How to Set Up Yuzu Emulator and Play Nintendo Switch Games on PC & Android (2026 Guide)

Yuzu Emulator is the ideal option if you have ever wished to play your beloved Nintendo Switch games on your PC or Android with better performance, higher resolution, and customizable settings. Get more information about Yuzu on this page.

This comprehensive guide will teach you how to install and configure the Yuzu Emulator on Windows and Android, how to include prod.keys and title.keys, and which system requirements will deliver you the best gaming experience.

How to Install and Set Up Yuzu Emulator on Windows

If you properly execute Yuzu on Windows, it is quite a straightforward process. Here is an explanation, carrying special importance to avoid getting something wrong whatsoever.

Step 1: Download Nintendo Switch Games (NSP or XCI Files)

You must have Nintendo Switch ROMs to play any game on Yuzu; these ROMs are in either NSP or XCI format.

NSP: This format is used for digital eShop downloads.

XCI: This format is used for physical game cartridge dumps.

Try to use ROMs by buying games you own. Downloading copyrighted ROMs is illegal.

Step 2: Download and Install Yuzu Emulator

  1. First of all, download Yuzu’s latest Windows version from Download Page.
  2. Run the installer and continue with the on-screen instructions.
  3. When the installation is done, start the Yuzu Emulator.

In case you see an “Encryption keys are missing” message, just relax; you’ll sort that in the following step.

Step 3: Add Yuzu prod.keys and title.keys.

Yuzu needs the encryption keys in order to decrypt and play games. The keys are known as prod.keys and title.keys.

  1. Get the most recent prod.keys and title.keys from a reliable source obtained from your own Nintendo Switch.
  2. Launch Yuzu, and navigate to File → Open Yuzu Folder. Then find the keys folder and place the keys files there.
Yuzu emulator showing Open Yuzu Folder option and keys folder with prod.keys and title.keys
  1. Restart Yuzu.

After the restart, the “encryption keys missing” alert will no longer be visible.

Step 4: Add Your Game Directory

Now insert your Nintendo Switch games into Yuzu:

  1. In the main window of Yuzu, double-click “Double click to add a new folder to the game list.” 
Yuzu emulator main window showing double-click to add a new folder to the game list

 

  1. Select your game folder that has NSP or XCI files.

 

  1. The games will show up in Yuzu’s main interface automatically.
Yuzu emulator main interface showing Nintendo Switch games loaded automatically after adding game folder

For playing, just double-click on the game icon and relish your Switch games in high-resolution quality on PC.

Gameplay screenshot of The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom running on Yuzu Nintendo Switch emulator on PC

Step 5: Optimize Graphics Settings (Optional)

For more seamless gaming and enhanced graphics:

  • Navigate to Emulation → Configure → Graphics.
  • Select API as Vulkan to gain more performance.
  • Turn ON Asynchronous GPU Emulation and Disk Shader Cache.
  • Change the resolution scaling if you prefer 1080p or 4K graphics.

How to Set Up and Use Yuzu Emulator on Android

Yuzu’s mobile edition made it feasible to play Nintendo Switch games on Android devices. Follow these steps for proper installation.

Step 1: Install the Yuzu Emulator App

  1. You can install the Yuzu Emulator APK file or install it right away from the Google Play Store.
  2. Launch the application and press “Get Started.”
Yuzu emulator launch screen showing the Get Started button on first startup

 

  1. Allow any necessary permissions for storage, notifications, etc.
Yuzu emulator permission prompt requesting storage and notification access

Step 2: Add the prod.keys and title.keys on Android.

  1. Dump and unzip the files prod.keys and title.keys on your computer.

Yuzu emulator Android keys setup screen showing prod.keys selection option

  1. Launch Yuzu, then click on “Select Keys,” and then go to the directory containing your keys.
  2. Include both files, i.e., prod.keys and title.keys.
  3. Add keys and then restart the emulator.

Step 3: Add Nintendo Switch Games (NSP/XCI)

  1. Get the Nintendo Switch ROM that you want to download (NSP/XCI format) and put it into the Games folder.
  2. Yuzu will be opened, and the game will show up in the emulator by itself.

Step 4: Launch and Play Nintendo Switch Games on Android

After a complete and successful setup, Yuzu will show the list of available games. If you want to play a game, simply tap on the game and launch it. Now, you can play games easily on Android.

Yuzu Emulator System Requirements (PC & Android)

Requirements Windows Android
Operating System Windows 10 (64-bit) Android 10+
Processor / CPU Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
RAM 8 GB 6 GB
Graphics / GPU OpenGL 4.6 or Vulkan 1.1 compatible Adreno or Mali GPU with Vulkan 1.1
Storage SSD with 10 GB free space 10 GB free space

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes! Yuzu is free-to-use open-source software. Nevertheless, getting or sharing copyrighted ROMs that you do not own is against the law.

These keys decrypt game files of the Nintendo Switch game console so that the emulator is able to run them.

Yes, but expect lower frame rates. You can always enhance the performance of the game by decreasing the screen resolution.

Yes, Yuzu supports both AMD and NVIDIA GPUs. It also keeps your drivers up-to-date for better performance.

The best graphics APIs for Yuzu are Vulkan and OpenGL for better performance.

Final Thoughts

Use of the Yuzu emulator allows you to transfer the wonder of Nintendo Switch gaming to your PC or Android device, getting rid of the console by having better graphics, smoother frame rates, and full flexibility.

No matter if you are on your computer playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or on your mobile phone playing Super Mario Odyssey, Yuzu still provides you with the usability of a console without the need for one.