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(Exact required set can vary by Citra version and which titles/firmware you run; the above are the common ones.)
To get your emulator running with encrypted 3DS games as of April 2026, you need a properly formatted aes_keys.txt
slot0x2CKeyX = 00000000000000000000000000000000 slot0x25KeyX = 00000000000000000000000000000000 slot0x18KeyX = 00000000000000000000000000000000 slot0x1BKeyX = 00000000000000000000000000000000 Use code with caution.
Shared keys used to decrypt system software updates and general application containers.
The legal and safest method to obtain updated AES keys is to dump them directly from your own hacked Nintendo 3DS console using custom firmware (CFW). Prerequisites
Technically, the AES keys for the 3DS have not changed in years. The 3DS hardware is static, and thus the keys are static.
If you are setting up your emulator for the first time, let me know:
The aes_keys.txt file is a plain text document containing hexadecimal strings. These strings represent the cryptographic keys used by the 3DS operating system. The file typically includes:
If you use frontend launchers like RetroDECK or EmuDeck on portable devices, the default directory paths are occasionally redirected. Always double-check your standalone emulator data folders to ensure your global configurations are not being overridden by frontend directories.