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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Removing custom firmware (CFW) from a 3DS is not recommended for most cases.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==The Short Version==
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*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">It probably isn't why your game is broken.</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">It probably isn't why some part of your console is broken.</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">It isn't going to permanently break your console. The worst that would happen is Luma3DS needs updating (that's the {{code|boot.firm}} file on your SD card).</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">It isn't going to delete all your saves; in fact, it provides tools to back up to make them extra safer than stock firmware can.</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">It isn't going to cause you to get banned on its own. Don't cheat in online games.</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">If you are selling the console, it might be a good idea to remove it then, but you should check first.</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">If you are sending in the console to Nintendo for repair, it might also be a good idea.</span>

__TOC__
<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Fixing a broken game==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Nearly all cases where a game doesn't work is not due to CFW alone. Most commonly, a corrupt game file or a corrupt save file. Removing CFW would it harder to diagnose the problems with a game. What Luma3DS does is expose more details about why a game doesn't work, allowing for more experienced people to figure it out, while stock would only show a generic "An error has occurred" screen.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Another possible case is due to a plugin or mod that is outdated or for the wrong version of the game. In this case, removing the plugin or mod would fix the game.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
There are a few edge cases where games can break due to CFW settings. In particular, a few games crash on New 3DS if 804MHz and L2 cache are enabled. Usually these can be worked around by temporarily disabling the setting that is breaking the game.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Fixing broken system applications==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Sometimes a built-in part of the firmware might stop working for some reason. Assuming the system was not updated to a point where Luma3DS is currently not compatible, keeping CFW would mean you can fix the corruption, usually with a CTRTransfer. Removing CFW will probably keep the system in a broken state with no way to fix it without ntrboot.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Concerns about bricks==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
CFW has become exceptionally safe to use on the 3DS over the years, both during and after setup. It is nearly impossible to brick on accident. GodMode9, the most common tool for interacting with the 3DS NAND, requires unlocking writing with a button combination when you are about to do something that could cause damage. The button combination requires deliberate inputs and is impossible to do by accident. (add something about corruption checks)
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
If Nintendo ever releases a new system update, there is a chance that Luma3DS will be incompatible with it. This is generally not regarded as a brick as it only breaks Luma3DS trying to boot into the firmware, it does not break running other tools such as GodMode9. Usually a new release is made in about a day and can be fixed by replacing {{code|boot.firm}} on the SD card.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
The last update to break Luma3DS was 11.14.0-46, released 17 November 2020. The last one before that was 11.8.0-41, released 30 July 2018.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Concerns about data loss==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Like mentioned in the past section, CFW has very few risks associated with it, either when setting it up or using it. If you don't delete random files or titles using GodMode9, FBI, or similar tools, you are not likely to lose things such as game saves on the SD card.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
CFW provides access to tools to make your own backups of your games, their saves, and the system's internal storage (aka NAND). These allow for better backups than what Nintendo normally allows. For example if your console is ever lost or broken, everything can be manually migrated to a replacement console. SD card data can be migrated if you have {{Code|movable.sed}} from the original console, which is inside {{Code|essential.exefs}} made during setup. NAND data (e.g. Friend List, Mii Maker, StreetPass Mii Plaza) can be transferred from a NAND backup.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Concerns about bans==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Nintendo most likely doesn't focus on 3DS security anymore. Thousands of people use custom firmware on their consoles without issue. The time where a ban is most likely is when cheats are used in public online rooms.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Nintendo has shut down online play and services for the 3DS on the 8th of April, 2024. There is be nothing to be banned from anymore.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
In the past, there was one well-documented ban wave: when Pokémon Sun and Moon leaked online, some people downloaded it and used its online services before release. Bans were given to those who had done so.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Selling console==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
This is often considered the only real case to remove custom firmware. A buyer may not be willing to accept any kind of homebrew, or the platform may remove listings for modified consoles. Notably, eBay does this if a mention of homebrew is on the listing.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Sometimes a workaround to prevent removal may be to not mention it, but include telltale signs of custom firmware in pictures (e.g. the "Sys" string in System Settings). You may not be willing to risk it however, so removing may be the best option. In this case, you should be careful to not leave remnants that can cause problems on stock, including modified system titles. In particular, make sure the following components work when the console is booted with stock firmware:
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*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">Nintendo 3DS Camera app</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">Health & Safety Information app</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">DS Download Play</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">DS Internet Settings</span>
*<span lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">DS Profile Settings (launching and attempting to enter in a name)</span>

<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
==Sending console in for repairs==
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Nintendo might not like receiving a console with boot9strap on it, so removing custom firmware temporarily would be a good idea. In this case you should make backups of the NAND, as Nintendo does not repair consoles, they replace them instead.
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<div lang="en" dir="ltr" class="mw-content-ltr">
Keep in mind that Nintendo is slowly discontinuing repairs for 3DS models. As of August 2025, Nintendo of America no longer repairs the Old 3DS, Old 3DS XL, New 3DS, or New 3DS XL. Nintendo of Japan no longer repairs any models.
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[[Category:Nintendo 3DS{{#translation:}}]]