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EmuDeck guide Citra Tips and Tricks

How to Configure Gyro

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

Desktop Mode

  1. Switch to Desktop Mode
  2. Exit out of Steam
  3. 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
  4. Your controls will switch to Lizard Mode. Use L2 to right click, R2 to left click, and the Right Trackpad to move the mouse
  5. You may also connect an external keyboard and mouse
  6. Click the bluetooth icon in the bottom right of your taskbar and connect your controller
  7. Open Citra
  8. Click Emulation at the top, click Configure
  9. Click Controls on the left
  10. Click New to the right of Profile and give it a unique name
  11. Click Motion / Touch.. in the bottom left
  12. To the right of Motion Provider, select SDL in the drop-down menu
  13. Click Configure and follow the instructions
  14. Click OK
  15. Click OK again and exit out of Citra
  16. 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
  6. You may need to restart first for this setting to properly apply
  7. 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
  5. You may need to restart first for this setting to properly apply
  6. The controls will be reverted to Steam Input and the Steam Deck controls will be restored

How to Optimize Performance (Power Tools)

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

How to Install Custom Textures

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
  3. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D's (US) Title ID is: 0004000000125500
  4. Open /home/deck/.local/share/citra-emu/textures/
  5. ~/.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
  6. In the textures folder from Step 3, create a folder matching the TitleID from Step 2
  7. Put your texture files directly into the TitleID folder you created in Step 4
  8. Your texture pack should now be installed

Tip

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

How to Use Cheats

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

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:
  3. flatpak remote-info --log flathub org.citra_emu.citra
  4. If Konsole prompts you to select system or user, enter 2 to select user
  5. 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.
  6. How to Roll Back Flatpaks: 1
  7. To downgrade to the version you want:
  8. flatpak update --commit=put_commit_code_here org.citra_emu.citra
  9. 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

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