Azahar connects to Playnite through a plugin that imports your game library and lets you launch games from Playnite's interface instead of switching between apps

Azahar is a game launcher for retro and emulated games — it organizes ROMs and emulators in one place. Playnite is a universal game launcher that pulls games from multiple sources (Steam, Epic, GOG, emulators, and more) into a single library. To connect them, you install the Azahar plugin for Playnite, which reads your Azahar library and displays those games inside Playnite so you can launch them without opening Azahar separately.

The process takes about 10 minutes and requires Playnite to be installed first, plus an existing Azahar setup with games already added. If you haven't set up Azahar yet, do that before attempting the connection.

Key Takeaways

  • You need both Playnite and Azahar installed and working before you can connect them.
  • The Azahar plugin for Playnite is installed through Playnite's built-in plugin browser, not downloaded separately.
  • After installing the plugin, you configure it to point to your Azahar installation folder so Playnite can read your game library.
  • Once connected, your Azahar games appear in Playnite's library and can be launched directly from Playnite.

Install the Azahar plugin through Playnite's plugin menu

Open Playnite and go to Settings (the gear icon in the top right). Select Plugins from the left sidebar. In the Plugins window, look for the search bar at the top and type "Azahar". The Azahar plugin should appear in the list below.

Click on the Azahar plugin entry and select the Install button. Playnite will download and install the plugin automatically. Once installation finishes, you may see a prompt to restart Playnite — do so to activate the plugin.

If the Azahar plugin does not appear in the search results, make sure you are running the latest version of Playnite. Older versions may not have access to all plugins. Check Settings > About to see your current version, and update Playnite from its official website if needed.

Configure the plugin to point to your Azahar folder

After restarting Playnite, go back to Settings > Plugins. Find the Azahar plugin in the list and click on it to open its settings. You will see a field asking for the Azahar installation path or Azahar folder location.

Click the folder icon next to this field and navigate to where Azahar is installed on your computer. On Windows, this is typically C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Azahar or wherever you chose to install it. On Linux or Mac, check your home directory or the location you specified during Azahar setup. Select the Azahar folder and confirm.

Some versions of the plugin may also ask you to specify where your ROM files are stored separately. If you see this option, point it to the folder where your game ROMs are located. Save the settings and close the Plugins window.

Refresh your library and verify the connection

Return to Playnite's main library view. Go to Library in the top menu and select Refresh Library (or press F5). Playnite will scan your Azahar installation and import any games it finds. This may take a minute or two depending on how many games you have.

Once the refresh completes, your Azahar games should appear in Playnite's library. You can filter by platform or search by game name to find them. Click on any Azahar game and select Play to launch it — Playnite will use Azahar's emulator configuration to run the game.

If your games do not appear, double-check that the folder path you entered in the plugin settings is correct. A common mistake is pointing to the wrong location or selecting a subfolder instead of the main Azahar directory. Go back to Settings > Plugins, verify the path, and run Refresh Library again.

Troubleshoot if games don't appear or won't launch

If Azahar games are not showing up in Playnite after refresh, first confirm that Azahar itself is working — open Azahar directly and verify that your games load and display correctly there. If they do not, the problem is with Azahar, not the plugin connection.

If Azahar works but Playnite still does not see the games, check the plugin settings again. The most common issue is an incorrect folder path. Some users accidentally point to a subfolder like "Games" or "ROMs" instead of the main Azahar installation directory. The path should be the top-level Azahar folder that contains the program files and configuration.

If games appear in Playnite but fail to launch, the issue is usually that Playnite cannot find the emulator or ROM files that Azahar is configured to use. Open Azahar directly and confirm that games launch from there. If they do, the problem may be that Playnite is using a different emulator path than Azahar. In this case, you may need to configure the emulator paths in Playnite's settings separately, or use Azahar's built-in launcher instead of Playnite for those games.

Update the plugin when Playnite updates

Playnite and its plugins receive updates periodically. When you update Playnite to a new version, check the Plugins menu to see if the Azahar plugin has an update available. If it does, install the update to maintain compatibility.

If the Azahar plugin stops working after a Playnite update, try uninstalling and reinstalling the plugin. Go to Settings > Plugins, find Azahar, and click Uninstall. Then search for and install it again. This usually resolves compatibility issues without affecting your game library or settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to have Azahar running for Playnite to launch the games?

No. Once the plugin is configured, Playnite reads your Azahar library and uses Azahar's emulator settings to launch games directly. You do not need to open Azahar itself. Playnite handles the launch process.

Can I use both Azahar and Playnite to launch the same games?

Yes. Both applications can read the same game library and emulator configuration. You can launch games from either Azahar or Playnite — they will use the same settings and files. Launching from one does not affect the other.

What if the plugin doesn't show up in Playnite's plugin list?

The plugin may not be available for your version of Playnite. Update Playnite to the latest version from its official website, then search for the plugin again. If it still does not appear, the plugin may not be compatible with your operating system (check whether you are using the Portable or Installed version of Playnite, as some plugins work with only one).

Will connecting Azahar to Playnite slow down my computer?

No. The plugin simply reads your Azahar library and passes launch commands to the emulator. It does not run in the background or consume resources when you are not using it. Performance impact is negligible.

Can I customize how Azahar games appear in Playnite?

Yes. Once imported, you can edit game titles, add cover art, change categories, and organize them like any other game in Playnite. These changes exist only in Playnite and do not affect your Azahar library. If you re-import or refresh the library, custom edits in Playnite may be overwritten.