Citra Download: Every Build for Windows, Mac, Android and Linux

Download Citra for your platform

Choose your system below. Each file is hosted here, so you do not get sent to a random reupload site.

• Windows. Unzip the folder and run the app. Full steps are in our Windows setup guide.
• Mac. Move it to Applications and allow it once. Full steps are in our Mac setup guide.
• Android. Install the app file. Full steps are in our Android setup guide.
• Linux. Use the AppImage or the Flatpak. Full steps are in our Linux setup guide.

Which Citra download should you get?

There are two versions on this page. Here is the quick call:

• The final Citra build. The exact last official release. It works, but it never gets updates.
• Azahar. The maintained continuation of Citra’s own code. It still gets fixes and new features.

For most people, Azahar is the better download. Pick the final Citra build only if you want the exact last official version. If you are not sure why there are two, read is Citra still working, or compare them on our Citra vs Azahar page.

The last official Citra build

This is the final release the Citra team put out before the project closed. Nothing was added or changed after it. We re-host it exactly as it was, so you get the real thing, not a tampered copy.

It still installs and plays 3DS games on Windows, Mac, Android and Linux. It just does not receive any more updates. Every file here credits the original Citra team and keeps its open-source license.

Azahar: the maintained version

Azahar is the same Citra code, carried forward and still worked on. It looks the same and opens the same games. The difference is that it keeps getting fixes, speed work and new features.

Azahar downloads here come straight from the project’s own releases, refreshed often, and each file credits the Azahar project and its license. If you want an emulator that keeps improving, this is the one to pick.

How to check your download is safe

A checksum is a short code that proves a file was not changed. We show the SHA-256 value for every download. After you download a file, create its code on your device and compare it to ours. If they match, the file is genuine.

On Windows, open Command Prompt in the download folder and run this, using your file name:

certutil -hashfile <file> SHA256

On Mac or Linux, open a terminal in the download folder and run this, using your file name:

shasum -a 256 <file>

Compare the result to the value shown on the download card. A match means the file is clean and safe to use.

What you need before you play

Citra needs your own 3DS games. We do not host or link game files, and you should not download them from other sites. You dump your own games from a console you own.

Our guide explains how to get games the legal way, step by step. Once your files are ready, load them in Citra and start playing.

Is Citra safe and legal to download?

The emulator is both safe and legal. Citra holds no Nintendo code, so the program itself breaks no rules. The only real risk is fake copies from reupload sites, which is exactly why we host verified files with checksums.

Using your own dumped games is legal. Downloading games you do not own is not. Stick to your own copies and you stay on the right side of the line.

Frequently asked questions