Dumping Extra Data from a 3DS Console

How to Transfer 3DS Extra Data to Citra

In addition to save data, some games and system applications use extra data. Game extra data is stored on the SD card and can be extracted and used by Citra.

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Checkpoint

As the supported way of transferring extra data, Checkpoint is easy to install and use.

Required tools

  • A 3DS with boot9strap installed
  • Checkpoint
  • SD card reader (preferred), or a way to use wireless file transfer

Installing Checkpoint

  1. Download Checkpoint from the link above.
  2. For cia installation, transfer the cia file to the SD card and install it with a cia installer such as FBI. For Rosalina-based Homebrew Launcher, transfer the 3dsx file to /3ds/ on the SD card. Hax-based Homebrew Launchers are not supported by Checkpoint.

Transferring Extra Data

  1. Open Checkpoint. If this is the first time launching Checkpoint, it may take a considerably longer than usual depending on the amount of installed titles.
  2. Highlight the game you want to dump by navigating to it with the D-pad and pressing X.
  3. Press A and select Backup on the bottom screen. You will be prompted Yes or No. Select Yes by pressing A.
  4. You will have the option to name the save folder. Name it whatever you want or use the name given to it. Press OK on the bottom screen.
  5. The top screen will flash a message Success! Progress correctly saved to disk. Exit out of Checkpoint.
  6. Transfer all files located in /3ds/Checkpoint/extdata/[Game Name]/[Folder created in Step 4] to the computer.
  7. Place the files in Citra’s emulated SD card’s extra data directory. You can open the extra data directory by right-clicking on a game in Citra and clicking “Open Extra Data Directory”, and you should put the files inside the user folder. These directories may have to be created if the title the extra data was dumped from hasn’t been played in Citra yet**.
Example diagram showing the correct location of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars extra data in Citra’s User Directory.
"User Directory"
└── sdmc
    └── Nintendo 3DS
        └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
            └── 00000000000000000000000000000000
                └── extdata
                    └── 00000000
                        └── 000012C8
                            └── user