Azahar is a free, open-source Nintendo 3DS emulator that lets you play your 3DS game library on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. It was created by merging PabloMK7’s Citra fork with the Lime3DS project — both of which emerged after Citra was discontinued — with the goal of becoming the definitive platform for future 3DS emulation development.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/azahar-emu/azahar/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
What is Azahar?
Azahar emulates the Nintendo 3DS hardware in software, letting you run 3DS titles at full speed on modern devices without the original console. It inherits Citra’s strong compatibility foundation and combines improvements from two of its most active successor projects. The project is developed in the open at github.com/azahar-emu/azahar under the GPLv2 license.Supported platforms
Azahar runs on four platforms:| Platform | Versions supported |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 (64-bit) and later |
| macOS | macOS 13.4 (Ventura) and later |
| Linux | Modern 64-bit distributions |
| Android | Android 10.0 (64-bit) and later |
Key features
- OpenGL and Vulkan rendering — choose the graphics backend that best fits your GPU
- Online multiplayer — play with friends using Azahar’s built-in room system
- Cheat codes — apply Gateway-format cheat codes to modify game behavior
- Custom textures — load high-resolution texture packs created by the community
- Save states — save and restore your progress at any point during gameplay
- Stereoscopic 3D — experience games in 3D on supported displays
Minimum requirements
Desktop
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit), macOS 13.4 (Ventura), or modern 64-bit Linux |
| CPU | x86-64 or ARM64 (Windows for ARM not supported); Passmark single-core score above 1,800; SSE4.2 required on x86-64 |
| GPU | OpenGL 4.3 or Vulkan 1.1 support |
| RAM | 2 GB (4 GB recommended) |
Android
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 10.0 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Snapdragon 835 SoC or better |
| GPU | OpenGL ES 3.2 or Vulkan 1.1 support |
| RAM | 2 GB (4 GB recommended) |
Get involved
The Azahar project welcomes contributions across several areas:- Code — open a feature request issue before writing code for new features, then submit a pull request
- Translations — contribute to supported languages on Transifex
- Compatibility reports — help document which games work and how well by following the compatibility list contribution guide
Next steps
Install Azahar
Download and install Azahar on your platform.
Quick start guide
Set up your game library and play your first 3DS game.