A PSP emulator for Android, Windows, Mac and Linux, written in C. Want to contribute? Join us on Discord at or in #ppsspp on freenode (IRC) or just send pull requests / issues. For discussion use the forums on ppsspp.org. hrydgard/ppsspp.
How can I run my PSP games in PPSSPP?
You need to have your PSP games as .CSO or .ISO files. I do not have the right to distribute those with the app, so you'll have to provide them on your own. To convert your real PSP games for use with PPSSPP, you need to install a 'Custom Firmware' on your PSP. Google for that. Then follow these steps:
- Insert the UMD into your PSP.
- Connect your PSP to your PC with a USB cable.
- At the PSP main menu, press Select. In the menu that pops up (only on Custom Firmware), choose to UMD as USB Device.
- Still in the PSP menu, choose USB Connection in the Settings menu (to the left).
- On your PC, a folder will pop up, containing a virtual ISO file. To copy the game to your PC, simply drag this to somewhere on your harddrive and the copy will start. Done!
There are tools to turn ISO files into CSO (compressed ISO) files to save space, such as maxcso by [Unknown].
If you have digital downloads on your real PSP, they can be used directly on PPSSPP. Just copy the EBOOT.PBP over. Note that this has not been tested as much as ISO loading so there may still be issues with some games.
PPSSPP doesn't start on my Android device. What can I do?
It may be that you switched the graphics backend to Vulkan, and there might be some devices out there with broken support for this brand new graphics API. If you're stuck in this situation, delete the file /PSP/SYSTEM/ppsspp.ini, or open it in a text editor and change GPUBackend to 0.
Where can I get PPSSPP for iOS?
PPSSPP can run on iOS up to 12.x. On some versions, the JIT works. See the Downloads page for more info.
How do I install game DLC?
Install it exactly the same way as you would on a PSP, that is, copy the files to PSP/GAME or PSP/SAVEDATA (depending on the DLC) on the memory stick. In the Android version of PPSSPP, the memory stick is simply the SD card or USB storage of your phone, PPSSPP will create a PSP folder in the root of that. On Windows without installer, the memory stick is the 'memstick' subdirectory in the PPSSPP folder. On iOS, it's in /User/Documents/PSP/ . On Mac and Linux, it's in ~/.config/PPSSPP.
PPSSPP is awesome! How do I donate to the project?
Buy PPSSPP Gold! Available for Android and PC. It's the same as the regular version functionally (see Why Gold?), but by buying it you support the development of PPSSPP.
Will PPSSPP be able to emulate the PSP Vita in the future?
No. PSP Vita is a completely different machine, far more powerful than the PSP and with different security technologies. I don't have neither the information needed nor the time.
Do I need a BIOS file to run PPSSPP, like with PSX and PS2 emulators?
No. PPSSPP simulates the BIOS and the internal OS. It does not currently emulate enough of the hardware for the actual PSP operating system to run, so even if you have a copy of it, PPSSPP can't run it.
Why is PPSSPP so slow on my device?
You probably run PPSSPP on a mobile device. Some of these devices, especially older ones, often have poor OpenGL ES or Vulkan drivers, although the situation is improving.
Why is the emulator called PPSSPP?
Why not? The domain name ppsspp.org was available, unlike the corresponding domains for many other alternatives I considered. Today I probably would have named it something different and more memorable.
If I buy PPSSPP Gold for Android, can I also download PPSSPP Gold for PC?
Unfortunately there is no way to get information about Android app purchases, so I can't pre-approve email addresses or something like that. But feel free to use the free PC version indefinitely.
Can I use my gamepad to control PPSSPP?
Yes, PPSSPP has built-in XInput and DirectInput support on Windows so it will 'just work' with any Xbox 360 pad and most other pads that you plug into your PC.
On Android, many gamepads like Ouya's pad or Moga work just fine, sometimes with a few limitations. One remaining problem is that the Xperia Play buttons will work but not the touch sticks, for technical reasons.
What are the PC CPU and GPU requirements?
Any reasonably modern CPU will be just fine, and any GPU that can handle OpenGL 2.0 should have no issues. You should make sure to install the latest graphics drivers available though. Windows XP or later is required, Windows 7 or 8 is recommended. Vulkan will help performance where available, also try D3D9 or D3D11 if OpenGL is slow by changing the backend in settings. On some older computers, you may need to use the D3D9 backend.
Where are the 'git' versions everyone is talking about in the forum?
Here.
What are CSO files?
CSO are compressed ISO files that can be played directly, decompressing on the fly. Very useful to save space on your Android device, for example. MaxCSO is a great program to create CSO files. Of course, there are others around the web, too.
I've managed to fix a bug, how do I get the fix into PPSSPP?
If you know GitHub, you know the drill - just make a pull request with the changes, in a clone of the PPSSPP repository. If you don't know Git(Hub), feel free to ask for help.
My favorite game doesn't work in PPSSPP. What can I do?
You can either help out with fixing it, or wait until someone does.
What is the JIT and why can't we use it on iOS?
To emulate advanced systems like the PSP fast, the emulator needs to translate the machine code language of the PSP to the machine code language of your PC or mobile device at runtime. This is done with a 'Just-In-Time recompiler' or JIT, also known as a Dynarec. PPSSPP has JITs for x86 and ARM, 32-bit and 64-bit.
For a JIT to function, an app needs to have the ability to generate machine code at runtime. This is allowed on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, while it is completely disallowed on non-jailbroken iOS and on App Store Mac apps, and on Windows Phone 8. It's almost possible on Windows Phone 10 but the OS has a deficiency making it very unstable on ARM (missing support for FlushInstructionCache()).
How do I get the IPEGA Red Knight (and similar IPEGA pads) to work with PPSSPP?
First, make sure you have charged it to the max once. If you don't, the normal Android mode will not work!
Then, just flip the power switch to on, and press Home+X to start it in Android mode. After that, things should just work! You may want to tweak the controls a little bit in Control Mapping but the defaults are mostly okay.
My app is on the PPSSPP Homebrew Store and I do not approve!
Shoot me an e-mail (hrydgard at gmail dot com) and I'll remove it.
Where can I find the privacy policy?
Here: The PPSSPP privacy policy
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About PPSSPP
This tutorial is to help you with PPSSPP for Windows. PPSSPP is the #1 emulator for the Sony PSP! It has the usual bundle of features we expect from an emulator. Its game compatibility is very good. PPSSPP's drawback is that it's too good of an emulator - it's resource demanding! Even if you have a pretty fast computer, PPSSPP may struggle to run at full speed.
*If you would like to download PPSSPP, I have it in my emulators page.
64-bit and 32-bit versions
Included in the zip file for PPSSPP are two EXE's: “PPSSPPWindows.exe” and “PPSSPPWindows64.exe”. So what's the difference and which one do you use? That depends on which version of Windows you have:
- PPSSPPWindows64.exe - PPSSPP for 64-bit Windows
- PPSSPPWindows.exe - PPSSPP for 32-bit Windows
What's 64-bit and 32-bit Windows? I won't drown you with technical jargon. In short: these are types of Windows systems. 64-bit is newer and faster, and 32-bit is older and slower. If you have 64-bit Windows, you need to use the 64-bit version of PPSSPP. And vice versa with 32-bit.
They stopped making 32-bit computers around 2017, so chances are you're most likely using a 64-bit computer. If you're not sure if you have 64-bit or 32-bit Windows, here's how you can check:
- On the bottom left where you see Search the web and Windows, do a search for “64-bit”.
- You'll see this come up: “See if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows”. Click it.
- You'll arrive here . Look for “System type”. If it says “64-bit operating system” then you're using 64-bit Windows. If it says “32-bit operating system” then you're using 32-bit Windows.
Using Windows XP? Here are directions for that .
Installation
PPSSPP is a standalone program so it does not have an install wizard. Installation is simple: just extract PPSSPP from its zip file. Not sure how to extract zip files? Here's a video tutorial showing you how: how to unzip files on Windows.
IMPORTANT! PPSSPP must be placed in a common folder on your computer. I recommend Documents, Downloads, or create a folder on your desktop. If you place PPSSPP somewhere else on your main C drive, then you may be restricting it to read-only access. Doing so prevents PPSSPP from saving anything.
To open PPSSPP, double-click on , or if your system requires the 32-bit version.
Setting up the keyboard or gamepad
- Firstly, PPSSPP doesn't let you access the button configuration while a game is running. So if you currently have a game running, save and go to Emulation > Stop.
- The button configuration is found by going to Game Settings > Control Mapping, as shown below:
- You'll arrive at the Control Mapping screen:
You can navigate this screen like a web page. You can click & drag, use the scroll-wheel on your mouse, or use the keyboard directional arrows. As you can see, PPSSPP already has all the buttons setup including gamepad buttons. Each virtual button has multiple instances of buttons. For example, “kbd.Up” is Up on the keyboard and “pad1.Up” is Up on a gamepad (if you have one plugged in). - If you wish, you can reconfigure any button. Just click on the one you want to change. PPSSPP will prompt you with a little box. From there, press the new keyboard key or gamepad button you want it changed to.
Loading a game
- PPSSPP needs games extracted from their archives. So if your PSP ISO is in a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file, you need to extract it. If you're not sure how to extract ZIP files, here's a video with directions. If you don't have the ability to extract RAR or 7Z files, you can do so with 7-Zip (it's free).
- Examples of PSP ISO filesOnce extracted, note that your PSP ISO must be one of the following file formats: ISO, CSO, PBP, ELF, or PRX. If your ISO format is not in one of those formats, then it is not a valid ISO. You'd need to download your game from somewhere else to obtain it in a valid file format.
- To load a game, go to File > Load or click Load - as shown below.
- You'll see the “Open” window. PPSSPP defaults to its main folder. If you placed your PSP games here, they will be the first thing you see. If you placed your PSP games elsewhere on your computer, you'd need to navigate to that folder. Select the game you want to play then click Open, as shown here . Your game will begin running.
- You only need to load a game this way once. Hence, your game will appear as an icon shortcut on the main PPSSPP screen. Like this:
To load your game, all you'd need to do is click the icon shortcut.
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Q: I get errors loading games!
If you get one of these errors:
- This is not a PSP game
- Error loading file: file is compressed
There are two reasons you might be getting these errors:
- Possible Reason #1: You didn't extract the game from its archive. The archive would be in ZIP, RAR, or 7Z format.
- Is Windows hiding the file extensions of your archives? Here's a video showing you how to show file extensions.
- If you're not sure how to extract ZIP files, here's a video with directions.
- If you don't have the ability to extract RAR or 7Z files, you can do so with 7-Zip (it's free).
- Possible Reason #2: You have a bad game. Perhaps it's partially corrupt. Try downloading the game from somewhere else.
Full screen
Press Alt+Enter or F11 to enter full screen. Press Alt+Enter or F11 again to go back to window mode. While in full screen mode, you can press the Esc key to access your save files or exit the game to the main PPSSPP menu.
If your computer is not that fast, you may encounter lag while your game is running in full screen. If that's the case, read the section below about improving slow performance.
Improving slow performance
The challenge with PPSSPP is that out of the box it's optimized for maximum performance. Slower computers may not be fast enough for it. Fortunately, PPSSPP can be tinkered with to improve its performance on your computer.
1. Reduce the rendering resolution
I think this is the best start toward better performance. By default, PPSSPP is automatically setting the rendering resolution depending on the size of the window or if you're in full screen mode. You can force PPSSPP to always render in a lower resolution. You can do so by going to Game Settings > Rendering Resolution > 3x. If 3x still doesn't improve your performance, try 2x. Look below:
See, it's not too bad. All that lowering the resolution does is make the screen look a little blurry and slightly more pixelated. Try even 1x if 2x doesn't help. But if even 1x doesn't help (or looks too ugly), keep reading.
2. Enable frameskipping
Enabling frameskipping will allow you to keep optimal graphics, but animation will no longer be smooth. To enable frameskipping just go to Game Settings > Frameskipping > Auto. This should be enough to improve performance. If not, keep reading.
3. Skip buffer effects
Now we're jumping into sacrificing graphic quality. Skipping buffer effects will disable any special graphical effects. It'll cause some pieces of graphics that were once beautiful to be solid black. See below:
To enable this, go to Game Settings > Rendering Mode > Skip buffer effects. If even skipping buffer effects doesn't improve PPSSPP's performance, then your computer isn't fast enough to handle PPSSPP.
Fixing 'jumpy' screens
Even if you lowered the rendering resolution and enabled auto frameskip (as explained above), you may find that the screen is refreshing awkwardly. It's most obvious when you turn a corner in a 3D game. Like this:
How do you fix this? With vertical sync! Enable it by going to Game Settings > VSync.
Save states
Save states is a feature that saves the exact spot you are in any game. You can use this feature manually by going into the File menu or by quick keyboard shortcuts.
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PPSSPP offers two ways to use save states. You have quick saves and save state files.
Quick saves
If you want instant gratification, quick saves are the instant saving you want.
- Capturing a quick save: To capture a quick save go to File > Save State, or press the F2 key. You could also press the Esc key during gameplay to access the save states screen to save a state, which looks like this:
- Loading a quick save: To load a quick save that you previously saved, go to File > Load State, or press the F4 key. You could also press the Esc key during gameplay to access the save states screen to load a state.
- 5 States! PPSSPP lets you save up to 5 different quick save states. You can toggle between these slots by going to File > Savestate Slot and choose a slot. You could also press the F3 key to change slots, or press the Esc key during gameplay.
Save state files
These saves require an extra step but allow you to save a state as a file with a custom name.
- Capturing a save state: To capture a save state go to File > Save State File. Type in a name for the save then click Save or press the Enter key.
- Loading a save state: To load a save state that you previously saved, go to File > Load State File. Select the save you want to load. Note that PPSSPP can only load PPSSPP save states; not save states from other emulators. Also, it can only load a save state from a specific game. For example, if you have the North American version of Final Fantasy IV and you try to load a save state from the UK version, it won't work.
Fast forward
Fast forward is the feature that speeds up the game. To access it, press the Tab key. Hold it down and let go until you want the fast forwarding to end.
Capturing screen shots
First, you need to decide how big you want the screen shots to be. PPSSPP will capture screen shots at the exact size you currently have the window. Or if you're in full screen mode, it'll capture screen shots at full resolution. You can change the window size by going to Game Settings > Window Size.
To capture a screen shot, just press the F12 key. PPSSPP will dump the shot as a JPG in memstick > PSP > SCREENSHOT, as shown below:
Do you prefer capturing screen shots as a lossless PNG? Well, you're stuck with JPG. To capture PNG screen shots you need a screen capture program. A good free one that I recommend is ShareX. Once installed, you can just press Ctrl+Prt Scr and hover over the game screen. ShareX will capture the game screen as if PPSSPP just took a screen shot. ShareX will dump the PNG screen shot in Documents > ShareX > Screenshots.
Finding ISOs
In my links page, I have some good links to sites where you can download PSP ISOs. If you want to try to find more sites than what's in my collection of links, just Google around. For example, if you want to download God of War just Google “download god of war psp”.
You may have some trouble finding a good site since most ROM sites do not have PSP games due to their large size. The same goes for trying to find ISOs for systems such as PS2/PS3/GameCube/Wii and beyond. Fortunately, people upload large games to cloud platforms all the time. You'll only find these links to such valuable resources on Reddit. You can find these Reddit links on Google with such keywords as “reddit download psp games”.
Q: I get Error Code 80110383!
You currently have PPSSPP in a read-only location on your computer. You must move PPSSPP to a more common location such as Documents, Downloads, or a folder on your desktop.
Q: PPSSPP isn't saving anything!
If you're using PPSSPP for the first time and you're finding that you have all these problems:
- Save states aren't working. You save a state, then when you try to reload it nothing happens.
- When you save your game at a save point and close/re-open PPSSPP, you find that the save is lost.
- Emulator configurations that you changed aren't saved. When you close/re-open PPSSPP, you have to make those configuration changes again.
Then your problem is that you currently have PPSSPP in a read-only location on your computer. You must move PPSSPP to a more common location such as Documents, Downloads, or a folder on your desktop.
Thank you for reading my tutorial! If you found it useful, you're welcome to return the gesture by buying something from my Amazon store. If have questions you're welcome to email me or message me on social media.
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