Install Homebrew on New Nintendo 3DS (11.17.0-50)

Homebrewing your New Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL or 2DS XL can be a fun and interesting way to get the most out of this handheld. You can download games from hShop, access region-restricted games, use custom themes, and so much more! This 45-minute guide shows you how to install homebrew on New Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL or 2DS XL on firmware version 11.17.0-50.

This article doesn't apply to original Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, or 2DS

This article was crossposted from 16:23, 22 January 2025 revision of Install Homebrew on New Nintendo 3DS (11.17.0 50) on wikiHow, by Xeverything11, who was the only contributor at that time of revision.

Steps

Preparing Your 3DS

1. Check if your New Nintendo 3DS is already modded. Press and hold both power and Select buttons. If it doesn't go to the Home Screen, it's already modded. If it does, you're good to go.
   • Do not attempt to install homebrew if you have a modded 3DS.
2. Connect your 3DS to Internet. Go to System Settings -> Internet Settings -> Connection Settings -> New Connection -> Manual Setup -> Search for Access Point. This will search for available Wi-Fi networks. Tap your Wi-Fi network and, if prompted, enter a password. Tap OK twice to test the connection.
3. Set the date to the correct date. Go back to System Settings, tap Other Settings, tap Date & Time and Today's Date. Use the arrows to set the correct date. Tap OK to confirm.
4. Update your 3DS to the latest version, 11.17.0-50. Go back to System Settings, tap Other Settings, go to the last page, tap System Update and tap OK. Read and agree to terms and conditions. Tap OK to confirm and wait for a couple of minutes to update.
   • The last letter in the firmware version doesn't matter. It refers to the region code.

Preparing Your microSD Card

1. Insert the microSD card into your computer. Make sure it has at least 1.3 GB of available space, equivalent to 11,000 open blocks.
   • You can check the available space of SD card on 3DS by going to System Settings -> Data Management -> Nintendo 3DS -> Software.
   • Delete titles if necessary to get some free space.
   • New Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL and 2DS XL all each include a 4GB microSD card, which is equivalent to around 28,000 open blocks.
   • Each open block stored by your 3DS is equivalent to 128 kibibytes (KiB).
2. Create a backup of Nintendo 3DS files, if using your included microSD card and want to transfer to a new microSD card. Move the Nintendo 3DS folder from microSD card to your computer. Remove your included microSD card.
   • If you wish to continue using your included microSD card, skip to step 5. If your 3DS doesn't have an included microSD card, skip to step 3.
3. Format your microSD card to FAT32, if using a new card. This step is needed to make the Nintendo 3DS work.
   • If you wish to continue using your included microSD card, skip to step 3.
4. Transfer the 3DS backup folder to your new microSD card.
5. Download the necessary files. Go to boot9strap and super-skaterhax files, then click the first download link on each to download.
6. Extract both downloaded files. Click on each downloaded file and click "Extract" to extract the contents.
7. Move the contents in the folder entitled "Anton Retro New 3DS Boot9strap 11.17 2023" to your microSD card.
8. Transfer region-specific super-skaterhax content to your microSD card. Open the "release_new3ds_v1.1" folder, open the current region folder and then 11.17+ folder. Transfer content to your new microSD card.
9. Remove your microSD card from your computer. Eject your microSD card before removing.
10. ‌ Insert your microSD card into your 3DS. Now you can follow the install procedure.

Running super-skaterhax Exploit

1. Press L + R button on your 3DS to open the camera.
   • Alternatively, open Internet Browser on your 3DS and type https://zoogie.github.io/web/super (for all models except Korean) or https://zoogie.github.io/web/korea (for Korean models) into address bar. Then skip to step 3.
2. Scan the QR code below. Tap QR code icon on bottom-left corner to start scanning, then scan one of the QR codes to open a link to the exploit.
3. Accept the security certificates if prompted. You may see a notice that your 3DS cannot confirm the security certificates.
4. Bookmark the exploit page. Tap the star button on bottom-left corner and tap "Bookmark This Page" to bookmark the exploit page.
5. Delete the browser cookies. Tap the dropdown menu on bottom-right corner and tap Settings. Tap "Delete Cookies" and confirm by tapping Yes.
6. Exit and enter Internet Browser again. Press Home button to exit Internet Browser and press Internet Browser icon to open it again.
7. Run the exploit. Once the page is loaded, tap "GO GO!". You'll get a pop-up notification, confirm by tapping "OK". This will flash in multiple colors, and thus will open The Homebrew Launcher.
   • If the exploit is not working, just repeat this part.
8. Install the Wi-Fi exploit. Tap slotTool v1.4 and select INSTALL, and tap A button to install the exploit. It will shutdown.

Running boot9strap Exploit

1. Press and hold L, R, A and power button, and up D-Pad. This will boot your 3DS into safe mode.
2. Try to update your 3DS. Tap OK, read and agree to terms and conditions. Tap OK to confirm and wait to try to connect to internet. This will fail and show an intentional error, then tap OK. Tap Yes to configure the internet connection.
3. Run boot9strap exploit by configuring connection settings. Tap Connection 1, then Change Settings, scroll to next page, and tap Proxy Settings and Advanced Setup. This will flash multiple times and run boot9strap exploit.
4. Install boot9strap. Press the specified key combination to confirm your installation. Once installed, press A to reboot into Luma.
5. Save changes to Luma by press Start button. This will reboot into Home Screen.

Restoring Wi-Fi Settings

1. Open Download Play. This icon will look like a Nintendo 3DS on right of wireless signal.
2. Open Luma3DS dialog. Press L and Select buttons and up D-pad to go to the Rosalina menu.
3. Configure Luma3DS settings. Select "Miscellaneous options…" then "Switch the hb. title to the current app." Press A button to confirm.
4. Exit Download Play. Firstly, press B button to exit menu, press Home button and tap Close to close the application.
5. Open Download Play again. This should launch into The Homebrew Launcher.
6. Restore Wi-Fi settings to a previous version. In The Homebrew Launcher, tap slotTool v1.4. In the program, select RESTORE, and tap A button to restore the Wi-Fi settings. It will reboot.

Finalizing Installation

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 in the previous part again.
2. Dump the firmware. Select "Miscellaneous options…" then "Dump DSP firmware". Press A button to confirm.
3. Void the time offset. Press B button to go back and select "Nullify user time offset". Press A button to confirm.
4. Repeat step 4 in the previous part again.
5. Power off your 3DS. Press and hold Power button on your 3DS and tap "Power Off".
6. Open GodMode 9 on your 3DS. Press and hold both the Start and Power buttons until the screen displays.
   • Adjust brightness using volume slider if needed.
7. Backup the essential files. You'll see a prompt asking if you want to backup essential files to your microSD card. Press A button to confirm. Once backup has completed, press A button again.
8. Set the date and time. Once prompted, use the D-Pad to set the correct date and time. Press A button twice to confirm. This will open the main menu.
9. Install the homebrew apps and backup. Press the Home button to open the action menu, select "Scripts…" Press A button when prompted to confirm and press a key combination to verify. This will install homebrew apps and backup your 3DS. Once completed, press A button to shutdown.
   • This will take around 15 minutes to install homebrew apps and backup your 3DS.

Moving NAND Backup to Computer

1. Remove the microSD card from your 3DS and insert into your computer.
2. Transfer NAND backup from microSD card to your computer. Open a file manager, navigate to gm9 folder in your microSD card followed by out folder, and transfer all files to the appropriate backup location on your computer's storage.
3. Eject and remove the microSD card from your computer and insert into your 3DS.
4. Power back your 3DS. You'll see a pop-up showing you've installed some homebrew apps.

Things You'll Need

• A New Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL or 2DS XL
• A microSD card with at least 1.3 GB (11,000 open blocks) free space
• An internet connection
• A computer with a SD card slot