Azahar · Nintendo 3DS

Where Azahar keeps your saves.

Azahar, which follows Citra and Lime3DS, keeps 3DS game saves in an emulated SD card (sdmc) in its user folder, and save states as .cst files in states.

Save folders on each platform

Windows

User folder: %APPDATA%\Azahar

The portable build uses a user folder next to the program.

Mac

User folder: ~/Library/Application Support/Azahar

Linux

User folder: ~/.local/share/azahar-emu

Steam Deck with EmuDeck

Saves: ~/Emulation/saves/azahar/saves
States: ~/Emulation/saves/azahar/states

Steam Deck with RetroDECK

Saves: ~/retrodeck/saves/n3ds/azahar/sdmc

Android

User folder: The folder you picked when you first opened Azahar

If you moved from Lime3DS, you may have two user folders; check both before assuming a save is lost.

Inside the user folder

A game's save is in sdmc/Nintendo 3DS/00000000000000000000000000000000/00000000000000000000000000000000/title/00040000/<title ID>/data/00000001/. Save states are states/<title ID>.<slot>.cst.

Rather than walking those folders, right-click a game, Open, Save Data Location. File, Open Azahar Folder opens the user folder. On Android, use Open Save Data Folder.

Moving saves between devices

From Citra or Lime3DS: Azahar offers to copy their data the first time it starts. Otherwise copy the sdmc folder across.
From a real 3DS: the two long folders are your console's own IDs there, but all zeros in Azahar. Copy only the game's data folder.
Emulation, Configure, System, Storage can move the folder, but doesn't move the files already there.
Save states are tied to the Azahar version.

Sync Azahar saves between devices

The SaveSync app for Windows, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck, and Android will watch Azahar's save folders and sync them when you close a game. It is coming next.

Today SaveSync syncs RetroArch through its built-in Cloud Sync. See how to set it up.

SaveSync keeps the newest 20 versions of every save, so a bad sync or an overwritten slot is one click to undo.

Questions

Where are Citra save files in Azahar?

Azahar uses the same layout as Citra, in its own folder (%APPDATA%\Azahar on Windows, ~/.local/share/azahar-emu on Linux). On first start it offers to copy your Citra or Lime3DS data there.

Can I move an Azahar save to a real 3DS?

Yes, with a save manager such as Checkpoint on the 3DS: copy the files from the game's data folder into Checkpoint's backup for that game and restore it.

Checked against Azahar's documentation and source in October 2026: common_paths.h (azahar), file_util.cpp (azahar), Azahar wiki: Android user data, EmuDeck's setup script, RetroDECK's setup.

Pick up where you left off.

Start syncing