Save Data Backup Guide for Citra MMJ – Never Lose Progress Again

Few things are as frustrating as losing 40 hours of Pokémon progress to a failed emulator update. Citra MMJ stores saves in a predictable location, and backing them up takes under two minutes. This guide covers exactly how to do it.

Understanding Save Types in Citra MMJ

There are two distinct save types you should protect:

In-game saves — These are the save files written by the game itself when you use the in-game save menu. They live in the sdmc folder and match the same structure as the original 3DS’s SD card. These are the most important saves to protect.

Save states — These are snapshot saves created by Citra MMJ itself at any point in gameplay, regardless of the game’s save system. They are convenient but not portable across major emulator versions.

Where Are the Save Files?

On Android with Citra MMJ installed via APK:

/Android/data/org.citra.citra_emu.mmj/files/
  └── sdmc/
      └── Nintendo 3DS/
          └── [Title ID folders] ← in-game saves here
  └── states/          ← save states here
  └── cheats/
  └── shaders/

You need a file manager with storage access permission to browse the /Android/data/ path. Recommended: MiXplorer, Solid Explorer, or X-plore File Manager.

Step-by-Step Backup Process

1. Open Your File Manager

Grant storage access if prompted. Navigate to:

/Android/data/org.citra.citra_emu.mmj/files/

2. Copy the sdmc Folder

Long-press the sdmc folder and select Copy. Navigate to a safe destination such as:

• Your Downloads folder
• A dedicated Citra Backup folder in internal storage
• Google Drive or another cloud service

Paste the folder there. On a typical save collection, this takes 5–30 seconds.

3. Copy the states Folder (Optional)

Repeat the same process for the states folder if you rely on save states. Note that save states may not be compatible across different versions of Citra MMJ.

4. Label Your Backup

Rename your backup folder with a date, e.g., citra-backup-2026-01-29. This prevents confusion if you accumulate multiple backups.

Restoring a Backup

To restore, simply copy your backup sdmc folder back to:

/Android/data/org.citra.citra_emu.mmj/files/

Overwrite the existing sdmc folder. Launch Citra MMJ and your saves will be exactly as they were at backup time.

When to Backup

Create a backup:

• Before any major Citra MMJ update — new versions occasionally change the save format in ways that can corrupt old states
• Before changing graphics API (Vulkan ↔ OpenGL) — rare but possible compatibility issues
• Before installing cheats or mods — mods can corrupt in-game saves if applied incorrectly
• Weekly, if you play regularly — treat it like any important file you wouldn’t want to lose

Cloud Sync Option

For automatic off-device protection, use an app like Autosync for Google Drive or FolderSync to automatically mirror your sdmc folder to cloud storage whenever it changes. Configure it to sync only when on Wi-Fi to avoid mobile data usage.

Backup is a habit that takes 90 seconds and can save weeks of gameplay. Set a reminder now.