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 2 architecture or newer
AMD Threadripper 1000 and 2000 series are not recommended

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

Intel Skylake 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

8 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 22H2 or later

Linux

Linux 6.5 (Latest), 6.1 (LTS) or later

macOS

macOS 12.6+, 13.0+, 14.3+ or later

FreeBSD

FreeBSD 13.2 or later

Minimum

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

CPU

AMD - Any x64 CPU

CPUs without AVX2 and less than 4 cores and 8 threads can be expected to run poorly
CPUs with only 2 cores per CCX cluster can be expected to run poorly

Intel - Any x64 CPU

CPUs without AVX2 and less than 4 cores and 8 threads can be expected to run poorly

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

4 GB of RAM or more

4 GB is the absolute minimum requirement

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 12.4 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 handled:


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

Here are the hardware specifications for this handled:


  • 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 handled:


  • 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
D8D417FD64B6726A2E1BF55374509D4DAA91430A7F57C3BF2F48BDFFCB5EFB1C
Size
27.7 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
00803E2F2D6226D55EB769D6FE6894E9EA3F524C4A4516033AE0FDA07A51F6F0
Size
89.7 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
EC1601B3866CFF2B8DADE7F98D5C5ECB264792632C2A6312BE0BA129672292E4
Size
80.4 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++ 2019 redistributable is required. Linux, macOS and FreeBSD do not require the Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 redistributable.

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 the .DMG file and drag and drop the RPCS3 app into your applications folder when prompted.

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.

Advanced Setup

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 PlayStation 3 console running multiMAN homebrew software via a custom firmware but may require basic knowledge regarding the installation and use of CFW/HEN and multiMAN on a PS3.

For more information about CFW or HEN, check psx-place.com.

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.

Dump Games Using a PS3

We recommend that you dump your own PlayStation 3 games from your own console. This is the most compatible way to migrate your games and the only way to copy digital games to a PC. To do this, you will need a PlayStation 3 system with custom firmware.

For dumping disc-based games, you need to use multiMAN homebrew software. You can transfer game files to a PC through an external drive or by using an FTP connection between your PlayStation 3 and PC.

Note: The PlayStation 3 has a maximum file size of 4GB. When dumping games which contain files larger than 4GB, multiMAN will split those files when the 4GB limit is reached. After the game is dumped from the console and into your PC, you must rejoin the split files back together with part merging software such as ps3merge, otherwise the dump will not work.

For dumping digital games, you must copy the game folder from /dev_hdd0/game/GameID on your console over to the same path within your RPCS3 folder. You will also need to obtain your console's IDPS, the game's RIF and ACT.DAT, in order to generate a .RAP license file to be used with RPCS3.

Note: It is also possible to dump digital content and licenses on any PS3 even without custom firmware by the way of creating a system backup and then extracting it with ps3xport software.

Dump Games Using a PC

You can dump games using your computer by using select compatible Blu-ray drives. Please note that you can only use this method if a .ird file is available online for the decryption of the disc. Not every Blu-ray drive will recognize PlayStation 3 games due to how PlayStation 3 format discs are designed.

Note: Blu-ray drives require a Mediatek chipset and a +6 read offset to fully read PlayStation 3 discs.

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
NaN
ASUS Drives
BC-08B1LT
BC-12B1ST Some revisions
BC-12D2HT
BC-16D1HT
BW-12B1ST
BW-16D1HT
BW-14D1XT
NaN
Samsung Drives
SH-B083L
SH-B123L
SE-506
SE-406
LITE-ON Drives
DH-4O1S
IHBS112
IHBS312
DS-6E2SH 19C revision
Sony Drives
Optiarc BD-5300S
Optiarc BWU-500S
PlayStation 3 BDDAdapter required
NaN
BenQ Drives
BR1000
NaN
NaN
NaN

Using Windows or Linux 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.

Using Windows w/ Advanced Tools

In case the easy way didn't work for you, here's a compiled list of the step-by-step instructions we used for dumping disc-based PlayStation 3 titles. (Not recommended)

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

Using Linux w/ Command Line

If you're comfortable with the Linux command-line and you have a compatible Blu-ray drive, you can try ripping PlayStation 3 discs using a Python program called LibRay.

Do note that this method requires an .ird file that matches your title ID to be available on ps3.aldostools.org/ird. (LibRay will automatically attempt to download the correct .ird file, if it exists, so you do not need to do so manually.) If a matching .ird file is not present, please try the PS3 Disc Dumper mentioned below.

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