Before you begin
Before you begin
Modding a DS is low-risk, but a few minutes of preparation saves hours of frustration. Read this page before you order anything.
Set your expectations
The DS itself is never modified. All the "magic" lives on the flashcard and its microSD. That means you cannot brick the console, but it also means a bad card is the single point of failure. Spend your care on choosing the card, not on fearing the console.
Gather what you need
- A reputable slot-1 flashcard from a trusted seller.
- A microSD card from a known brand, ideally 32 GB or smaller for best compatibility.
- A microSD-to-USB reader for your computer.
- A charged DS or DS Lite.
Source files legally
Homebrew is freely distributed by its authors. Game backups should be your own dumps of cartridges you own. This wiki does not host or link to copyrighted ROMs.
Buy from a reputable source. The market is flooded with dead or counterfeit clone cards that fail after a firmware update or simply never work. A card that costs a couple of dollars more from a trusted shop is far cheaper than one you have to replace.
Once your card and microSD arrive, continue to microSD preparation. prep