Technical Details

For technical details on the exploits that you will be using on this page, see “DSiWare_Exports CTCert verification” and “FIRM partitions known-plaintext” here.

To use the magnet link for frogcert.bin on this page, you will need a torrent client like qBittorrent or Deluge.

What You Need

frogcert.bin
The latest release of Frogtool-nimhax (direct download)
The latest release of b9sTool

Instructions

Section I - CFW Check

As an additional safety measure, we will perform an additional check for custom firmware. This is because using this method when custom firmware is already installed has a risk of bricking the console (rendering it unusable without recovery methods like ntrboot).

Power off your console
Hold the (Select) button
Power on your console while still holding the (Select) button
If the check was successful, you will boot to the HOME Menu and you may proceed with this guide
Power off your console

If you see a configuration menu or the console immediately powers off, you already have CFW, and continuing with these instructions may BRICK your console! Follow Checking for CFW to upgrade your existing CFW.

Section II - Prep Work

Power off your console
Insert your SD card into your computer
Copy boot.firm and boot.3dsx from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
Copy boot.nds (b9sTool) from the b9sTool release .zip to the root of your SD card
Create a folder named 3ds on the root of your SD card if it does not already exist
- This folder stores homebrew applications and data; it is different from the Nintendo 3DS folder that the console automatically generates
Copy the Frogtool folder from the Frogtool-nimhax .zip to the /3ds/ folder on your SD card
Copy frogcert.bin to the root of your SD card
Reinsert your SD card into your console
Power on your console

Section III - Patching DS Download Play

Open the Homebrew Launcher through your method of choice (likely the Internet Browser)
Launch Frogtool from the list of homebrew
Select the “INJECT patched DS Download Play” option
Frogtool will automatically run and inject the JPN version of Flipnote Studio into your DS Download Play
Once this operation has finished, read the screens and check if the process was successful
Tap the touch screen, then select “BOOT patched DS Download Play”
If the exploit was successful, your console will have loaded the JPN version of Flipnote Studio
- If you get stuck on a black screen, follow this page, then try again

Section IV - Flipnote Exploit

In this section, you will perform a series of very specific steps within Flipnote Studio that, when performed correctly, will launch b9sTool, the boot9strap (custom firmware) installer.

If you would prefer a visual guide to this section, one is available here.

Complete the initial setup process for the launched game until you reach the main menu
- Select the left option whenever prompted during the setup process
Using the touch-screen, select the large left box, then select the box with an SD card icon
Once the menu loads, select the face icon, then the bottom right icon to continue
Press (X) or (UP) on the D-Pad depending on which is shown on the top screen
Select the second button along the top with a film-reel icon
Scroll right until reel “3/3” is selected
Tap the third box with the letter “A” in it
Scroll left until reel “1/3” is selected
Tap the fourth box with the letter “A” in it
If the exploit was successful, your console will have loaded b9sTool

Section V - Installing boot9strap

In this section, you will install custom firmware onto your console.

Using the D-Pad, move to "Install boot9strap"
- If you miss this step, the system will exit to HOME Menu instead of installing boot9strap and you will need to open DS Download Play and start over from the beginning of this section
Press (A), then press START and SELECT at the same time to begin the process
Once completed and the bottom screen says “done.”, exit b9sTool, then power off your console
- You may have to force power off by holding the power button
- If your console shuts down when you try to power it on, ensure that you have copied boot.firm from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
- If you see the Luma Configuration screen, power off your console and continue to the next section

Section VI - Luma3DS Configuration

Press and hold (Select), and while holding (Select), power on your console
Your console should have booted into the Luma3DS configuration menu
- Luma3DS configuration menu are settings for the Luma3DS custom firmware. Many of these settings may be useful for customization or debugging
- For the purpose of this guide, leave these options on the default settings (do not check or uncheck anything)
- If your console shuts down when you try to power it on, ensure that you have copied boot.firm from the Luma3DS .zip to the root of your SD card
Press (Start) to save and reboot

At this point, your console will boot to Luma3DS by default.

Luma3DS does not look any different from the normal HOME Menu. If your console has booted into the HOME Menu, it is running custom firmware.
On the next page, you will install useful homebrew applications to complete your setup.

Section VII - Restoring DS Download Play

Launch the Download Play application
Wait until you see the two buttons
- Do not press either of the buttons
Press (Left Shoulder) + (D-Pad Down) + (Select) at the same time to open the Rosalina menu
Select “Miscellaneous options”
Select “Switch the hb. title to the current app.”
Press (B) to continue
Press (B) to return to the Rosalina main menu
Press (B) to exit the Rosalina menu
Press (Home), then close Download Play
Relaunch the Download Play application
Your console should load the Homebrew Launcher
Launch Frogtool from the list of homebrew
Select the “RESTORE clean DS Download Play” option
Once this operation has finished, read the screens and check if the process was successful
- If there are any errors or missing files, correct the problem and try again
If the process was successful, tap the touch screen, then press START to exit
Power off your console

Continue to Finalizing Setup