No Piracy.

We do not condone piracy of any kind. Asking for, providing or discussing illegal download links is not allowed in our communities.

Purchasing legitimate game copies, through the PlayStation Store or through acquiring game discs, and using those copies with RPCS3 is the best way to ensure you will have a clean copy that will work with the emulator. You can use your legal copies with RPCS3 by following the instructions in our Quickstart guide.

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Initial Setup

Supported Devices and Platforms

RPCS3 is capable of running on many different hardware configurations, so long as the recommended hardware requirements are met.

PC (x64)

Expect good performance for desktop and laptop PCs running on any of the supported operating systems as well as the recommended system hardware specifications.

See the PC Requirements section for more details.

Mac (x64 / ARM)

Expect decent performance on Macs with high-end Intel CPUs and variable performance with Apple Silicon on macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later.

See the For Mac section for more details.

Handheld (x64)

Expect highly variable performance for handhelds with less than 6 cores and/or 16GB of RAM. Using Linux is highly recommended due to its lower software overhead.

See the For handhelds section for more details.

Supported Input Devices

RPCS3 supports a multitude of inputs ranging from Xinput, Dinput, SDL and proprietary Sony APIs.

Keyboard
Can be used, but your experience may vary
Xbox/Xinput
Works via a Bluetooth or USB connection
DualSense
Works via a Bluetooth or USB connection
DualShock 4
Works via a Bluetooth or USB connection
DualShock 3
Works via a Bluetooth or USB connection
PS Eye
Works via a USB connection

PC Requirements

Hardware requirements for running RPCS3 will vary depending on your current configuration. For the best experience, users should be targeting the recommended requirements. We cannot guarantee good performance if you are below the recommended requirements but you're always welcome to experiment.

Recommended

For running all playable games with playable performance

CPU

AMD - 6 cores and 12 threads or more

AMD Zen 3 architecture or newer

Intel - 6 cores and 12 threads, 8 cores or more

Intel Comet Lake architecture or newer

GPU

AMD - Vulkan compatible with active driver support

AMD Polaris architecture, RX 400 series or newer

NVIDIA - Vulkan compatible with active driver support

NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, GTX 900 series or newer

RAM

16 GB of dual-channel RAM or more

Memory in dual-channel mode is highly recommended over single-channel

Storage

SSD storage for emulator data, SSD or HDD storage for games


512 MB for base emulator data, 5 GB for virtual console dev_hdd1 cache
128 MB for emulator cache and console user data per installed game
Windows Linux FreeBSD

OS

Windows

Windows 10 22H2 or later, Windows 11 23H2 or later

Linux

Linux 6.10 (Latest), 6.6 (LTS) or later

macOS

macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later

FreeBSD

FreeBSD 13.3+, 14.1+ or later

Minimum

For being able to boot/run games, performance is not guaranteed

CPU

AMD - Any x64 CPU

CPUs without AVX2, with 4 threads or less, or with 2 cores per CCX should perform badly

Intel - Any x64 CPU

CPUs without AVX2, or with 4 threads or less should perform badly

GPU

AMD - OpenGL 4.3 compatible or newer

AMD Evergreen architecture, HD 5000 series or newer

NVIDIA - OpenGL 4.3 compatible or newer

NVIDIA Fermi architecture, GTX 400 series or newer

RAM

8 GB of RAM or more

Single-channel memory should perform badly

Storage

SSD or HDD storage for emulator data and games


512 MB for base emulator data, 5 GB for virtual console dev_hdd1 cache
128 MB for emulator cache and console user data per installed game
Windows Linux FreeBSD

OS

Windows

Windows 10, Windows 11

Linux

Linux 5.4 (Older LTS), Ubuntu 20.04 or later

macOS

macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later

FreeBSD

FreeBSD 13.3 or later

For PC Laptops

RPCS3 performs well when running on powerful Intel and AMD based laptops. We recommend laptops with a CPU that has at least 8 cores with AVX-512 as well as a GPU with vulkan compatibility. Expect highly variable performance on laptops with less than 8 cores or low-power chipsets.

We recommend using a laptop that fits within the following criteria:


  • A laptop with 8-cores and 16-threads or greater
  • A laptop with 16GB of RAM or greater
  • A dedicated graphics card with Vulkan compatibility
  • A dedicated graphics card with 4GB of VRAM or greater
Intel Laptops

Here are some examples of performant mobile Intel CPUs for use with RPCS3:


  • Intel Core i9-13980HX
  • Intel Core i9-12900HX
  • Intel Core i7-11800H (AVX-512)
  • Intel Core i5-11400H (AVX-512)
AMD Laptops

Here are some examples of performant mobile AMD CPUs for use with RPCS3:


  • AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX (AVX-512)
  • AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX
  • AMD Ryzen 7 6800H
  • AMD Ryzen 7 5800H

For Mac

Although RPCS3 is capable of running on both Apple Silicon and Intel x64 based Macs, your experience might heavily vary depending on the actual hardware.

We recommend using a Mac that fits within the following criteria:


  • A Mac with 8-cores or greater
  • A Mac with 16GB of RAM/Unified RAM or greater
  • A Radeon dGPU with 2GB of VRAM or greater and Vulkan compatibility (Intel CPU Macs only)
MacBook

Here are some examples of performant MacBooks for use with RPCS3:


  • MacBook Pro w/ Apple M2 (2023)
  • MacBook Pro w/ Apple M1 (2021)
  • MacBook Air w/ Apple M1 (2020)
  • MacBook Pro w/ Intel i9 8-core (2019)
iMac

Here are some examples of performant iMacs for use with RPCS3:


  • iMac w/ Apple M1 (2023)
  • iMac Pro w/ Intel Xeon 8-core (2020)
  • iMac w/ Intel i9 10-core (2020)
  • iMac w/ Intel i7 8-core (2020)
Mac Studio / Mini

Here are some examples of performant Mac Studios and Mac Minis for use with RPCS3:


  • Mac Studio w/ Apple M2 Max (2023)
  • Mac Studio w/ Apple M1 Max (2022)
  • Mac Mini w/ Apple M2 (2023)
  • Mac Mini w/ Apple M1 (2020)

For Handhelds

RPCS3 is capable of running on powerful handhelds, but expect highly variable performance for handheld devices with less than 8 cores.

We recommend using a handheld that fits within the following criteria:


  • A handheld with 8-cores and 16-threads or greater (AMD's Zen 4 architecture is highly recommended)
  • A handheld with 16GB of RAM or greater
  • An APU/SOC GPU with Vulkan compatibility
Steam Deck

Here are the hardware specifications for this handheld:


  • AMD 4-cores / 8-threads APU (Custom)
  • 16GB LPDDR5 (5500MHz)
  • 64GB - 512GB (Expandable)
  • SteamOS
ROG Ally

Here are the hardware specifications for this handheld:


  • AMD 8-cores / 16-threads APU (Z1 Extreme)
  • AMD 6-cores / 12-threads APU (Z1)
  • 16GB LPDDR5 (6400MHz)
  • 512GB (Expandable)
  • Windows 11
Legion Go

Here are the hardware specifications for this handheld:


  • AMD 8-cores / 16-threads APU (Z1 Extreme)
  • AMD 6-cores / 12-threads APU (Z1)
  • 16GB LPDDR5 (7500MHz)
  • 512GB (Expandable)
  • Windows 11

Software Setup

Download RPCS3

Now that you have validated the type of hardware you plan to use with RPCS3, you can use this section to select the appropriate version of the emulator for use with your device.

For less common platforms and/or previous builds, see the downloads page for our full catalog.

Windows
Users can expect to run RPCS3 on a wide range of hardware setups on both laptops and desktops with support for Windows 10 and 11.
SHA-256
2047EEE80319C47706D1D9CF839AEB2DFC7EBEDCA3ECD782EA6F0B85F5A6EDA7
Size
32.3 MB
Download
Linux
Users can expect to run RPCS3 at the best possible performance on a wide range of hardware setups with support for most common distros.
SHA-256
0E7F72DEA8D68FA553EA08FDB6BA0106D9530D8D47A7BAB26A04D5375DB3A65E
Size
90.7 MB
Download
macOS
Users can expect to run RPCS3 on Macs with Apple Silicon or Intel processors with dedicated graphics on macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later.
SHA-256
703AA00B0D00BFE32EBFEAC5B5697332FABEDAE7C4051DA1425698D42CC4FAD7
Size
63.3 MB
Download

User Interface

Here is a quick and basic overview of the RPCS3 user interface.

RPCS3 0.0.0-00000-ABCDEFGH Alpha | master
FileEmulationConfigurationManageUtilitiesViewHelp
Open
Refresh
FullScr
Stop
Start
Config
Pads
List
Grid
Game List
IconNameSerialVersionCategoryPlayStation MoveSupported ResolutionsLast PlayedTime Played
Log
LogTTY
- SYS: RPCS3 v0.0.0-00000-ABCDEFGH Alpha | master
- SYS: 13th Gen(R) Core(TM) i9-13900KS | 32 Threads | 47.85GiB RAM | TSC 3.187GHz | AVX+ FMA3
- SYS: Operating system: Windows, Major: 11, Minor: 0, Build 22621, Service Pack: none, Compatibility mode: 0
- SYS: Current Time: 2023-05-16T12:00:00
- RSX: Found Vulkan-compatible GPU: 'NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090' running on driver 545.92.0.0
- SYS: Firmware Version 4.88
S UPDATER: RPCS3 is up to date!

PS3 System Software and Windows Redistributable

RPCS3 requires the PlayStation 3 system software because it contains dependencies and proprietary libraries for the emulator to function. If you are running Windows, the Microsoft Visual C++ redistributable is required - Linux, macOS and FreeBSD do not require it.

Updating / Installing PS3 System Software

To install the PlayStation 3 system software, simply use RPCS3's built in firmware installer found under File > Install Firmware. To update the PlayStation 3 system software or install a custom firmware, simply repeat these steps to overwrite any existing firmware files.

Updating / Installing RPCS3 Updates

RPCS3 features an auto-updater which will prompt you if you want to update after starting the emulator. You can either accept, deny or disable updates all together. We do not recommended disabling updates due to the volume of fixes that roll out each day.

In the event that you need to update RPCS3 manually, you can follow the following instructions:

Download and extract the latest build then overwrite copy/paste the files into your RPCS3 root directory.

Download the latest AppImage and make it executable with chmod a+x ./rpcs3-*_linux64.AppImage && ./rpcs3-*_linux64.AppImage

Download and open latest .7z macOS build and drag and drop the RPCS3.app file into the Applications folder.

Check your system package manager for the latest build.

PS3 Game Directory

Some PlayStation 3 games come in the form of package files, specifically PlayStation Network games, game updates or applications in general. .PKG files must be extracted using RPCS3's package installer found under File > Install Packages/Raps/Edats (or drag and dropped onto emulator window)


Blu-ray disc game data should be placed in \games located in your RPCS3 root folder or anywhere else except for \dev_hdd0\game\ and can be booted from File > Boot Game if not present on the game list.


Note: PlayStation Network games must be placed in \dev_hdd0\game\

Note: PlayStation Network .rap files must be placed in \dev_hdd0\home\00000001\exdata\ (or drag and dropped onto emulator window)

PS3 Save Directory

PlayStation 3 save data is specific to each game you have installed. It's easy to import a save from a real PlayStation 3 or outside source by simply dragging and dropping it into the save data directory.

Here are the locations where save data is stored per operating system:

For Windows users, save data files can be managed in \dev_hdd0\home\00000001\savedata\

For Linux users, save data files can be managed in ~/.config/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/

For macOS users, save data files can be managed in ~/Library/Application Support/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/home/00000001/savedata/

For FreeBSD users, save data files can be managed in ~/.config/rpcs3/dev_hdd0/

PS3 Game Updates

Game updates are handled the same as PlayStation Network .PKGs. Simply install using RPCS3's package installer found under File > Install Packages/Raps/Edats

Note: Game updates must be the same region in order to work. Cross-mixing game regions may create irreversible damage to the game.

Adding Your Games

Game Dumping Methods

You can use both an original PlayStation 3 console with custom firmware or a PC with a compatible Blu-ray disc drive to dump your games.

PlayStation 3 w/ CFW or HEN

PlayStation 3 games can be dumped using an original console running a file manager homebrew software such as ManagunZ, IRISMAN or MultiMAN via a custom or hybrid firmware but will require basic knowledge regarding the installation its use.

For more information on this topic, check our Wiki page.

PC w/ Blu-ray Drive

PlayStation 3 games can be dumped using a PC with a compatible Blu-ray disc drive using dedicated software but may require advanced knowledge regarding dumping data from game discs.

More information on compatible Blu-ray drives can be found below.

Compatible PC Blu-ray Drives

Here's a list of known compatible Blu-ray drives that are capable of reading PlayStation discs for use with your computer.

LG Drives
BE16NU50 External Drive
BH14NS40
BH16NS40
BH16NS48
BH16NS55
BH26NS40
BP50NB40 External Drive
BU20N
BU40N
CH12NS30
UH12NS30
WH12LS30 Some revisions
WH14NS40
WH16NS40
WH16NS48
WH24LS30
WH24NS40
WH26NS40
BH16NS60
BE14NU40
WP50NB40
WH16NS60
BP55EB40External Drive
UH12NS40
BH16NS58
BH14NS58
CH30N
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ASUS Drives
BC-08B1LT
BC-12B1ST Some revisions
BC-12D2HT
BC-16D1HT
BW-12B1ST
BW-16D1HT
BW-14D1XT
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
Samsung Drives
SH-B083L
SH-B123L
SE-506External Drive
SE-406External Drive
SE-506CBExternal Drive
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
LITE-ON Drives
DH-4O1S
IHBS112
IHBS312
DS-6E2SH 19C revision
DH-8B2SH
DH-12B2SH
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
Sony Drives
Optiarc BD-5300S
Optiarc BWU-500S
PlayStation 3 BDDAdapter required
PlayStation 4 BDDCFW required
HP Drives
BD335E
BD335i
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
Plextor Drives
PX-B950UEExternal Drive
PX-B950SA
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
BenQ Drives
BR1000
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
TEAC Drives
BD-W512GSA
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE
ADD BD DRIVE HERE

Using Windows, Linux or macOS w/ Disc Dumper

This is an automated and user-friendly way of getting a decrypted copy of your PlayStation 3 discs. You must possess one of the aforementioned compatible disc drives to complete the disc dumping procedure. Again, this method will not work with standard Blu-ray drives.

For detailed information on dumping PlayStation 3 games using this tool, check the official RPCS3 Wiki.