Patching Guide

Why do certain files need patches?

Certain files— such as large TV shows or sizable albums—need to be split into patches. Due to the Nintendo 3DS' FAT32 SD card format, files over 4GB in size cannot be placed directly onto the SD card. Patching allows us to bypass this limitation by placing a CIA file onto the SD card and retroactively adding additional content that wouldn't have fit otherwise. It's sort of like DLC for your file.

When set up correctly, patches are automatically applied by Luma.

Now, without further ado, here's how you can set up patches for your files:

1. Insert your SD card into your computer or laptop.

2. Install the CIA and TAR files of choice.

• Note: If the CIA you have installed doesn’t come with a TAR file, you can skip this guide. Yay!

3. Drag and drop the CIA file into your "cias" folder on the root of your SD card.

4. Extract the TAR file anywhere on your computer or laptop.

5. Drag the extracted file (should be titled "luma") onto the root of your SD card.

6. Safely remove the SD card from your computer or laptop after completing these steps and place it back into your powered-off Nintendo 3DS system.

7. Hold down the "Select" button while turning on your device. The Luma3DS configuration menu should appear.

8. Navigate to the "Enable game patching" option using the D-pad and check the box next to it by pressing A. If this is already enabled, leave it as is.

9. Once you have enabled game patching, navigate to the "Save and exit" option. Press A to save your changes and exit the Luma3DS configuration menu.

10. Lastly... enjoy your media! You can now install the CIA file and Luma will automatically patch it.

Note: after you've completed this guide once, steps 7-9 can be skipped for future installations.