shortcut3ds GitHub

Your homebrew and GBA games,
right on the HOME Menu

Drop a .3dsx app or a GBA ROM, get a .cia to install with FBI. It all runs in this tab; your files never leave your device.

Converter

Install it on your 3DS

  1. Copy the .cia to your SD card, for example into /cia.
  2. Open FBI, go to SD, find the file and choose Install.
  3. Open the new icon on the HOME Menu.

Questions

What do I need on the console?

Custom firmware with Luma3DS, and FBI to install the file. Shortcut mode also needs the Homebrew Launcher Loader title 000400000D921E00; install hblauncher_loader.cia once. For GBA games, native icons include mGBA; a GBA shortcut needs mgba.3dsx in /3ds/mgba/ on the card.

Native or shortcut?

Native opens straight into the app and returns to its own icon when you close it. A shortcut is tiny and always starts the newest version of the app on your card, but it passes through the Homebrew Launcher Loader.

Are my files uploaded?

No. The converter is Python and WebAssembly running in this tab. Nothing is sent anywhere; the page only downloads its own code.

Why is there a homebrew logo when the app starts?

The HOME Menu refuses to open a title without a start logo, so every CIA carries the standard homebrew logo.

How do I remove an icon?

Delete it in System Settings, Data Management. The app and its saves on the SD card stay.

Can I use this on a computer instead?

Yes. The command line tool does the same on macOS and Linux.