Getting started¶
Some retro consoles need firmware files (commonly called BIOS) to run games. Without them, the emulator either refuses to start the game or runs it with reduced accuracy. This project collects and verifies those files so they are ready to use.
Quick install¶
The installer detects the platform, finds the BIOS folder, downloads what is missing, and copies keys to standalone emulators (Yuzu, Eden, Ryujinx, DuckStation, PCSX2, Dolphin, etc.) when they are present on the system.
Linux / Mac / Steam Deck:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.sh | sh
Windows (PowerShell):
iwr -useb https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Abdess/retrobios/main/install.ps1 | iex
Nothing else needed. The installer handles everything.
Manual download¶
Pick the pack that matches the setup from the releases page, download it, and extract the files into the BIOS folder listed below. After extraction, launch a game. If it needed BIOS, it will find it.
Steam Deck¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| EmuDeck | Installs and configures multiple emulators, adds each game to the Steam library | EmuDeck | ~/Emulation/bios/ |
| RetroDECK | Single Flatpak app, all emulators bundled, one-click install from Discover | RetroDECK | ~/retrodeck/ |
| RetroArch standalone | Installed from Discover, Steam, or Flatpak | RetroArch | Open RetroArch > Settings > Directory > System, that is the folder |
Windows¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| RetroArch | Multi-system emulator, loads different cores for each console | RetroArch | The system folder next to retroarch.exe |
| RetroBat | Windows frontend with EmulationStation, includes RetroArch and standalone emulators | RetroBat | The bios folder inside the RetroBat installation |
| BizHawk | Accuracy-focused multi-system emulator, popular for speedruns and TAS | BizHawk | The Firmware folder inside the BizHawk installation |
| LaunchBox | Game library manager and launcher, uses RetroArch or standalone emulators behind the scenes | RetroArch | Open RetroArch (via LaunchBox) > Settings > Directory > System |
Linux¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| RetroArch (native) | Installed via package manager or AppImage | RetroArch | ~/.config/retroarch/system/ |
| RetroArch (Flatpak) | Installed from Flathub | RetroArch | ~/.var/app/org.libretro.RetroArch/config/retroarch/system/ |
| Batocera | Bootable OS dedicated to gaming, runs from USB or full install, supports PC and SBC | Batocera | /userdata/bios/ |
| Recalbox | Bootable OS for retro gaming, streamlined interface, auto-configured | Recalbox | /recalbox/share/bios/ |
macOS¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| RetroArch | Multi-system emulator | RetroArch | ~/Library/Application Support/RetroArch/system/ |
Raspberry Pi and single-board computers¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| RetroPie | The classic Pi emulation setup, largest community, most online guides | RetroArch | ~/RetroPie/BIOS/ |
| Lakka | Lightweight RetroArch OS, minimal config, boots straight into the UI | RetroArch | /storage/system/ |
| Batocera | Easy setup, works on Pi 3/4/5 and many other boards (Odroid, etc.) | Batocera | /userdata/bios/ |
| Recalbox | Plug-and-play experience, good for a first build | Recalbox | /recalbox/share/bios/ |
Android handheld (Retroid Pocket, R36S, Miyoo, etc.)¶
Most Android handhelds run RetroArch. Download the RetroArch pack
and extract into RetroArch/system/ on internal storage or SD card.
Self-hosted ROM manager¶
| Setup | What it is | Pack | Extract to |
|---|---|---|---|
| RomM | Web-based ROM manager, plays games in the browser via EmulatorJS | RomM | The bios folder in the RomM library, one subfolder per system |
Full pack or Platform pack?¶
Each platform has two pack types on the releases page.
Full pack (recommended)
Contains the platform's own BIOS list plus all files needed by each emulator core available on that platform. This covers alternate cores, optional firmware that improves accuracy, and edge cases. Larger download, but everything works out of the box with any core.
Platform pack
Contains only the files the platform officially checks for. Much smaller download. Good for limited storage (SD cards, handhelds) or setups that only use default cores.
When in doubt, take the full pack.
After extraction¶
Launch a game. If it needed a BIOS file, the emulator will find it automatically. No configuration needed.
If a game still asks for a missing file, check the platforms section for the full file list, or the emulators section for what each core expects.