EmuDeck BIOS files: which systems need them

EmuDeck is a frontend and installer — it sets up emulators, folders, and shortcuts, but it never includes BIOS files or games. Some systems need a BIOS to boot at all, and that file has to come from hardware you own. This page covers which systems need one and how to place it correctly.

Systems that need a BIOS

Not every system does. These are the common ones in an EmuDeck setup that require a BIOS file you supply:

Add your BIOS correctly

1. Find EmuDeck's bios folder
   EmuDeck creates a single bios directory inside its Emulation folder. Every emulator it launches looks there, so you place files in one place rather than per emulator.
   The bios folder exists and is the one EmuDeck created.
2. Add the files you dumped yourself
   BIOS files must come from hardware you own. Do not download them from third-party sites — those bundles are unauthorised and often malicious. Name each file exactly as the emulator expects, because a wrong filename is silently ignored.
   Each required file is present with the exact expected name.
3. Run the BIOS checker
   EmuDeck ships a BIOS checker that lists each system and whether its files are found. Run it after adding files, instead of guessing from game launch errors.
   The checker shows the systems you use as satisfied.
4. Test one game per system
   Launch a single game on each system you configured. A "BIOS not found" error means a filename or folder mismatch, not a bad emulator install.
   The game boots past the BIOS check into gameplay.

If a game says BIOS is missing

Check the exact filename and subfolder the emulator wants, confirm the file is in EmuDeck’s bios directory (not the emulator’s own folder), and re-run the checker. A correct file with a wrong name is the most common cause. For core-level detail, see the RetroArch documentation on BIOS requirements.