Folium Emulator FREE – Add ROMs & Aes_keys.txt on iOS (OFFICIAL)

Folium – Nintendo 3DS / Game Boy / DS Multi-System Emulator for iPhone/iPad/iPod – Touch/MAC: Developed by Jarrod Norwell, Folium is a multi-system emulator for experiencing primarily Nintendo 3DS, but also Game Boy and DS, games on iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or MAC.

While the emulator limits itself to Nintendo retro-gaming, two things that make it stand out amongst its competitors are 3DS support and compatibility with the entire Apple ecosystem. It even supports Apple Vision Pro. We know! It’s cool. Before we dive deep into the nitty-gritty of the installation steps, let us check out some of the primary features of Folium.

Folium 3DS Emulator on Apple App Store – What’s New?

As mentioned above, the Folium 3DS emulator, as of now, only supports Nintendo cores. Hence, if you are looking for a PlayStation or SEGA, we recommend checking out Delta Emulator by Riley Testut and still reading. Nintendo fan ah? Well! If you are crazy about Nintendo retro gaming devices, truth be told, the Folium emulator won’t disappoint you.

Supports All Major Controllers

For your convenience, below is the list of supported controllers.

• Backbone One

• Nintendo Switch Joy-Con

• Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

• PlayStation Dual Shock 4

• PlayStation Dual Sense 5

• Xbox Series S

• Xbox Series X

Open AL Support

The support for Open AL allows Folium to generate crystal-clear audio inputs.

Native Audio Output Support

The emulator utilizes Apple’s Core Audio API, thereby providing a wonderful listening experience.

Open Source

Being open source, gaming enthusiasts can check and tweak the code on GitHub.

All Basic Emulator Functions Supported

• Enable/Disable cheats.

• Skin support for Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS.

• Save states available.

• Enhanced user-interface.

• Second confirmation on tapping ‘Reset-Settings’ to prevent accidental reset.

Folium – New Nintendo 3DS Emulator on iOS/iPadOS

Emulator Name	Folium Emulator
Supported Devices	iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, & Mac
iPhone	iOS 15.0 & Later
iPad	iOS 15.0 & Later
iPod Touch	iOS 15.0 & Later
Mac	macOS 12.0 or later + M1 Chip or later
Apple Vision	VisionOS 1.0 & Later
Size	51.9 MB
Category	Games
Age Rating	4+
Languages	English

Is Folium Free?

Well! Here’s the catch! To download, install, and use Folium, you have to shell out $5-$8 depending upon the device on which you tend to use the emulator.

Install Folium on iOS/iPadOS/macOS – Steps!

Installation of Folium is not at all complex as it is available as a direct download on the official Apple App Store. Therefore, all you have to do is go to the official application store of your compatible device, look for Folium, and download/install it. 

Alternatively, you can also download Folium as a third-party app store from here.

   Download Folium Emulator

   Download Folium Emulator IPA

Which Device Folium Works Best?

Based on user reviews, we recommend using Folium on iPhone 14 and above and on the latest generation of iPad and MACs for best performance.

How to Add Games?

Now, that you have successfully installed Folium, it is time to see how to get some cool retro games. Please note that the emulator is merely a tool that allows you to experience retro gaming on your compatible Apple device; it does not provide games on its own. You must download and import the ROMs.

Section 1 > How to Add aes_keys?

To open Nintendo 3DS games on Folium, you will require an aes_keys text file. On the first launch of the emulator, it will alert you of the missing aes_keys file. 

Please note you must provide your own aes_keys text file. There are two places from where you can get the aes_keys text file viz Nintendo 3DS device or Citra Nintendo 3DS Emulator.

Sometimes when you try importing the text files, downloaded from Safari Browser, into the Files App on your iPhone, it will just open a window on the browser, rather than creating the text file for you. In that case, you are required to do the following steps.

• Copy the text of the AES_KEYS file.
• Download the Pages app from the Apple App Store.
• Tap on the top-right corner + button on the app and choose ‘Start Writing’.
• Now, paste the content of the text file that you copied from Safari Browser.
• Thereafter, using the triple-dot button on the top-right corner, select Export > Plain Text > Save to Files > Save on iPhone and rename the file to aes_keys.txt in lowercase.

• Next, launch Folium tap on aes_keys, and select Import > choose the file that you saved above.
• Now the alert on the Folium home screen regarding aes_keys will go away.

Section 2 > How to Add Games to Folium?

• Please note Folium does not provide games on its own. You are required to download the 3DS game ROM files on your iOS device from Google.
• The ROM must be in .3DS format. The CIA format is not compatible. 
• If you have the ROMs downloaded in ZIP format, you can extract the contents using the Files App only.
• If you have the ROMs downloaded in 7Z or RAR format, then you will require an app to extract an RAR or 7Z file. The iZip app available on the Apple App Store will help you with this.
• When you have installed the iZip app, go to the Files app long-press on the .RAR file tap on Share, and open it in the iZip app.
• Tap on OK to unzip the file. Once unzipped, select the 3DS file and using the Share button transfer it to the Files App.
• Now you have the games ready in 3DS format. To add it to Folium, follow the below steps.
  • Open the Files app and go to the folder where you have saved the games.
  • Tap the triple dot icon on the top right and hit the Select option.
  • Select your games and then tap on the triple dot button available at the bottom and choose Copy.
  • Swipe back to the homepage of the Files app.
  • Go to ‘On my iPhone’ and select the Folium folder > Cytrus folder > ROMS folder.
  • Long press here in this folder and tap on Paste.
  • Now, go back to Folium and swipe down to refresh and you will see the games added.

• • Sometimes the game doesn’t work initially in portrait mode. Simply, switch to landscape and then switch back to portrait mode to rectify this issue.

Changelog of Folium Emulator:

Changelog of v1.11 (Performance Update):

• Support for iPhone 16 series added
• Cytrus core changed to latest citra source code
• Updated to latest MoltenVK that surely improves the performance
• Removed some of the mandatory settings from Cytrus settings.

v1.9:

If you do not see any of your favorite games after updating to this latest version, try to sign out from the emulator and sign in again. It surely prompts up again with all your games. This is a small workaround for whoever facing the issue with Folium Emulator v1.9.

Section 3 > How to Add Controller to Folium?

To add a controller to Folium, simply pair a compatible controller with your iOS/iPadOS device using Bluetooth.

Final Words – Folium 3DS Emulator Free Download

That is all regarding the Folium 3DS emulator as of now. We will ensure we update this page with the latest updates on the emulator. We urge you to try out the emulator and let us know about your experience in the comments below. Happy Retro Gaming!.

Thank You.