Here’s a guide that will teach you how to transfer save files in Citra, whether you’re on PC or mobile!
Do you want to carry your Citra save files from one device to another? How about playing the save file from another player? It’s possible if you know the method that we’re going to share with you in this post.
The Nintendo 3DS has been phased out of production since 2020, so it’s no surprise that fans of some games like Pokemon will rely on emulators to relive or experience the thrill and excitement of playing 3DS games for the first time.
The best and most popular 3DS emulator today is no other than Citra. Its capability to emulate the features and overall performance of the Nintendo 3DS is unparalleled, and its users can even apply cheat codes.
For those who want to learn the process of cheating in this emulator, read our beginner’s guide on how to use cheats in Citra.
Going back to the topic, Citra supports both in-game saving and save states. However, in-game saves are stored as files, allowing users to transfer their game progress across different devices.
Other guides for playing 3DS Pokemon games:
- How to Reset a Pokemon Game on 3DS (Citra Emulator)
- How to Delete Pokemon Save for Nintendo DS and 3DS
- How to Get Ash-Greninja in Pokemon X and Y
- How to Get Diancie in Pokemon X and Y
How to Transfer Save Files in Citra Emulator
Follow the steps below if you want to copy a save file from your Citra and paste in on another Citra emulator that’s installed on another device:
Step 1: Finding the Saved Files on Your Citra Folder
The first step is a lengthy one, so pay attention to this process:
Open the Citra Folder
To get easy access to your Citra folder, open the Citra app and click “File.” Under the File options, select “Open Citra Folder.”
Another way of finding the Citra folder is by opening your local disk and following this file path:
C:/Users/YourDeviceName/AppData/Roaming/Citra
Note: Make sure you edit the “YourDeviceName” text.
Accessing Citra’s Main Folder for Save Files
Inside the Citra Folder, click on the following folders in the exact order:
- sdmc
- Nintendo 3DS
- 00000000000000000000000000000000
- 00000000000000000000000000000000
- title
- 00040000
Alternatively, here’s a file path that you can copy instead:
C:\Users\YourDeviceName\AppData\Roaming\Citra\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\00000000000000000000000000000000\00000000000000000000000000000000\title\00040000
The contents of the “00040000” are other folders containing the save files of all the games that you play on your Citra emulator. This means that each folder represents a specific game, and is named based on the last eight characters of their corresponding Title IDs.
You see, each 3DS game has a Title ID. For example, Pokemon Omega Ruby has a Title ID of “000400000011C400.” If you take the last eight characters of that Title ID, it means the folder containing the save file of Pokemon Omega Ruby will have the name “0011c400.”
After identifying the save file folder of your target game, click on it and continue accessing the following folders:
- data
- 00000001
Inside the “00000001” folder is a file called “main,” and it’s the actual save file that you need to copy.
Step 2: Copy the Main File
You can use a flash drive where you can store the main file. You can also upload it on Google Drive if you want to download it later on another device.
Step 3: Paste the Main File on Your Target Device’s Citra Folder
Once your target device has access to the main file (either via flash drive or cloud storage), follow Step 1 again until you find the 00000001 folder of your target game.
For this to work, the device that will receive your old save file should have the same ROM version as your original device. For example, if your save game is from Version 1.4 of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, the game on the receiving device should also have that ROM version as well.
Inside the target game’s 00000001 folder, paste the main file.
Step 4: Test the Save File
Open the game on your Citra and open the in-game save state. If you did the process right, the game should load on the exact point where you saved your game in the original device.
FAQs
Does this process work on Android devices?
Yes, it does work on Android devices. You can transfer the save files from PC to another PC, or PC to an Android device.
Can I use this method to play the save files from another player?
Definitely yes. As long as you have the compatible ROM version of that player’s save file, you can copy and paste it on your Citra folder. This is particularly useful if you want to access a Pokemon game’s post-game content or you want a game file with a complete Pokedex collection.
Final Thoughts
If you’re the type of player with deep attachment to the Pokemon you capture, transferring save files is the way to go to keep your progress intact even if you want to play on multiple devices.
Very few sites have featured this guide so far, so count yourself lucky if you stumbled upon this article without any firsthand knowledge of transferring save files for your 3DS Pokemon games.
And lastly, you can also use this method if you want to get a Pokemon that isn’t available in your game version or can only evolve through trading. However, it’s more advisable to use cheats instead.
For more guides about Citra and other emulators for your favorite Pokemon games, check out more of our pages here at Pokemoncoders.
