PSP Emulator
Most problems with a PSP emulator come from a handful of causes: an outdated version, the wrong graphics backend, a damaged game file or a setting that does not suit a particular game. Work through the list in order; the early fixes solve the majority of cases.
Update first
Each release fixes dozens of game-specific bugs. Recent versions, for example, fixed a rare crash in games that draw a lot, music looping in certain titles and texture-loading bugs. Download the latest version from our homepage before changing anything else.
Black screen or no picture
- Switch the graphics backend between Vulkan and OpenGL, or Direct3D 11 on Windows.
- Restart the emulator after switching; the change only applies on a fresh start.
- Update your phone's system software or your PC's graphics driver.
Lag and stutter
Turn on the FPS counter to see whether the game is slow everywhere or only in some scenes. Constant slowness points to settings that are too high; lower the rendering resolution and turn off texture upscaling. Short hitches when new areas load usually come from shader compilation and fade after the first visit, because the emulator keeps a shader cache.
Crashes at the same spot
A crash in exactly the same place every time often means a damaged game file. Make a fresh backup from your disc and compare file sizes. If the file is fine, try disabling speed hacks such as skip buffer effects, which some games do not tolerate.
Graphics glitches
Flickering, missing effects or wrong colors are usually tied to specific games. Reset graphics settings to default for that game using a per-game config, then turn options back on one by one. The official compatibility list and forums often have notes for specific titles.
Audio crackling
Crackling sound means the emulator is not keeping up. Lower graphics settings until the FPS counter is steady. On Windows, switching audio devices while playing used to cause crashes, which newer versions have fixed.
Still stuck?
Reset all settings from Settings > System > Restore default settings. If the problem persists with defaults on the latest version and a clean game file, it may be a known compatibility issue that a future release will address.