Which Consoles and Platforms Does CFW Guide Cover?

Updated

CFW Guide (cfw.guide) hosts separate step-by-step guides for seven platforms: PS Vita, Cemu, iOS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Switch. Each guide takes a stock device or fresh install to a defined end state — Ensō on Vita, boot9strap on 3DS, Aroma on Wii U, Atmosphere on Switch, and so on. If your device is on that list, go straight to its guide; if it isn't, the site has nothing for you.

The guides at a glance

Platform Guide focus Target state
PS Vita Complete hacking guide, stock to custom firmware Ensō
Cemu Installing Cemu and optimizing performance Working, tuned emulator setup
iOS Complete jailbreaking guide Jailbroken device
Nintendo DSi Homebrew guide DSi homebrew running
Nintendo 3DS Custom firmware, stock to CFW boot9strap
Wii U Custom firmware, stock to CFW Aroma
Switch Custom firmware, stock to CFW Atmosphere

Console hacking vs. emulator vs. jailbreak

The seven entries aren't all the same kind of task, and it helps to know which category you're in before you start:

  • Console custom firmware guides — Vita, DSi, 3DS, Wii U, and Switch. These modify the console itself, moving it from stock firmware to a custom firmware environment. Each has a named end state (Ensō, boot9strap, Aroma, Atmosphere), which is the milestone the guide is built around.
  • Emulator guide — Cemu. This is a Wii U emulator for PC, not a console modification. The guide covers installing Cemu and tuning performance, so the "end state" is a working, optimized emulator rather than a hacked device.
  • Jailbreak guide — iOS. Jailbreaking an iPhone or iPad is a different process from console CFW, even though the goal (running software Apple doesn't allow) is similar in spirit.

If you searched for "CFW" and landed on the iOS or Cemu guide, that's expected — the site groups all of these under one roof, but the steps and risks differ by platform.

How to pick your entry point

  1. Identify your exact device. "Switch" means the Switch guide; "3DS" means the 3DS guide. Don't assume a guide for one model applies to a sibling model.
  2. Match the target state to what you want. If you specifically want Atmosphere on Switch or Aroma on Wii U, that's the guide's stated endpoint — you're in the right place.
  3. Check the category. Console CFW, emulator setup, and iOS jailbreak are three different jobs. Pick the one that matches your hardware.
  4. Read the guide's own warnings before starting. The site states that while the guides should be safe, you alone are responsible for any damages to your console while following them.

What the site does not cover

Based on the guides listed, CFW Guide does not currently offer guides for other consoles or platforms beyond the seven above. If your device isn't a PS Vita, a Cemu install, an iOS device, a DSi, a 3DS, a Wii U, or a Switch, there's no matching entry here.

A note on donations

The site accepts donations if you find the guides useful. That's optional and separate from using the guides themselves.