Yuzu Emulator: Download for PC, Android & Linux | Play Nintendo Switch Games Free

Download Yuzu Emulator for Windows PC, Android, and Linux. Play 4000+ Nintendo Switch games free. Get step-by-step install guide, system requirements, and full FAQ, all in one place.

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Yuzu Emulator

What is Yuzu Emulator?

Yuzu Emulator is a free, open-source Nintendo Switch emulator that runs on Windows PC, Android, and Linux. It lets you play Nintendo Switch games on your device without owning the original console. Yuzu supports over 4,000 Nintendo Switch titles.

Yuzu was built to give every player the freedom to enjoy their favorite Nintendo Switch games on any device. Whether you use a Windows PC, an Android phone, or a Linux system, Yuzu gives you a smooth and easy gaming experience. The emulator runs games in high quality and uses your device hardware to deliver the best performance possible.

Features

What Can You Do With Yuzu Emulator?

Yuzu Emulator gives you the power to play Nintendo Switch games directly on your PC, Android phone, or Linux device. You do not need any special hardware or a real Nintendo Switch console to get started. Here is what you can do with Yuzu Emulator:

Play 4,000+ Nintendo Switch Games

Yuzu supports a large library of Nintendo Switch titles. Games like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Odyssey, and Pokemon Sword and Shield all run on Yuzu.

Play Games in 4K Quality

Yuzu can show games in higher quality than the original Nintendo Switch console. You get sharper graphics and clearer visuals on your screen.

Save Your Game Progress Anytime

Yuzu has a save state feature. You can save your game at any point and load it again exactly where you left off.

Play With Your Friends Online

Yuzu supports multiplayer mode. You can play with friends using local wireless or online connection, just like on the real Switch.

Use Mods and Custom Textures

Yuzu lets you install game mods. You can add 60fps patches, HD texture packs, and other custom changes to make games look and feel better.

Use Any Controller

Yuzu works with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers. You can also set up your own custom button layout.

Download and Install

How to Download and Install Yuzu Emulator? (PC, Android, Linux)

Downloading Yuzu Emulator is completely free and takes only a few minutes. Pick your platform below Windows PC, Android, or Linux and follow the full step-by-step guide. Each guide covers download, setup, keys, firmware, and adding your games.

Install Windows

How to Install Yuzu Emulator on Windows PC?

Yuzu for Windows comes in two versions. The Stable version is tested and works great for everyday gaming. The Gold Early Access (EA) version has the newest features and updates but may have small bugs. Both versions are free to download.

Version	Description	Best For
Yuzu Stable (Windows .EXE)	Tested, reliable build for Windows PC	Most users — daily gaming
Yuzu Gold Early Access (Windows .EXE)	Latest features, updated frequently	Users who want the newest updates

Download Yuzu Stable Windows Download Yuzu GEA Windows

Yuzu Emulator runs best on Windows 10 or Windows 11. Your PC needs at least a mid-range processor and a dedicated graphics card for a smooth gaming experience.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Operating System	Windows 10 (64-bit)	Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
CPU	Intel Core i5 4th Gen / AMD Ryzen 3	Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 5 or higher
RAM	8 GB	16 GB or more
GPU	Nvidia GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580	Nvidia RTX 2060 / AMD RX 6700 or higher
Storage	30 GB free space	SSD with 50 GB free space
DirectX / Vulkan	Vulkan 1.1 or OpenGL 4.6	Vulkan 1.3 (for best performance)

Yuzu needs the Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 runtime to work on Windows. If you skip this step, Yuzu will not open. It is a free, official Microsoft package that takes less than 1 minute to install.

Go to the official Microsoft website and search for ‘Visual C++ 2022 Redistributable.’
Download the x64 version (for 64-bit Windows which is almost all modern PCs).
Run the downloaded installer and click Install.
When it finishes, restart your PC if it asks you to. This step is important.

Now download and run the Yuzu installer. The installer is a .EXE file. It will set up Yuzu on your PC automatically. You can choose Stable or Gold Early Access during the install.

Click the Download button above and save the Yuzu .EXE installer file to your PC.
Open the downloaded .EXE file. If Windows shows a security warning, click ‘Run Anyway.’
The installer will ask you to choose a version. Select Stable for regular use, or Early Access for the newest features.
Choose your installation folder and click Install. Wait for it to finish.
When the installation is done, click Launch Yuzu to open it for the first time.

When you open Yuzu for the first time, you need to set the graphics API to Vulkan. Vulkan gives you the best performance on both Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. OpenGL also works but is slower.

In Yuzu, click Emulation at the top menu bar.
Click Configure, then go to the Graphics tab.
Find the API setting and change it from OpenGL to Vulkan.
Click OK to save. Make sure your GPU drivers are up to date for the best results.

Tip: If you have an Intel GPU, try OpenGL first. Vulkan on Intel can sometimes cause display issues.

Yuzu needs two key files and firmware files to run games. These files are called prod.keys, title.keys, and firmware .NCA files. You must dump these from your own Nintendo Switch console. Without them, Yuzu will show a ‘Missing Keys’ error and games will not start.

Open Yuzu. Click File at the top menu, then click Open Yuzu Folder. This opens the Yuzu data folder on your PC.
Inside the Yuzu folder, find the folder named keys. Place your prod.keys and title.keys files into this folder. Also add key_retail.bin if you have it.
Go back to the Yuzu folder and find the path: nand > system > Contents > registered. Copy all your dumped firmware .NCA files into this registered folder.
Close Yuzu completely and reopen it. If the setup is correct, the ‘Missing Keys’ warning at the bottom will be gone.

Important: You must dump keys and firmware from a Nintendo Switch that you legally own. Do not download keys or firmware from the internet, this is against Nintendo’s rules.

Yuzu supports Nintendo Switch game files in .XCI and .NSP formats. You need to dump your own game cartridges or digital games using a homebrew tool on your Nintendo Switch. Once you have the game files, adding them to Yuzu takes less than one minute.

Create a folder on your PC where you will keep all your Switch game files. For example: C:\SwitchGames.
Place all your .XCI or .NSP game files into that folder. If a game file is split into multiple parts, merge them before adding.
In Yuzu, double-click anywhere inside the game list area. A folder picker will open.
Select your SwitchGames folder. Yuzu will scan it and show all your games in the list.
To install game updates or DLC, click File > Install Files to NAND and select the update .NSP file.
Double-click any game in the list to start playing.

These tweaks help Yuzu run games more smoothly. They are optional but strongly recommended, especially if your PC has 8 GB RAM or if games feel slow or stuttery.

Set your Windows Pagefile (virtual memory) to a fixed size. Open System Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory. Uncheck ‘Automatically manage’ and set a fixed size.
If your PC has 8 GB RAM: set both Minimum and Maximum to 15,000 MB.
If your PC has 16 GB RAM: set both Minimum and Maximum to 10,000 MB.
For AMD or Nvidia GPU users: In Yuzu, go to Emulation > Configure > Graphics > Advanced and enable Force Maximum Clocks. This pushes your GPU to full speed for better frame rates.
In the same Graphics > Advanced menu, enable Async Shader Compilation. This reduces stuttering when a game loads new visual effects for the first time.

Install Linux

How to Install Yuzu Emulator on Linux?

Yuzu for Linux is available as an AppImage file. An AppImage is a self-contained application that works on almost every Linux distribution: Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch Linux, Debian, and more, without any complicated setup. You just download, make it executable, and run it.

Download For Linux

Yuzu Emulator runs on most popular Linux distributions including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux. Make sure your Linux system has updated GPU drivers for the best results.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Distribution	Ubuntu 20.04 / Fedora 35+	Ubuntu 22.04 / Arch Linux (latest)
CPU	Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 3	Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 5+
RAM	8 GB	16 GB or more
GPU	Vulkan 1.1 support required	Vulkan 1.3 (Nvidia/AMD recommended)
Storage	30 GB free space	SSD with 50 GB free space

After downloading the Yuzu AppImage file, you need to give it permission to run on your Linux system. This is a one-time step done through the terminal or through your file manager. It takes less than 30 seconds.

Click the Download button above and save the Yuzu .AppImage file to your Downloads folder (or any folder you prefer).
Open your Terminal application.
Type this command and press Enter: chmod +x ~/Downloads/yuzu.AppImage
This command gives the file permission to run as a program. You only need to do this once.

Alternative (no terminal): Right-click the AppImage file > Properties > Permissions tab > check ‘Allow executing file as program.’ Then double-click to run.

Yuzu on Linux needs up-to-date GPU drivers that support Vulkan 1.1 or higher. Most modern Linux systems already have these drivers, but it is worth checking. Out-of-date drivers are the most common reason Yuzu runs slowly or crashes on Linux.

For Nvidia GPUs: Install the latest proprietary Nvidia driver. On Ubuntu, open Software & Updates > Additional Drivers and select the recommended Nvidia driver.
For AMD GPUs: AMD open-source drivers (AMDGPU) are built into the Linux kernel. Just run: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade (Ubuntu/Debian) to make sure everything is current.
For Intel GPUs: Intel drivers are also built into the kernel. Update your system with: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade.
To check if Vulkan is working, install vulkan-tools and run: vulkaninfo in the terminal. You should see your GPU listed.

Tip: On Arch Linux, install mesa and vulkan-radeon (AMD) or vulkan-intel (Intel) or nvidia packages from the official repositories for best results.

Once your drivers are ready, running Yuzu on Linux is very easy. You can launch it from the terminal or directly from your file manager by double-clicking the AppImage.

Double-click the Yuzu AppImage file in your file manager to open it.
OR open the terminal and type: ./yuzu.AppImage and press Enter.
Yuzu will open. On the first launch, it will create a yuzu config folder in your home directory at: ~/.local/share/yuzu/
In Yuzu, go to Emulation > Configure > Graphics and set the API to Vulkan for best performance.

Yuzu on Linux needs the same key files and firmware as on Windows. The folder structure is slightly different on Linux but the process is the same. You must dump these files from your own Nintendo Switch.

Open your file manager and navigate to your home folder. Enable ‘Show Hidden Files’ (press Ctrl+H in most file managers).
Go to this path: ~/.local/share/yuzu/keys/
Place your prod.keys and title.keys files inside the keys folder.
Now go to: ~/.local/share/yuzu/nand/system/Contents/registered/
Copy all your firmware .NCA files into the registered folder.
Close and reopen Yuzu. The missing keys warning should now be gone.

Quick terminal shortcut: You can also run these commands to create the folders: mkdir -p ~/.local/share/yuzu/keys && mkdir -p ~/.local/share/yuzu/nand/system/Contents/registered

Adding games to Yuzu on Linux works the same way as on Windows. Create a folder for your Switch game files, then point Yuzu to that folder. Yuzu will show all your games in the library view.

Create a folder for your Nintendo Switch games. For example: mkdir ~/SwitchGames
Copy your .XCI or .NSP game files into the SwitchGames folder.
Open Yuzu. Double-click inside the empty game list area. A folder picker will open.
Navigate to your SwitchGames folder and click Select Folder. Yuzu will scan it and display your games.
To install game updates or DLC: click File > Install Files to NAND and select your update .NSP file.
Double-click any game in the Yuzu list to start playing.

Install Android

How to Install Yuzu Emulator on Android?

Yuzu for Android is available as an APK file, a direct installation file for Android phones and tablets. You do not need the Google Play Store. The Stable APK is best for most users. The Early Access APK has the latest features and is updated more often.

Version	Description	Best For
Yuzu APK (Stable)	Tested, reliable build for Android	Most Android users, daily gaming
Yuzu Early Access APK	Latest features for Android	Users who want newest updates first

Download Yuzu APK (Stable) Download Yuzu Early Access APK

Yuzu Emulator works on Android phones and tablets. Your Android device needs Android 9.0 or higher. A powerful processor makes a big difference in game performance on Android.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Android Version	Android 9.0	Android 11 or higher
Processor	Snapdragon 835 / Dimensity 900	Snapdragon 888 / Dimensity 9000+
RAM	6 GB	8 GB or more
Storage	4 GB free space	8 GB or more
GPU	Adreno 540 / Mali-G77	Adreno 730 / Mali-G710 or higher

By default, Android only allows apps to be installed from the Google Play Store. To install the Yuzu APK, you need to allow your phone to install apps from other sources. This setting is safe to turn on and you can turn it off again after installation.

On your Android phone, open the Settings app.
Go to Security (or Privacy on some phones, or Apps > Special App Access on others).
Find the option called ‘Install Unknown Apps’ or ‘Install from Unknown Sources.’
Tap on your web browser app (like Chrome) and turn on ‘Allow from this source.’

Note: On newer Android versions (Android 12+), you may see this permission request automatically when you tap the downloaded APK. Just tap Allow when it appears.

Now you can download and install the Yuzu APK file. The APK file is around 100-150 MB. Make sure you have a stable internet connection before you start the download.

Tap the Download APK button above on your Android phone.
Wait for the APK file to fully download. You will see it in your notification bar or in your Downloads folder.
Tap the downloaded APK file to open it.
Tap Install on the screen that appears. Android will install Yuzu in a few seconds.
When installation is complete, tap Open to launch Yuzu for the first time.

Just like on PC, Yuzu on Android also needs your prod.keys and title.keys files to run games. You also need firmware files. Without them, games will not load. Transfer these files from your PC to your Android phone using a USB cable or cloud storage.

Connect your Android phone to your PC using a USB cable. On your phone, select ‘File Transfer’ mode.
On your PC, open the phone storage and go to: Internal Storage > yuzu > keys.
Copy your prod.keys and title.keys files into the keys folder.
Now go to: Internal Storage > yuzu > nand > system > Contents > registered.
Copy all your firmware .NCA files into the registered folder.
Disconnect the USB cable and open Yuzu on your Android phone. The missing keys error should now be gone.

Tip: If you cannot find the yuzu folder, open Yuzu on your phone first and let it create the folder structure. Then close the app and transfer the files.

Adding games on Android is very simple. You just point Yuzu to the folder where your game files are stored. For the best graphics performance on Android, use the Vulkan API and the correct GPU driver for your phone’s chip.

Copy your .XCI or .NSP game files to a folder on your Android phone. For example, create a folder called SwitchGames in your Internal Storage.
Open Yuzu on Android. Tap the folder icon or tap Add Games Directory.
Find and select your SwitchGames folder. Yuzu will scan it and show your games.
For graphics settings, tap the three-dot menu or Settings icon in Yuzu. Go to Graphics and set API to Vulkan for the best performance.
If your phone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, also install the recommended Adreno GPU driver from the Yuzu settings for even better performance.
Tap any game in the list to start playing.

Nintendo Switch Games

Which Nintendo Switch Games Work on Yuzu Emulator?

Yuzu Emulator supports over 4,000 Nintendo Switch games. Most popular titles run very well on Yuzu with smooth performance and no major issues. Below is a list of the most popular games that work on Yuzu Emulator.

Game Title	Compatibility	Performance
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild	Excellent	Runs at 60fps with mods
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom	Excellent	Runs well at 4K
Super Mario Odyssey	Excellent	Very stable, 60fps
Pokemon Sword and Shield	Excellent	Smooth gameplay
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	Excellent	Online multiplayer works
Animal Crossing: New Horizons	Good	Minor graphical glitches
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	Good	Playable, some slowdowns
Xenoblade Chronicles 3	Good	Runs well on mid-range PC
Fire Emblem: Three Houses	Excellent	Stable performance
Metroid Dread	Good	Runs at stable 30fps

Yuzu Emulator gets regular updates. New games are added to the compatibility list every month. You can check the full game list on the Yuzu compatibility database for the latest information.

Legal and Safe

Is Yuzu Emulator Legal and Safe to Use?

Yes, using Yuzu Emulator is legal. Emulation software itself is legal in most countries. Yuzu is an open-source project and does not contain any Nintendo code. However, there are important rules you must follow to stay within the law.

In early 2024, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against the original Yuzu developers. The case ended with the original team agreeing to shut down official development. However, because Yuzu is open-source, the code and builds are still available in the community and continue to be updated by developers worldwide.

Action	Legal Status
Downloading and using Yuzu Emulator	Legal
Playing games you legally own on Switch	Legal
Downloading Yuzu APK or AppImage	Legal
Downloading pirated Nintendo Switch games (ROMs)	Illegal
Sharing or distributing copyrighted game files	Illegal
Using game keys or firmware you did not dump yourself	Illegal

This website is not affiliated with the original Yuzu developers or with Nintendo. We only provide information and links to community builds that are publicly available. Always use Yuzu with game files that you legally own.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQS About Yuzu Emulator

Is Yuzu Emulator free to download?

Yes, Yuzu Emulator is completely free to download and use. It is an open-source project licensed under the GPL license. You do not need to pay anything to download or run Yuzu on your PC, Android, or Linux device.

Do I need a real Nintendo Switch to use Yuzu?

No, you do not need a Nintendo Switch console to run Yuzu Emulator. However, you do need Nintendo Switch game files (.XCI or .NSP format) and firmware files. According to Nintendo’s terms, you should only use game files that you have legally purchased.

Can Yuzu run on a low-end PC?

Yuzu can run on a low-end PC, but performance will be limited. For smooth gameplay at 30fps or higher, your PC needs at least an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, and a dedicated graphics card with Vulkan support. Very low-end PCs may experience lag or slow frame rates.

Is Yuzu Emulator safe? Does it contain viruses?

Yes, Yuzu Emulator is safe to download from trusted sources. Because Yuzu is open-source, its code is fully visible to the public and has been reviewed by thousands of developers. Always download Yuzu from official or well-known community links to avoid fake versions that may contain malware.

What happened to Yuzu Emulator? Why was it shut down?

In March 2024, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against the original Yuzu development team. The lawsuit ended with the original developers agreeing to stop development and shut down the official Yuzu website. However, Yuzu is open-source, so community developers have continued the project. Builds of Yuzu are still available and actively maintained by the community.

What is the best alternative to Yuzu Emulator?

The best alternatives to Yuzu Emulator are Ryujinx, Suyu, and Citron. Ryujinx is the most popular alternative and has very good game compatibility. Suyu is a direct fork of Yuzu and works in a very similar way. Citron is a newer option that is actively developed by the community.