Work in progress — this is not the reference. These pages are being rewritten for Recalbox 10 with the help of automated tools, and not all of them have been reviewed by the team yet. The official wiki remains wiki.recalbox.com: where the two differ, that one is authoritative.
¶ What is Recalbox?
Recalbox is the ultimate retrogaming console: a complete, free and open-source system that turns a Raspberry Pi, a PC or a handheld into a ready-to-play retro machine. Install it, plug in a controller, play.
More than 140 emulated systems, from the earliest arcade cabinets to 3D consoles, with an interface designed to be driven entirely with a gamepad.
¶ Where to start?
| You want to… | Go here |
|---|---|
| Install Recalbox | Preparation and installation |
| Boot your first Recalbox | First use |
| Add your games | Add games |
| Set up a controller | Configure a controller |
| Check your hardware | Hardware compatibility |
New to Recalbox? Follow the full journey in order: 1. 📔 Basic usage. Everything is there, from the SD card to your first game.
¶ What's new in Recalbox 10.1
Recalbox 10.1 is available to everyone from the download page.
- Install on an internal disk — turn your PC into a dedicated console, no external tool needed
- The new controller configurator — visual, guided, button by button
- Overhauled scraper — logos, 2D/3D boxes, manuals and Tips & Tricks
- LOGO view and manual browser
- Virtual keyboards — arcade wheel, full or simplified keyboard
- Jukebox and GameLink netplay
¶ Explore the documentation
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1. 📔 Basic usage — installation, configuration, features, file management
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2. 🔨 Advanced usage — configuration overrides, scripts, RetroArch, pad-to-keyboard
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3. 📚 Tutorials — step-by-step guides by topic
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4. 🔧 Hardware compatibility — machines, controllers, screens, cases
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5. 🛠️ Emulators — one page per system: cores, BIOS, rom formats
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6. 💡 FAQ — the most frequent questions
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7. 📋 About Recalbox — the project, the team, the licenses
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8. 🧰 Community tools — online generators, scripts and community integrations
Not sure what a term means? The glossary has you covered.
¶ Finding a page
Use the search at the top of this page: type a few words, or browse by tags. It is often the shortest path.
¶ Need help?
Join the community on the Recalbox Discord: support, announcements and direct contact with the team, every day.
One useful reflex before asking: check the Troubleshooting page, which also explains how to generate a support archive — it contains everything needed to help you efficiently.
Recalbox is an open-source project, developed by volunteers. The documentation grows with contributions: you can take part!
¶ Our tips to get started
- Back up your
sharefolder before any change you are not sure about. - Read the documentation before editing system files: most settings live in the interface.
- Recalbox 10 is the only supported version — if you are on 9.x, update.
- Be curious: explore the menus, everything is reversible with a factory reset.