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How to Emulate Switch Games for Android ~ Legally

Nintendo Switch Emulation Guide (Legal & Safe Setup Tutorial)

How to Emulate Switch Games for Android ~ Legally
▼ Legal Notice

This guide discusses emulation software and general configuration. It does not condone piracy. Do not download or distribute copyrighted firmware, encryption keys, or game files from unauthorized sources. The only lawful way to use copyrighted system files or game images is to create them yourself from hardware or media you personally own (e.g., dump your own cartridge or your legally purchased eShop content) or to obtain content from an authorized distributor. Do not link to or repost keys, firmware, or ROMs obtained from third parties.

Table of Contents

  1. 1. Your Emulator
  2. 2. Switch Firmware and Keys
  3. 3. Games
  4. 4. Setting Up the Emulator
  5. 5. Installing Updates and DLC
  6. 6. Ready to Play!
  7. 7. Settings and Tweaks

1. Your Emulator

Currently Eden is the best one since it's open-source and actively being worked on. It’s a good idea to also have a backup one in case a game might run better—or even run at all—in another. Having either Citron or Sudachi at the same time is good.

2. Switch Firmware and Keys

Eden currently supports up to version 19.0.1. Emulators typically require the console firmware and a prod.keys file that matches the firmware version you are running. The lawful approach is to dump the firmware and keys from your own Switch hardware or obtain them via authorized channels.

▼ How to Legally Obtain Your Own 19.0.1 Firmware and prod.keys

To stay compliant, you must extract the firmware and product keys directly from your own Nintendo Switch console. These files are unique to your system and required for emulator compatibility.

A variety of tools and community guides can assist you with this process. Since steps can vary by model, We can leverage Google for your specific system. You'll want to make sure your antivirus is turned on and you're running an ad blocker, search Google for:

"Nintendo Switch 19.0.1 firmware and prod.keys dumping "

Ensure you only follow tutorials that emphasize creating backups from your personally owned hardware.

3. Games

There are two formats of games that work with emulators: NSP and XCI.

  • NSP: Copy of the game from the eShop.
  • XCI: Copy of the game you get when dumped from a cartridge.

Generally, XCI files are a much larger file size than NSPs, so I try to get all my games in NSP format.

Usually NSPs come with three files to download:

  • Base game: The game itself as an NSP.
  • Update: A smaller NSP that contains fixes and changes to help the game run better.
  • DLC (optional): The downloadable content for the game, also in NSP format.

For lawful use, only use game dumps that you created from games you legally own, or copies you legitimately purchased.

▼ How to Legally Back Up Your Own Cartridges Using a MIG Dumper

Requirements to Create the Backup

  • MIG Dumper
  • USB Type-C cable
  • Any PC, Android, or iOS device
  • The original game cartridge you want to back up

Creating a Backup with MIG Dumper

  1. Equipment Preparation
    Before starting, make sure you have all the necessary items and your PC is turned on. If you prefer to use an Android or iOS device, make sure you have a USB OTG adapter.
  2. Connecting the Cartridge to the Dumper
    Insert the game cartridge into the MIG Dumper slot.
    Take the USB cable and connect the corresponding end to the Dumper.
    Connect the other end of the USB cable to an available port on your PC.
    Wait a moment while your operating system recognizes the device.
    Note: The device should be detected automatically as a USB mass storage device. If this does not happen, disconnect and reconnect the device.
  3. Creating the Backup Copy
    Once the device is connected:
    Open your system’s file explorer and locate the drive corresponding to the Dumper.
    Navigate until you find the folder containing the game dump (e.g., XXX.xci).
    Copy this folder and paste it to your preferred storage location such as:
    • Your internal hard drive
    • A microSD card
    • An external drive

Common Troubleshooting

  • Ensure the cartridge is clean and properly inserted.
  • Verify that the USB cable is in good condition.
  • Check that your PC correctly recognizes the device.
  • Make sure you have enough available storage space.
▼ How to Back Up Your NSP (Digital eShop) Games

If you don’t have access to a MIG Dumper because your games are digital (from the eShop), you can still create legal backups of your NSP games directly from your own console.

There are several legitimate tools and community guides that explain how to back up your NSP files from a Switch that you own and control. Since this process varies depending on your setup. You'll want to make sure your antivirus is turned on and you're running an ad blocker, search Google for:

"NSP ROMs Download for Nintendo Switch & Emulator"

Always ensure the guides you follow clearly state they are for creating backups from games you personally purchased through the Nintendo eShop.

For ease of use, once I download or create the relevant files, I make a folder called switch-roms and in there I’ll have a folder for Base Files, one for Updates and one for DLCs. This is so that it’s easier for the emulator to be directed to each game.

4. Setting Up the Emulator

The steps for setting up each emulator are generally the same. When you first launch the emulator, it will ask you to select the prod.keys, and then the firmware zip. Finally, it will ask you to select the game folder. This is the base games folder we made.

5. Installing Updates and DLC

For the update files, these need to be installed. Honestly though, I only do this for games that run poorly, or have known bug fixes that have been patched out. If you long tap a game, you should get an option that says addons. That should let you navigate to the relevant DLC and Update NSPs (which you must have obtained legally).

6. Ready to Play!

At this point, everything is set up for you to start playing the games you legally own.

7. Settings and Tweaks

Under the settings in the emulators, you can install GPU drivers for your device. These can help a lot in gaining performance. Eden can fetch the files directly; however, for others you may need to obtain driver files from official vendor or project pages and then install them.

Another useful setting is the docked mode toggle. Some games on the Switch have increased resolution and FPS for docked mode, so if your device is running the game well, it might be worth trying docked mode to get a better experience. Alternatively, leave it off if the game is already pushing your device.

For resolution, I usually leave it on 1x; however, if it’s a smaller screen or struggling to run the game, I drop it down to 0.75x or in extreme cases 0.5x for more performance.

Async shaders make the game smoother and are usually not glitchy apart from a few instances.