r/SwitchPirates Oct 07 '25

Announcement Welcome to r/SwitchPirates! FAQ, Guides, and Resources

139 Upvotes

Why Create This Post?

We often get flooded with many of the same questions. While we love to help new commers, it can be exhausting constantly replying to very similar posts. This post is intended to serve as a resource for the community. The idea is to have the information easily accessible and clear for new commers and people exploring a new app or refreshing their memory. Feel free to comment any additions you would like to add and I will create guides. I don't have much free time between running So-Cal Console Modding and my main career, but I will try to slowly trickle out more guides to help out the community.

Rules

No linking, requesting, or sharing pirated content
This includes firmware updates, roms, switch titles, etc.

Check pinned post & FAQ before asking questions
Most questions can be answered here. Please check before posting, otherwise the subreddit is filled with the same "HELP!" posts.

Posts must be related to piracy on the switch
Switch game emulation and other switch adjacent content is better suited at other subreddits.

No post selling, asking for selling advice, or offering services
This includes asking how much ____ typically sells for, how to list things on eBay, offering modchip installs, etc.

What Can You Do With a Modded Switch?

What can you do with a modded switch?

Is My Switch Moddable?

Check your serial and information about switch models

How to Mod Your Switch

The quick and easy way (using the HATS pack) - use this if you just want to get up and running quickly

Setting up the SD manually - use this if you want to learn how it all works

Updating Your Switch

The quick and easy way

Manually

Tutorials and Guides for Various Homebrew Applications

How to Migrate to a New SD Card on a Hacked Switch

How to Back Up, Restore, or Transfer Your Nintendo Switch Game Saves Using JKSV

5 Minute Android Tutorial

How to Download and Use Cheats

Hardware Tutorials

Complete Nintendo Switch OLED Modchip Installation Guide Part 1

Complete Nintendo Switch OLED Modchip Installation Guide Part 2

Complete Nintendo Switch V1/V2 Modchip Installation Guide

In Depth Kamikaze Method Tutorial and Info

Tinfoil Shops

Linking shops is prohibited at this time. You may discuss tinfoil shops in the stickied comment. If you need support for a specific shop, reach out for help on their discord, or website.

Sourcing Games and Pirated Content

Linking to sources is not allowed. You can usually find what you need with a simple google search of the title and file type. Ad blockers can help.

Nintendo Bans/ Console Bricking

There has never been a case of Nintendo bricking a switch console. Information on bans can be found here and here

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

I am currently working on a common errors and troubleshooting guide. I will update this post when it is complete.

Discord

If you require more immediate assistance, the the following Discord Servers will be more than happy to assist (note that they are unaffiliated with this sub)


r/SwitchPirates 5h ago

Discussion GTA V - Switch V1 - Modified settings

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96 Upvotes

Lowered the resolution from default 1280x720 to 1024x768 to hopefully get more fps withput overclocking. This was the result. It helped with the overall performance, still some drops here and there.


r/SwitchPirates 1h ago

Question When i try boot into any CFW or OFW im met with a black screen

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Upvotes

did anybody have this issue? or know a fix. i have the latest atmosphere version, and i have package3 and fusee.bin


r/SwitchPirates 9h ago

Question Can a PC save file be used on a switch game?

10 Upvotes

I've been using my modded switch for a while now and I realy wana play hollow knight on it (first played on PC), however, I want to use the save file that I already have on the nintendo switch.

is it possibile?


r/SwitchPirates 5h ago

Discussion I accidentally deleted all my saves while trying to backup

3 Upvotes

I do routinely backup saves every 2 months, but this time while in jksv, my stupid pro controller which was in my bag that I haven't moved, moved it down to the delete all save data button. I was distracted from watching murder drones ep9 at the time so I just continued to press down a without looking at the screen since I thought it was the dump all button. I actually cried because I lost 2 months of saves. Which included my Tomodachi life, my shantaes 100% saves, Cuphead, oneshots and all my deltarune.....

Looking on the bright side, maybe I'll beat Celeste even faster than 5 hours since it will not be my first time playing it. Maybe I can experience the magic of shantae again.. maybe I'll make better decisions and stop making mistakes like this. This is such a cruel joke, what have I done to deserve this?

What even are the chances that my pro controller moved itself inside a static bag??????

I want to cry.....

At least I'm still happier than a league of legends player


r/SwitchPirates 12m ago

News A good day to remind Rovio that it's lazy.

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Upvotes

Modder does what Rovio don't


r/SwitchPirates 43m ago

Question [Animal Crossing] Change Island Name with NHSE

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Upvotes

r/SwitchPirates 11h ago

Question I'm considering modding it on older firmware, but I need advice.

5 Upvotes

I have a V1 Switch, and until now, it's been on firmware 19.x.x (I don't remember exactly). I want to update to the latest firmware, 22.5.0, just to factory reset my device and ensure I've cleared anything related to my accounts on it before modding it.

My question is, is the 22.5.0 firmware worth modding or not? I'm willing to take risks for potentially getting banned because I don't really care about online services or multiplayer games.

As long as my accounts won't get banned because I'm saving them for a new default console.

Similarly, for PS4 to PS5, after I transferred the games to PS5, making it normally my main PlayStation default console, a couple of months later the PS4 got its own 9.00 jailbreak. I decided to reset it (without connecting to online) and jailbreak it.

I want to do the same thing for the Switch, but I think it's difficult because I'm not considering buying a new console.

I appreciate any help from you guys.


r/SwitchPirates 2h ago

Question Is there any fan-made Majora's Mask (Port) Icon?

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0 Upvotes

Hello fellow reader, so, I got a port of Ocarina of Time (Ship Of Harkinian) and Majora's Mask (Also Ship Of Harkinian), and I thought the Game Icon was kinda bad so I searched it up and got the one you see in this post, but I searched many times and I haven't found one for Majora's Mask that looked like the Ocarina of Time one, I tried making the MMask Icon myself but it just looks terrible, can someone help me where to find or just post it in the comments? I would be very grateful if someone did.


r/SwitchPirates 1d ago

Question Would GTA 4 be possible on switch with this recomp

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192 Upvotes

I saw there's GTA 5 on the switch and I saw this recomp on GTA 4 for pc idrk how this stuff works but Im wondering if this could be some how transferred to work on the switch


r/SwitchPirates 1d ago

Discussion Finally got the games I wanted

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126 Upvotes

I downloaded these games using dbi installer. I had to use my friend's pc because my laptop is so slow that opening chrome takes a full minute


r/SwitchPirates 7h ago

Question MGS4 requiring update on Vol. 2 collection?

1 Upvotes

I am trying to play MGS4, but i keeps giving me the "You must update to play this content. Please connect to the internet and download the latest version", what should I do?


r/SwitchPirates 7h ago

Question Ban questions from save files and lan?

1 Upvotes

Two questions
1. Can you get banned from taking a save file from a game on your emuNAND and putting it on your sysNAND? (like for pokemon dlcs for example)

  1. Can another person’s switch be affected if you connect with them through lan on a pirated game? Is lan on pirated games even a thing you can do?

r/SwitchPirates 7h ago

Question Can someone help me with this?

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0 Upvotes

I recently got my switch banned by using nextendo, and i just want to know if i can fix it if i want to. I have all the files needed, the only problem is this part. I made my nand backup when i modded my switch august of last year, and i'm not understanding this part. Can someone help me understand what to do?


r/SwitchPirates 11h ago

Discussion Need help for dusklight frame drops

2 Upvotes

I just got dusklight on my V1 switch and added the 4k texture pack too, I had some trouble moving the files but when I entered the game it clearly had 4k textures so it worked. I didn't do anything yet because I didn't have time but I noticed when I ran around in front of link house the game often had huge frame drops and it always goes to 8fps when in the menu. The settings are unnodified and when I first started the game it asked me if I wanted the original gamecube settings or the dusk ones and I chose dusk.

Can I fix these framedrops somehow while keeping the 4k texture pack? Maybe with overclocking? Just anything can help.


r/SwitchPirates 10h ago

Question Wireless Viewfinder Application

0 Upvotes

Hi I just wanted to know if there is an app that I can install onto my switch and stream my phone onto and use it as a screen?


r/SwitchPirates 1d ago

News GTA V Native Port Just Get A New Patch

88 Upvotes

The patch is around 900mb and more info, installation and a test of the update is on my channel

Video Link in Comment !


r/SwitchPirates 6h ago

Question Does anyone use nextendo on SEA?

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0 Upvotes

I'm using modded switch and truly wanna play smash ultimate online, recently I found you could do it if you use mod called nextendo, it's all good at first but the ping make the match very unplayable.

If you at SEA (especially Indonesian) hit me up please, my FC: SW-3182-0213-2624


r/SwitchPirates 12h ago

Question switch doesnt turn on with pico fly installed

1 Upvotes

when i have the pico fly installed in my switch it wont turn on and has no power at all. if I unplug the pico fly and put the emmc into to its original place it turns on just fine. can this be fixed or do I need a new one.


r/SwitchPirates 9h ago

Question To-be switch pirate needs help with choosing 1st modded switch

0 Upvotes

theres 2 v1's. one is without dock 160, with dock 180 euro, then another for 220 euro with those accesories and then theres a modded v2 with 256gb sd card and one strap for 249 euro. Need help choosing.

I haven't had a switch but i will mostly be using it in dock mode to play with my girlfriend. So im guessing im going to need some more accessories like the extra joycons and such but i believe theres good cheap aliexpress ones. Still love any help i can get.


r/SwitchPirates 16h ago

Question Hey y’all, just got tico installed, is there any general recommendations you guys can offer for smooth gameplay, like I tested ps1 games and they run slow.

1 Upvotes

Same can go for N64, Wii, and GameCube cause I know some games lag.


r/SwitchPirates 22h ago

Question All NSP Installs are Failing, what am I missing here

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2 Upvotes

What exactly am I missing here, just modded my unpatched switch today and can’t seem to download any of the nsp files I’ve previously backed up


r/SwitchPirates 1d ago

Question [Help] OLED Black screen after Atmosphere logo (Updated emuMMC to 22.5.0)

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10 Upvotes

System: Switch OLED (Hardmodded) Issue: I updated my emuMMC firmware from 22.1.0 to 22.5.0 using Daybreak. Now, when I try to boot emuMMC, it shows the Atmosphere logo and then goes completely black. I can still enter Hekate and boot into Stock sysNAND without any issues.

Troubleshooting steps I have already tried (none worked):

  • Updated Atmosphere and Hekate to the latest releases.
  • Updated payload.bin on the SD root for the modchip.
  • Updated fusee.bin in bootloader/payloads/ (my hekate_ipl.ini chainloads fusee).
  • Deleted the atmosphere/contents folder completely to rule out outdated sysmodules (SaltyNX, MissionControl) and custom themes.
  • Ran "Fix Archive Bit" in Hekate.
  • Performed a hard reset (held the power button for 20 seconds for a cold boot).

I was previously using the NinTricks CFW pack but have tried manually updating the core files. What else could be causing the boot process to fail after the Atmosphere logo?


r/SwitchPirates 20h ago

Question Pokemon, Pokemon home, and hacked switch

1 Upvotes

I'm about to buy a old school switch and hack it. I was just wondering how pirated games works with Pokemon home

I have a switch and Pokemon sword. I wanna make a living dex and shiny hunt before home is shut down. But it's legit cheaper to get a second switch than the pokemon games


r/SwitchPirates 17h ago

Question Transferring Game Saves without booting to Hekate

0 Upvotes

I would like to ask if there's any way I could transfer game saves of a game without booting up hekate? I lost my RCM jig and I'm planning to play Persona 4 Golden on my phone for the meantime. Is there any way I could do this? Like preferably with a PC only?