Telemetry

Citra is an open-source emulator, and like any open project, all issues and bugs are visible to the community. However, most fixes come from a small group of dedicated developers. Since user reports are scattered across Discord, Reddit, forums, and many other places, it can be hard for the team to decide which problems to fix first.

To solve this, Citra introduced a Telemetry system, a tool that helps developers understand how Citra is being used and where the biggest issues happen.

The goal is simple: to improve performance, fix real user problems faster, understand which games matter most to the community, and make Citra more stable for everyone. Moreover, Citra’s team designed this system with privacy as the top priority.

What Telemetry Collects

The telemetry framework sends helpful, non-personal data to Citra’s servers. This includes:

  • The Citra version you are using
  • Performance data from the games you play
  • Your Citra settings and configuration
  • Information about your CPU, GPU, and operating system
  • Error logs and crash reports
  • Anonymous usage statistics

This data helps developers understand

  • Which games are most popular
  • Which hardware setups have the most issues
  • Where crashes happen most often
  • How new updates affect performance

Your Privacy Is Fully Protected

Citra takes privacy very seriously. Telemetry is anonymous unless you choose to log in. Citra generates a random Telemetry ID when you install the emulator. This ID replaces your IP address, ensuring:

  • No personal information is collected
  • No one can track your identity
  • Your data is used only to improve Citra

You can reset this ID anytime using the “Regenerate” button. When you reset it, a completely new random ID is created.

Opt-Out Anytime

If you’re not comfortable sharing telemetry data, you can easily turn it off. Citra provides a simple opt-out option in the settings. However, the development team encourages users to keep it enabled because accurate data helps improve Citra faster and more efficiently.

Why Telemetry Matters

Telemetry gives Citra’s developers real insight into how thousands of users experience the emulator. Without this data, they would have to rely on scattered comments, inconsistent bug reports, or guessing.

With accurate telemetry, developers can:

  • Prioritize fixes for the most common crashes
  • Improve performance on popular hardware
  • Focus on the games users play most
  • Detect issues before users report them

The more accurate the data, the better Citra becomes.

Conclusion

Telemetry is a powerful tool that helps the Citra team create a faster, more stable, and more user-focused emulator. It collects anonymous, non-personal data that directly improves gameplay quality for the entire community. While you can opt out anytime, keeping telemetry enabled ensures that Citra continues to evolve and deliver the best Nintendo 3DS gaming experience possible.