Keeping your system up-to-date

This page documents how you can keep your system up-to-date.

After following our guide, your system will consist of three core elements that can be updated. Atmosphere, Hekate and your system firmware.

Updating Atmosphere

When updating Atmosphere always make sure to read the release notes. They may list important changes and modifications to your system.

Updating from below Atmosphere 1.0.0

If you update from below Atmosphere 1.0.0, there are additional steps to follow. You will have to delete the sept folder from your sd, delete fusee-secondary.bin from your atmosphere folder and update your hekate config file: hekate_ipl.ini in the bootloader folder.

Manual method: SD card

When a new version of Atmosphere releases, you can always update Atmosphere by following these steps:

  1. Turn off your Nintendo Switch and plug your SD card in your computer.
  2. Download the latest release of Atmosphere (Download the atmosphere-(version).zip release of Atmosphere.)
  3. Copy the contents of the Atmosphere .zip file to the root of your SD card.
    • If you are prompted to overwrite files, do so, except for the .ini files.
    • If you do accidentally overwrite the .ini files, this is not an emergency but you will lose any changes you made to Atmospheres settings.
  4. Put your SD card back in your Switch and launch CFW.

USB method with Hekate: USB access to your sd card via your computer.

  1. reboot to hekate via RCM and payload launcher app
  2. Tap on Tools on top of the screen.
  3. Tap on USB Tools on right side.
  4. Tap on SD Card on Top and left side.
  5. plug your switch to your computer.
  6. Your Windows or OS should see the drives from your sd card in your switch.
  7. copy the contents from latest atmosphere zip package and latest hekate zip package to the root of your sd card.
  8. unplug the cable and the hekate will tell you that it is ejected. just close the dialog.
  9. update your fusee.bin and hekate payload in your TegraRCMGui or payload launcher.
  10. boot to atmosphere via latest fusee.bin payload.

Updating Atmosphere fusee.bin payload

It is important that you update the fusee.bin payload.
you can get latest fusee.bin from Atmosphere (Download the fusee.bin release of Atmosphere.) It depends how are you injecting your payloads.
- tegraguircm: replace fusee.bin in your favorites folder with latest fusee.bin
- rcmloader: plug your rcmloader in your computer usb port and it should bring up a drive and you should replace the payload.bin in atmosphere folder. it may be named differently. delete payload.bin then copy fusee.bin and rename it to payload.bin
- hekate: replace fusee.bin in /bootloader/payloads with latest fusee.bin (for trinket m0/mod chip users/hekate users)

  1. Download the latest release of Atmosphere (Download the atmosphere-(version).zip release of Atmosphere.)

Updating Hekate

When updating Hekate always make sure to read the release notes. They may list important changes and modifications to your system.

Manual method: SD card

When a new version of Hekate releases, you can always update by following these steps:

  1. Turn off your Nintendo Switch and plug your SD card in your computer.
  2. Download the latest version of Hekate (Download the hekate_ctcaer_(version).zip release of hekate).
  3. Copy the bootloader folder from the Hekate .zip file to the root of your SD card. If you are asked to overwrite or merge files while copying, say yes to merge/overwrite them.
  4. Put your SD card back in your Switch and launch CFW.

USB method: USB access to your sd card via your computer.

  1. reboot to hekate via RCM and payload launcher app
  2. Tap on Tools on top of the screen.
  3. Tap on USB Tools on right side.
  4. Tap on SD Card on Top and left side.
  5. plug your switch to your computer.
  6. Your Windows or OS should see the drives from your sd card in your switch.
  7. copy the contents from latest hekate zip package to the root of your sd card.
  8. unplug the cable and the hekate will tell you that it is ejected. just close the dialog.
  9. update your fusee.bin and hekate payload in your TegraRCMGui or payload launcher.
  10. boot to atmosphere via latest fusee.bin payload.

Updating your firmware

Always check before updating your system firmware if the latest version of Atmosphere as well as the latest version of Hekate support the firmware version you are updating towards.

Currently the latest version supported by Atmosphere and Hekate are: 14.1.2.

In addition, updating to or past some firmwares update the gamecard firmware. Reference the table below for information about these.

Updating from Updating towards Updates gamecard firmware
Below 4.0.0 Below 4.0.0 No
Below 4.0.0 4.0.0 or above Yes
On or above 4.0.0, but below 9.0.0 At least 4.1.0 but below 9.0.0 No
On or above 4.0.0, but below 9.0.0 9.0.0 or above Yes
On or above 9.0.0, but below 11.0.0 At least 9.1.0 but below 11.0.0 No
On or above 9.0.0, but below 11.0.0 11.0.0 or above Yes
On or above 11.0.0 but below 12.0.0 At least 11.0.1 but below 12.0.0 No
On or above 11.0.0 but below 12.0.0 12.0.0 or above Yes
On or above 12.0.0 Latest supported Atmosphere & Hekate revision No

If at least one of the versions you are updating towards also updates the gamecard firmware, you will not be able to downgrade below that version without making the gamecard slot unusable until you update.

Atmosphere (and Hekate) come bundled with patches that automatically disable the gamecard slot if it is detected that the system has an older gamecard firmware that would be updated. If you boot into RCM on each boot (for example by using AutoRCM), this means that the gamecard slot will not be updated and you can downgrade below that version. If this happens, you will not be able to use the gamecard slot as long as you are on the newer firmware.

Otherwise, you can safely update your system firmware through the system settings.

Note about autoRCM

If you have autoRCM enabled and you're updating your system while in stock firmware, updating will disable autoRCM and you will need to enter RCM manually to boot custom firmware again. To prevent autoRCM from being disabled, boot CFW on sysMMC and update through settings from there, as booting without AutoRCM will burn any preserved fuses.

About emuMMC

sysMMC and emuMMC have separate system firmwares and need to be updated separately.

If you keep your emuMMC offline, you will have to use a gamecard to update your system firmware, synchronize it with another Nintendo Switch or dump an updated firmware from your sysMMC.

Updating emuMMC by dumping an updated firmware from your sysMMC

Do you have an eMMC backup yet?

Please do not start this guide without doing a RAW GPP and a BOOT 0/1 eMMC backup!

You can learn how to make one here.

Downgrading

This guide is made for updating your emuMMC. It is not for downgrading. Downgrading at all, sysMMC or emuMMC, is not recommended and not worth it. Downgrading is also very dangerous and can lead to serious complications even when performed correctly.

What you will need

Preparing your SD card

  1. Insert your microSD card into your computer.
  2. Download TegraExplorer.bin and place it somewhere on your PC (A good idea is to put it where you keep all your switch payloads like Hekate).
  3. Update Atmosphere and Hekate by using the above guides.
  4. If you haven't already, update the sysMMC to the latest firmware.

Dumping your sysMMC firmware

  1. Make sure your sysMMC is up to date. If your sysMMC is not up-to-date, update it through the System Settings.
  2. Inject TegraExplorer.bin using TegraRCMGUI (Like you would with Hekate).
  3. Using the joystick and the A buttons, select Dump Firmware.
  4. Wait about 1-2 minutes for the tool to dump your firmware.
  5. When the tool finishes, press any button.
  6. Select Reboot to atmosphere/reboot_payload.bin.

Updating your emuMMC with Daybreak

  1. In Hekate go to Launch -> Atmosphere FSS0 Emu.
  2. Once booted, hold R while launching a game to boot into the homebrew menu.
  3. Find Daybreak in the homebrew menu and launch it.
  4. Tap on Install and navigate to tegraexplorer/Firmware/<latest firmware number>.
  5. Tap on Continue and then Preserve settings.
    • If you see the message Warning: exFAT firmware is missing or corrupt, you likely don't have the exFAT drivers installed on your sysMMC. Just press continue if this is the case.
  6. If it is available choose Install (FAT32 + exFAT), otherwise Install (FAT32) and then Continue.
  7. Wait until Daybreak completes installing the dumped firmware.
  8. Once it completes, it will ask if you want to reboot. Tap Reboot.
  9. Once rebooted, launch into emuMMC and verify your system works. You can verify your system has been properly updated in Settings -> System.