Getting games into Ryujinx

Ryujinx reads game files from a folder on your computer that you point it to. You add games by putting the game files in that folder, then telling Ryujinx where to find them. The process takes about five minutes once you have the game files in place.

Ryujinx accepts games in two formats: XCI files (which are complete game cartridges) and NSP files (which are installation packages). Both work the same way from your perspective — you drop them in a folder and Ryujinx finds them automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a dedicated folder on your computer where you will store all your game files, then point Ryujinx to that folder in settings.
  • Ryujinx automatically scans the folder you designate and displays any XCI or NSP files it finds without requiring you to import them one by one.
  • After adding a game folder, you may need to restart Ryujinx or click a refresh button to see newly added games appear in the library.
  • Game files must be in XCI or NSP format — other formats like ISO or ROM files will not appear in Ryujinx even if they are in the folder.

Create a games folder on your computer

Start by making a new folder somewhere easy to find. On Windows, right-click on your Desktop or inside a folder like Documents, select New, then Folder. Name it something clear like "Ryujinx Games" or "Switch Games". On Mac, open Finder, go to the location where you want the folder, click File, then New Folder.

The location does not matter much — Desktop, Documents, or even a separate drive all work fine. What matters is that you can find the path to it later. If you are using an external drive, make sure it stays connected whenever you want to play.

Add the game folder to Ryujinx settings

Open Ryujinx and look for the menu at the top. Click File (on Windows) or the Ryujinx menu (on Mac), then select Settings or Preferences. Look for an option called Game Directories or Library Paths — the exact name varies slightly between versions.

Click the button to add a new directory. A file browser window will open. Navigate to the folder you just created and select it. Ryujinx will now remember this location. Click OK or Apply to save the change.

If Ryujinx does not show a Game Directories option, check under a section called File or Library instead. Different versions organize this slightly differently, but the setting is always there.

Move or copy game files into the folder

Take your XCI or NSP game files and move them into the folder you created. You can drag and drop them, cut and paste them, or use your file manager however you normally move files around. If the files are on an external drive or another computer, copy them over — moving them might disconnect them if the drive gets unplugged.

Make sure the files themselves are XCI or NSP format, not inside a ZIP or RAR archive. If your game files are compressed, extract them first using software like 7-Zip (Windows) or The Unarchiver (Mac), then move the extracted XCI or NSP files into your Ryujinx Games folder.

Refresh the game library

Go back to Ryujinx and look at the main window. You should see your games listed in the library. If you do not see them right away, try closing and reopening Ryujinx completely. Some versions have a Refresh button in the File menu — click that if you see it.

If games still do not appear, double-check that the files are actually XCI or NSP format by looking at the file extension (the letters after the dot at the end of the filename). If a file ends in .zip or .rar, it is still compressed and needs to be extracted first.

Organize multiple game folders if needed

You can add more than one game folder to Ryujinx if you want to split your games across different locations. For example, you might keep action games in one folder and RPGs in another, or keep games on your main drive and DLC on an external drive.

Go back to Settings, find Game Directories again, and click Add another time. Select a different folder. Ryujinx will scan all of them and show every game in one combined library. You can add as many folders as you want — Ryujinx will search all of them every time it starts.

Troubleshooting games that do not appear

The most common reason a game does not show up is that the file is not actually XCI or NSP format. Check the file extension by right-clicking the file, selecting Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac), and looking at the full filename. If it ends in anything other than .xci or .nsp, it needs to be converted or extracted first.

The second most common issue is that Ryujinx is not looking in the right folder. Go back to Settings and verify that the path shown matches the folder where you put your games. If you moved the folder after adding it to Ryujinx, you will need to update the path in settings to point to the new location.

If a game file is corrupted or incomplete, Ryujinx may refuse to display it. Try moving the file out of the folder temporarily, restarting Ryujinx, and then moving it back. If it still does not appear, the file itself may be damaged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add games from an external USB drive?

Yes. Create your games folder on the external drive, then add that drive's path to Ryujinx settings. The drive must be connected whenever you want to play. If you unplug it, Ryujinx will not find the games until you plug it back in.

Do I need to extract NSP files before adding them?

No. NSP files work exactly like XCI files — drop them in the folder and Ryujinx reads them directly. Do not extract them unless they are inside a ZIP or RAR archive, in which case extract the archive first to get the NSP file out.

What if I have games in different folders on my computer?

Add each folder separately in Ryujinx settings. Click Add multiple times and select each folder. Ryujinx will scan all of them and show every game in one library, so you do not have to move files around.

Will Ryujinx find games if I add them to the folder after it starts?

Usually not until you restart Ryujinx or click Refresh in the File menu. Some versions scan automatically after a few seconds, but restarting guarantees the new games will appear.

Can I rename game files after adding them to Ryujinx?

Yes. Ryujinx reads the file itself, not just the filename, so renaming a file will not break anything. The game will still work and Ryujinx will still find it.