable/user/sysdata/ Place the File : Drop your aes_keys.txt file directly into that sysdata folder. How to Obtain the Keys It is important to note that these keys are copyrighted material protected by Nintendo. The Official Way : The safest and legal method is to dump them from your own physical 3DS hardware using a tool like GodMode9 . A script like DumpKeys.gm9 will generate the aes_keys.txt on your SD card, which you can then copy to your portable Citra folder. The Alternative : Many users seek these keys online through community repositories or forums like the 3DS Roms Reddit , though sharing them directly is often prohibited due to copyright. Troubleshooting Common Issues "Still Encrypted" Error : Double-check that your file is named exactly aes_keys.txt (no extra .txt at the end) and that it is inside user/sysdata/ , not just the user folder. .CIA vs .3DS : Even with keys, some .cia files need to be "installed" through the Citra menu ( File > Install CIA ) before they appear in your library. Discontinued Status : Note that the official Citra project has been discontinued. While the emulator still works perfectly for many, you may find better long-term support with forks like Lime3DS or PabloMK7’s Citra . By keeping your keys tucked inside your portable user directory, you ensure that your entire 3DS library remains playable no matter which computer you plug into.
Guide: Installing System Keys for Citra Portable To run encrypted commercial games or use certain system features, Citra requires specific system files (keys). If you are using the Portable version of Citra, the process is slightly different from the installed version because all data is kept inside the emulator folder. 1. Locate the "User" Folder Unlike the standard installed version, the Portable version stores all its data in the same folder as the executable file. aeskeystxt citra portable
Open the folder where you have citra-qt.exe (or citra.exe ). Look for a folder named user .
Note: If this folder does not exist, you may need to run Citra once and close it, or create the folder manually.
2. Navigate to the Keys Directory Once you have found the user folder, navigate to the keys location: To use aes_keys
Path: user > sysdata Target Folder: keys
If the sysdata or keys folders do not exist, you can create them manually. Ensure the folder names are all lowercase. 3. Place the Keys Files You mentioned aeskeystxt (likely aes_keys.txt ). However, modern versions of Citra primarily rely on a file named keys.txt (which usually contains the aes_keys inside it).
Take your keys file (usually keys.txt ). Copy and paste it into the .../user/sysdata/keys/ folder. Create a 'user' folder : In that same
File Structure Overview: Citra Folder/ ├── citra-qt.exe ├── user/ │ ├── config/ │ ├── nand/ │ └── sysdata/ │ └── keys/ │ └── keys.txt <-- Place file here
4. Important Notes & Troubleshooting
