Deep Sky Creations

Ultimate Emulator / Setup & help

When Something's Not Right

Find the problem. Take a safe first step.

Choose what you are having trouble with. Each section lists what you might be seeing, the first things to check, and where to go for the full detail. Every step here is safe: nothing deletes your games, saves or settings.

  • Safe steps first
  • Nothing deleted
  • Points to the right guide

01 / Start here

What are you having trouble with?

02 / Games

A game does not appear.

You added a folder but a game is missing from Games, is listed under the wrong system, or shows Missing.

First checks

  • The folder is listed and turned on in Settings → Library → Game Folders.
  • The game is for one of the included systems.
  • You have run Scan for Games since adding or moving it.
  • If games moved, add the new folder and remove the old one.
A game is listed under the wrong system, or as Unidentified.

Open the folder's Options, set its System, then scan the folder again.

Games show Missing.

Their files are not where Ultimate Emulator last saw them. Reconnect the drive, or point it at the folder they now live in.

Readiness still looks out of date after a scan.

Use Repair Library in Settings → Library → Advanced. It rechecks files and readiness and fixes out-of-date records. Game files, saves and your edits are not changed.

Go deeper

03 / Play

A game will not start.

The game is in Games, but pressing Play shows a message instead, or the game does not run as expected.

First checks

  • Read the game's status on its details page. Firmware required means its system needs a file first.
  • Odyssey², Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx, PlayStation and Game Boy Advance need firmware you provide. Check Systems for Needs BIOS.
  • Missing means the game's file has moved or its drive is disconnected.
  • Nintendo 64 does not need Vulkan to start. Without a Vulkan-capable graphics card it falls back to software rendering at native resolution, which may run more slowly.
It says Firmware required.

Choose Open Firmware Setup on that page, add the file you own, and press Play again once the page says Ready to play.

One game does not work, but others on the same system do.

Compatibility varies by game, and some systems are still Beta or Experimental. Check the system's status in the supported-systems matrix. Trying another copy of the game you own can help if the file may be damaged.

It worked yesterday.

Check whether the game's file or its firmware has moved, or its drive is disconnected. If a game has its own Game Settings, return a recently changed setting to its default.

Go deeper

04 / Input

A controller does not work as expected.

A controller is not listed, a button does the wrong thing, or the second player has no control.

First checks

  • Windows recognizes the controller. Reconnect it by USB or pair it again over Bluetooth.
  • It appears under Connected Controllers in Settings → Controllers.
  • It is assigned to the right player.
  • The keyboard keeps working in the meantime.
A button does the wrong thing in one game only.

That game, or its system, probably has its own layout that overrides your Controller Default. Check the mapping for that system or game.

A stick drifts or feels wrong.

Adjust its dead zone under Sticks & Triggers. Use Default there resets that controller's stick settings; button mappings and players are not changed.

Go deeper

05 / Picture

The picture looks wrong.

The image is stretched, blurry, too dark, different in one game, or Ultimate Emulator's display misbehaves after you changed a setting.

First checks

  • Check whether the game has its own graphics settings, which take priority over your defaults.
  • Use Default removes one setting's override; Authentic restores the original presentation.
  • If the display is unusable, start in Safe Mode (below) and change the setting back.
Only one game looks different.

It probably has its own graphics settings. Open its Game Settings and return them to the default.

A setting I chose made things worse.

Choose Use Default for that setting, or choose the Authentic profile, then customize again one change at a time.

Go deeper

06 / Progress

A save or state is not where you expect.

A state will not load, Continue is missing, or you are not sure where your progress is kept.

First checks

  • Decide whether you are looking for an in-game save or a save state.
  • Open the game and choose Manage States to see its states.
  • After an update, an older state may not load. Load your latest in-game save instead.
  • Save states are not available for Odyssey², Intellivision, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, SG-1000, Master System, Atari 7800, Atari Lynx and Game Gear.
Continue does not appear for a game.

The game has no resume point. Check that Auto Resume is on in Settings → Storage. Resume points are made when you leave a supported game.

Should I delete or move data folders to fix this?

No. Storage never clears saves or states, and nothing in these guides asks you to delete folders. Use Manage States for individual states.

Go deeper

07 / Play together

A multiplayer session does not work.

A friend or session is not visible, a player cannot join, the connection drops, or a game does not offer the mode you want.

First checks

  • Online sessions need Premium for everyone taking part. Local play on one PC needs no account.
  • Both players are signed in to the intended Deep Sky accounts.
  • The game and system support the mode you chose. Support varies by game.
  • Both internet connections are stable.
The second local player has no control.

Check that the second controller is assigned to Player 2 in Settings → Controllers, and that the game itself is in its multiplayer mode.

The connection fails or drops.

Some networks block direct connections. Hosted relay connections are Coming Soon, so a connection cannot be guaranteed on every network yet.

Go deeper

08 / Staying current

An update will not check, download or install.

No update notice appears, the check fails, a download stops, or an update is refused.

First checks

  • Open Settings → Updates and choose Check for Updates.
  • Couldn't check usually means no internet connection; Ultimate Emulator works normally offline.
  • Only the version installed with the Windows Setup installer updates itself.
The update refused to install.

It did not pass verification, so nothing was installed and your current version is untouched. Try again later, and only install Ultimate Emulator from the official download.

It will not start after updating.

See Startup below. The recovery screen can restore the previous version without affecting your library, saves, settings or sign-in.

Go deeper

09 / Getting back in

Ultimate Emulator will not start correctly.

It closes, stops before the window appears, or says it could not finish starting.

First checks

  • Close it and open it again once.
  • If it repeatedly fails to start, the recovery screen appears. Choose Try Again first.
  • Then try Start in Safe Mode, or hold Shift while you launch it.
  • If the problem began after an update, Restore Previous Version may be offered.
What does the recovery screen do to my data?

Nothing. Try Again, Start in Safe Mode, Restore Previous Version and View Diagnostic Log do not affect your library, saves, settings or sign-in.

Restore Previous Version is not offered.

It needs an earlier version that ran on this computer, and an internet connection to fetch it. Safe Mode is available either way.

It says it could not finish starting.

Close that window and try again. Startup diagnostics are saved for support, so if it keeps happening, contact support from the section below.

Go deeper

10 / One session, nothing changed

Safe Mode.

Safe Mode starts Ultimate Emulator for one session without the parts most likely to stop a display or startup from working. It is a way back in, not a fix in itself — and it changes nothing.

  1. Start in Safe Mode

    Hold Shift while you launch Ultimate Emulator, or choose Start in Safe Mode on the recovery screen.

  2. Read the banner

    A Safe Mode banner says why it started that way and what was skipped.

  3. Change back what caused the problem

    Settings, your library, firmware, controllers and logs all stay available, so you can return a recent change to its default.

  4. Quit and start normally

    Safe Mode lasts for that session only. Starting normally restores everything.

Skipped for the session

What Safe Mode turns off

  • Your own visual filters.
  • The NVIDIA graphics runtime.
  • Enhanced presentation.
  • Startup checks of your emulator cores.
Unchanged

What it does not touch

  • Your settings — nothing is changed or reset.
  • Your games, firmware, saves and save states.
  • Settings itself, so you can repair what broke.

11 / Know what each one does

Repair and reset tools, and what they affect.

Try reversible steps first. Each of these does one specific thing; none of them deletes your games, firmware or saves.

Repair Library
Settings → Library → Advanced, or About & Support. Rechecks every game's files and readiness and fixes out-of-date records. Game files, saves and your edits are not changed.
Use Default (graphics)
Removes one setting's override at the level you are editing. It now follows your other settings.
Use Default (sticks)
Resets one controller's stick settings. Button mappings and players are not changed.
Reset All Hotkeys
Settings → Controllers. Returns every hotkey to its default after you confirm. Your game controls are separate and not changed.
Reset Volume & Mute
Resets only default game volume and mute. System, core and game audio overrides stay saved.
Remove from Library
Stops using a game folder. Your game files are not deleted.
Stop Using This File
Stops using a firmware file for a system. Your own copy is not changed or deleted.
Restore Previous Version
On the recovery screen. Reinstalls an earlier version that ran on this computer. Your library, saves, settings and sign-in are not affected.

12 / Still stuck

Contact support.

If none of this helps, tell us what happened and what you were doing. Settings → About & Support has everything you need.

  1. Copy Version Info

    Include your version information in your message.

  2. Email Support

    Opens your own email app. You choose what to send.

  3. Attach a diagnostics report, if you want

    Export Diagnostics makes a small local report about the most recent failed session. It does not include logs, settings, credentials, personal paths, games, firmware or saves, and nothing is uploaded.