Lime3DS / Azahar 3DS Emulator Setup Guide 2026 — Citra Replacement After Shutdown

Azahar (formerly Mandarine, formerly lime3DS) is the current actively-maintained community fork and the recommended Citra replacement as of 2026. It started as Lime3DS, was briefly rebranded Mandarine, and settled on the Azahar name. Download from the official GitHub: github.com/azahar-emu/azahar — look for the latest release and download the Windows installer (.exe) or AppImage for Linux.

First-time setup:

1. Install Azahar. On Windows, run the .exe installer; on Linux, make the AppImage executable (chmod +x) and run it.
2. Open Azahar → Emulation → Configure → System tab. Set your region (USA/EUR/JPN) to match your ROMs.
3. Go to File → Add Game Directory and point it at your folder of .3ds, .cia, or .cxi ROM files.
4. Double-click any game to launch it.

Keys for encrypted ROMs: Most 3DS ROMs require aes_keys.txt in the Azahar user directory (%APPDATA%\azahar-emu\azahar\sysdata\ on Windows). This file contains the 3DS encryption keys, which you must obtain from your own 3DS console — Azahar cannot play encrypted ROMs without it.

Where is the user data folder? File → Open Azahar Folder opens the configuration directory directly.

Azahar is directly derived from Citra's code and shares the same save data and configuration format. Your old Citra saves migrate without any conversion.

Citra user data location (Windows):

• Save files: %APPDATA%\Citra\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\
• Save states: %APPDATA%\Citra\states\
• Configuration: %APPDATA%\Citra\config\
• Screenshots: %APPDATA%\Citra\screenshots\

Azahar data location (Windows):

• Save files: %APPDATA%\azahar-emu\azahar\sdmc\Nintendo 3DS\

Migration steps:

1. In Azahar, open File → Open Azahar Folder to find the exact path.
2. Copy the Nintendo 3DS folder from your Citra sdmc into Azahar's sdmc folder.
3. Copy any save state files (*.sav, *.sta) into the equivalent Azahar states folder.
4. Your game saves will now appear when you launch games in Azahar.

Citra configuration files are mostly compatible but some settings may need to be re-checked due to UI changes — it is faster to reconfigure display and controller settings from scratch in Azahar rather than copying the whole config file.

3DS emulation is demanding because the 3DS had two screens running simultaneously. If games run below full speed, try these settings:

Graphics settings (Emulation → Configure → Graphics):

• Enable Hardware Renderer (Vulkan or OpenGL). Software rendering is far slower.
• Set Resolution Factor to 1× first to establish baseline performance. Increase to 2× or 3× only when the game runs full speed at 1×.
• Enable Disk Shader Cache to reduce first-load shader compilation stutter.

CPU settings:

• If your CPU is older (pre-2018), enable CPU JIT (it should be on by default). Disable Accurate Multiplication in CPU settings if a specific game allows it — this gives a speed boost at the cost of minor inaccuracy in a few games.

Games that are inherently heavy: Pokémon X/Y, Smash Bros 3DS, and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate are known to run below full speed even on modern hardware. Check the Azahar compatibility list (GitHub → Compatibility) for per-game notes before troubleshooting hardware.

3DS software comes in two ROM formats: .3ds (cartridge dumps, often called decrypted CCI) and .cia (eShop / installed software). Azahar handles both, but .cia files must be installed rather than launched directly.

Installing a CIA file:

1. In Azahar, go to File → Install CIA…
2. Browse to your .cia file and select it.
3. Azahar installs it to the virtual SD card. The game then appears in the game list under the Installed tab.

Encrypted vs decrypted ROMs: Some .3ds dumps are still encrypted with 3DS XORpad encryption. Azahar with aes_keys.txt handles these automatically. If a ROM gives an "Invalid or missing encryption key" error, your aes_keys.txt is missing or incomplete — it must be dumped from your own 3DS using Godmode9.

DLC and updates: Install DLC and game update CIA files the same way as the base game. Install the base game first, then DLC, then the update. The update version number appears in the game list after installation.