Troubleshooting

Troubleshoot when your Operator's LED doesn't light up.

If your Operator's LED doesn't light up when connected, the device isn't receiving power. Here's how to troubleshoot. Even without the LED, Playback might still detect your Operator: Launch Playback Go to Settings (click the Playback logo) Open...

Troubleshoot rapid white LED flashing on your Operator.

A rapidly flashing white LED indicates your Operator is powered on but having difficulty communicating with your computer. This is typically a USB connection issue. This is often the cause. Test with: The included USB cable Another high-quality...

Recover from a failed firmware update (stuck purple LED).

If your Operator's LED is stuck on purple, a firmware update may have stalled or failed. Here's how to recover. Do not disconnect the device if an update might still be in progress. Wait at least 5 minutes before taking any action. The update may...

Troubleshoot when your computer doesn't detect the Operator device.

If your computer isn't recognizing your Operator device, follow these steps to diagnose and resolve the issue. First, look at your Operator's LED: LED is on (any color): The device has power. The issue is likely software-related. LED is off: The...

What to do when Playback can't find your Operator device.

If Playback is continuously searching and not detecting your Operator device, follow these troubleshooting steps. Look at your Operator device's LED: LED is off: See LED Not Powering On LED is flashing white: See LED Flashing White LED is solid...

Troubleshoot when your Operator doesn't detect an inserted cartridge.

If Playback doesn't detect your inserted cartridge, the issue is usually with the cartridge connection rather than the device itself. Dirty pins are the most common cause of detection issues. Clean the pins with 99% isopropyl alcohol and a cotton...

Troubleshoot the "Integrity check failed" error message.

The "Integrity check failed" message indicates that data from your cartridge isn't being read correctly. Here's how to resolve it. Your Operator performs extensive integrity checks to ensure accurate data reading for reliable gameplay. This error...

Troubleshoot the "Failed to load game" error.

The "Failed to load game" message appears when cartridge data is too corrupted to be read. This is more severe than an integrity check failure. Proper contact is essential. Clean the pins with 99% isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab, then let dry...

Troubleshoot when games show a black screen instead of starting.

If you click Start and see a black screen instead of your game, here's how to diagnose and fix the issue. Before troubleshooting a black screen, check if Playback showed any error dialogs: Integrity check failed: See Integrity Check Failed Failed to...

Troubleshoot stuttering, lag, and poor performance in Playback.

If your games are stuttering, running slowly, or experiencing frame drops, here's how to improve performance. Background applications consume CPU and memory that Playback needs: Close web browsers (especially with many tabs) Exit other games or...

What to do when your game shows as "Unknown title" in Playback.

When Playback shows "Unknown title" instead of your game's name and artwork, the game isn't recognized in our database. Here's why and what you can do. Dirty pins can cause detection issues. Clean your cartridge using 99% isopropyl alcohol and a...

Troubleshoot save file loading issues.

If your save file isn't loading correctly, here are the common causes and solutions. Playback uses the .sav format. If your save has a different extension: .srm files (from Everdrive) should work. See Everdrive Save Transfers Rename other extensions...

Why the "Upload Save" option might be unavailable.

If the "Upload Save" option is grayed out, it's usually because the cartridge doesn't support save functionality. Many games, especially older or simpler titles, don't include save memory. These games were designed to be played in a single session...

Why the "Upload Homebrew" option might be unavailable.

If the "Upload Homebrew" option is grayed out, there's a specific reason based on your cartridge type. The most common reason. Official game cartridges use read-only memory. As the name suggests, this memory can only be read. It cannot be written...

Troubleshoot when Playback doesn't recognize your gamepad.

If your controller isn't showing up in Playback at all, the issue is usually with your operating system's detection, not Playback itself. Here's how to diagnose and fix it. Before troubleshooting Playback, confirm your operating system recognizes...

Troubleshoot controller problems when rebinding buttons.

Having trouble rebinding your controller? Here's how to resolve common issues with different controller types. The Steam Deck defaults to "Desktop" mode where buttons have different functions. To use it as a gamepad: Long-press the menu/start button...

Troubleshoot sound problems in Playback.

If you're experiencing audio problems during gameplay, here's how to resolve common issues. Verify your computer's volume isn't muted Check that the correct audio output device is selected in your OS Test audio in other applications to confirm your...

How to locate and send log files when contacting support.

When contacting support about crashes or bugs, log files help our team diagnose issues quickly. Here's how to find and send them. Log files are automatic records of what the software was doing, especially during crashes or unexpected events. They...