What Cheat Codes Do in Ryujinx and Where to Find Them

Ryujinx is a Nintendo Switch emulator that runs on your computer. Like many emulators, it supports cheat codes — modifications that change how a game behaves while it runs. Cheat codes in Ryujinx let you do things like skip levels, unlock items, remove timers, or give your character infinite health. The codes themselves come from online databases maintained by the emulation community, not from the emulator itself.

The most common source is a website called Cheat Engine or community-maintained cheat databases. These sites host thousands of cheat codes organized by game title. When you find a code you want, you copy the text and paste it into Ryujinx's cheat menu. Ryujinx then applies that code the next time you launch the game.

Cheat codes only work while the game is running in Ryujinx. They do not modify the game file itself, so your original game remains unchanged. If you turn off a cheat code, the game goes back to normal behavior the next time you restart it.

Key Takeaways

  • Cheat codes in Ryujinx come from community databases and are pasted into the emulator's cheat menu, not downloaded as separate files.
  • You need the exact game title and version number to find codes that will actually work with your copy of the game.
  • Ryujinx stores cheat codes in a folder on your computer, and you can enable or disable individual codes before launching a game.
  • Codes are applied when the game starts and stop working if you disable them or close Ryujinx.

Finding the Right Cheat Code for Your Game

Before you can add a cheat code, you need to find one that matches your game. Open a web browser and go to a cheat database. The most widely used is GameFAQs, which has a dedicated cheat section for Switch games. You can also search for "[game name] Ryujinx cheats" to find community-maintained lists.

When you land on a cheat page, look for the game version number. This matters because a cheat written for version 1.0 of a game may not work on version 1.2 if the game was patched. Your Ryujinx emulator shows the game version in the game properties. Open Ryujinx, right-click the game in your library, select Properties, and note the version number listed there. Then match it to the version on the cheat database.

Copy the entire cheat code text. Most cheat codes are formatted as a block of text with a name, a description, and a series of hexadecimal values. Select all of it and copy it to your clipboard. Do not try to type it manually — one wrong character will break the code.

Opening Ryujinx's Cheat Menu and Pasting Your Code

Launch Ryujinx and load the game you want to add cheats to. Once the game is running, press the Escape key to open the Ryujinx menu overlay. You will see a list of options including Graphics, Audio, and Cheats. Click on Cheats.

The Cheats window will open and show a list of any codes already loaded for this game. If this is your first time adding cheats, the list will be empty. Look for a button labeled Add or + (the exact label depends on your Ryujinx version). Click it to create a new cheat entry.

A text field will appear. Paste the cheat code you copied from the database into this field. The code should include the cheat name, description, and all the hexadecimal values. After pasting, click Save or press Enter. Ryujinx will store the code and show it in your cheat list with a checkbox next to it.

Enabling Cheats Before You Play

Once a cheat code is saved in Ryujinx, you control whether it is active using the checkbox next to its name. Check the box to turn the cheat on, uncheck it to turn it off. You can enable multiple cheats at once if you want several effects active in the same game session.

The cheats take effect the next time you load a game or restart from a save point, depending on what the cheat does. Some cheats (like infinite health) work when ready. Others (like unlocking items) may require you to reload your save file or progress to a certain point in the game. If a cheat does not seem to be working, close the game completely, close Ryujinx, and relaunch both. Sometimes a full restart is needed for codes to register.

You can also add multiple cheat codes for the same game. If you have three different codes you want to use, paste each one separately into the cheat menu, and they will all appear in your list. Enable whichever ones you want active before you play.

Where Ryujinx Stores Cheat Files on Your Computer

Ryujinx saves cheat codes in a specific folder on your computer so they persist between sessions. On Windows, this folder is usually located at C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Roaming\Ryujinx\sdcard\atmosphere\contents\[Game ID]\cheats. On Mac, it is in ~/Library/process Support/Ryujinx/sdcard/atmosphere/contents/[Game ID]/cheats. On Linux, it is in ~/.config/Ryujinx/sdcard/atmosphere/contents/[Game ID]/cheats.

You do not need to navigate to this folder to add cheats — the Ryujinx menu handles that for you. However, if you want to back up your cheats, share them with someone else, or edit them in a text editor, you can find them here. Each cheat code is stored as a plain text file with a .txt extension.

If you want to remove a cheat code permanently, you can either delete it from the Ryujinx menu (right-click the code and select Delete) or navigate to the folder and delete the text file directly. Removing a code does not affect the game file or any save data.

Troubleshooting Cheats That Do Not Work

The most common reason a cheat code does not work is a version mismatch. If your game is version 1.2 but the cheat was written for version 1.0, the code will not do anything. Check the game version in Ryujinx Properties and find a cheat code that matches that exact version.

Another reason is a typo or corruption in the code text. If you manually typed part of the code instead of copying and pasting it, even one wrong character will break it. Delete the code and paste it again from the database, making sure to select the entire block of text.

Some cheat codes also conflict with each other. If you have two codes enabled that both modify the same game value, one may override the other or cause unexpected behavior. Try enabling only one code at a time to see which one is causing the problem. If a code still does not work after you have checked the version and re-pasted it correctly, the code itself may be outdated or broken. Search the cheat database for a different code for the same effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use cheat codes from other emulators in Ryujinx?

Not directly. Cheat codes are specific to each emulator because they target the exact memory locations where that emulator stores game data. A cheat code written for a different Switch emulator will not work in Ryujinx. You need to find codes specifically labeled for Ryujinx or for the Atmosphere custom firmware that Ryujinx mimics.

Will using cheat codes damage my game files or save data?

No. Cheat codes run only in memory while the emulator is active. They do not modify the actual game file on your computer, and they do not corrupt your save data. If you disable a cheat or close Ryujinx, the game returns to normal the next time you play.

Do I need to enable cheats every time I play?

No. Once you add a cheat code to Ryujinx, it stays in your cheat list. The checkbox next to each code remembers whether you had it enabled or disabled the last time you played. If you left a cheat on, it will be on again the next time you launch that game — unless you manually uncheck it first.

What if a cheat code has multiple options or variations?

Some cheat databases list multiple versions of the same cheat with different effects. For example, one code might give you 99 coins, and another might give you 999 coins. Paste only the version you want into Ryujinx. If you paste multiple versions of the same cheat, they may conflict with each other.