The way I used to do it was tedious and was quite complex, however with the v2.0 release of the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, region changing has become much simpler.

It is identical to just rebuilding the MLC, but this has region changing specific notes added.

This does not change the region of the Gamepad, however you can still use an out-of-region gamepad with Aroma, which can be loaded with the wafel_payloader Stroopwafel plugin, so you don't need to worry about getting a Gamepad from the region you are changing to. If you do want to change the Gamepad region, there is a section at the end of the guide with instructions.

It also does not change the vWii region. If you want to region change the vWii as well, use vWii Decaffeinator on Light Mode to region change. I think you also need to regenerate the setting.txt.

Following this guide will wipe the MLC. You should back up any saves you care about before following. Its possible to do it without wiping the MLC, but you're on your own should you ta

Keep an OTP and SEEPROM backup. Nothing should go wrong, but it is better to have the most important backups and not need them vs. need them and not have them.

DO NOT UNINSTALL ISFSHAX AFTER ERASING THE MLC AND DELETING THE SCFM UNTIL YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REBUILT THE MLC AND CONFIRMED EVERYTHING IS WORKING.
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU FAIL TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS PROPERLY.
If you need support, you can join my server and ask in #help

What you need

• Install isfshax. This is a requirement. You cannot region change without it. (You can also use de_Fuse, but at that point you probably already know what you are doing.)
  
  • Stop at the "Booting" section.
• The release of the MLCRestorerDownloader for your OS.
• The latest release of the MLC setup plugin.
• The latest release of the Payloader plugin.
  • Get the 5payldr.ipx.
• The latest Aroma files (If you have Aroma already, ignore this.)
  
  • Read and tick the 4 boxes -> Click on Download Payloads and Download Base Aroma

Downloading the MLC Titles

1. Extract the MLCRestorerDownloader you downloaded.
2. Copy the otp.bin into the extracted folder.
   
3. Open a command prompt / terminal (Linux/Mac only).
4. cd into the directory with the MLCRestorerDownloader (ie. cd /Downloads/MLCRestorerDownloader) (Linux/Mac only).
5. Run the application (ie .\MLCRestorerDownloader for Linux/Mac users). Windows users can just double click the .exe
6. Type in 1 the for MLC titles.
7. Type in the number for the region you want to change to (ie 2 for USA).
   
8. Wait for it to finish downloading. You can do part of the next section while you wait.

SD Setup

1. Copy the wafel_setup_mlc.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
2. Copy the 5payldr.ipx to sd:/wiiu/ios_plugins.
   
3. Copy the two wiiu folders from the Aroma .zip files to the root of the SD.
4. Make a folder called wafel_install on the root of the SD and copy all 52 MLC titles here.

Region Changing

1. Boot the console.
   
   • If it does not automatically go into minute_minute, go install isfshax.
2. Navigate to Backup and Restore.
3. Select Erase MLC and then press EJECT to confirm.
   • If it tells you MLC Erase not allowed!, go install isfshax.
4. Select Delete scfm.img and press EJECT to confirm.
   • If it tells you SCFM delete not allowed!, install isfshax and quit trying with no safety measures.
5. Go back to the main menu and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc).
   • During the setup you won't use the screen and stay at the GO GO GO minute message. You have to go by the power led.
6. Wait for the LED to start blinking blue, this means the setup has started. Wait for it to stop blinking, that is when the setup has finished.
7. Shut off the console and put the SD back into your PC.
   • Almost everything should have returned 00000000.
   • SetInitialLaunch will have returned 1.
   • If Set Region to X returned error FFFBFFEE, ask for help. That should not happen.
   • Otherwise boot the console again (select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)), and you should be greeted with initial setup. Success!

Region Changing the Gamepad

1. Download the latest release of DRXUtil and copy it to sd:/wiiu/apps.
2. Launch DRXUtil from the Wii U Menu.
   • If it doesn't show up, press L + DPAD Down + Select on the Gamepad and set the "Hide all .rpx" configuration in the "Homebrew on Wii U Menu Plugin" to false.
3. Select Flash firmware.
4. Select Built-in Firmware Patches. Read the warning, then select Continue.
5. Read the second warning, then select Continue.
   • With the patched firmware, the Gamepad will now show "Modified Firmware" while booting up.
6. Select Set region and select the target region.
   • Note that Japan/Americas/Europe are the only regions that are actually used.
7. Press A to confirm. Press B to go back to the main screen.
8. Select Show DRC/DRH information and verify that the region under DRC info has been set to the one you selected.
9. Press B to go back to the main screen and select Flash firmware.
10. Select Original Firmware. Read the warning then select Continue.
11. Read the second warning, then select Continue.
12. Wait for the firmware to flash. Press B once finished and go back to the Wii U Menu.
13. Launch System Settings, select Console Information (Icon with a red Console/Gamepad), select Set System Language, and select the target language. This will change the Gamepad language.
14. Once it's finished, you're done!

After Region Changing

You can keep isfshax installed, or you can uninstall it. I would keep it, so you can load Aroma on boot without needing to install PayloadLoader, or as some form of 'brick protection'. You can set up autobooting in minute to have it automatically load IOSU. Instructions for that are on the isfshax guide.

Credits

@SDIO: isfshax setup guides, the wafel_setup_mlc plugin, help get the PoC to work, cleaning up my code, making the region fixer more sane...
@shinyquagsire23: de_Fuse, minute_minute, and stroopwafel
@GaryOderNichts: Also help me get the PoC working, DRXUtil
@rw-r-r_0644: Finding isfshax and implementing it

 

[TheChel98]

Damn this console knows how to disappoint

No helping signs, no nothing, just error code 150-3032
The all-knowing internet gave me a clue of - memory. I do have a usb drive in a Wii U rn, should I unplug it?

 

[Lazr1026]

150 indicates theres something wrong with the FS. removing the USB drive may help, but it probably wont.

If it doesnt change anything, go to Backup and Restore -> dump crashlogs from slc, compress the dumped logs, and then post them here.

 

[TheChel98]

Yeah, the problem was the USB, I'm now officially on the first setup screen.
Thanks for all the help, appreciate it!
I think that's kinda it, yeah?

 

[Lazr1026]

yeah thats it

 

[unqone]

Aloha, Followed steps, In Region change section, got to :
10. Boot the console again, select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc), and you should be greeted with initial setup. Success!
However, instead, I get a MINUTE Main Menu, and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc) and some text, and a Wii U screen, then black text over the white WII U menu splash screen, and then the white text again (some kind of boot loop). ( Don't see option of how to upload a picture or video on this thread). Anyone have any ideas on a possible step I missed or how to go backwards to reset the WIi U (I have the backup of the SLC.raw and SEEPROM and OTP). Thanks.

 

[Lazr1026]

put the PayloadLoaderPayload back into the sd:/wiiu folder.

 

[unqone]

Thank you!

 

[TheChel98]

Hey, also a quick question. After the installation of EUR region it seems as the TV button on the controller doesn't really work, just does a screenshot and swap between screens. Any reason why he does that?

 

[GordanX_05_02]

Hello everyone! I did everything according to tutorial, and once I get to step 5 it just stops at "Jumping to IOS... GO GO GO". And it didn't generate the log file after installation.

 

[unqone]

Hello everyone! I did everything according to tutorial, and once I get to step 5 it just stops at "Jumping to IOS... GO GO GO". And it didn't generate the log file after installation.

Gordan, I had the issue. Things to check if you are this section of REGION CHANGING:

1. Go back to the main menu and select Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc).
2. Wait for the LED to start blinking blue, this means the setup has started. Wait for it to stop blinking, that is when the setup has finished.

From the directions:
From SD Setup:
5. Make a folder called wafel_install on the root of the SD and copy all 52 MLC titles here.
* You put the MLC titles there (not the full path of output/MLC/<Region> (i.e. USA or Japan). *
If you put the MLC/<Region>/ < 52 MLC folders in format : 0005001b1004f000 >, then it takes less a little bit of time, and then after GO GO GO, your gamepad will turn on , and then the Wii U will start flashing blue (per instructions).
After it's complete (solid blue light), you should get the log file after installation. Hope this helps.

 

[iwillbuyawiiuinthefuture]

Does anyone know if this changes the region of the vwii, and what I need to do next to hack the console with aroma assuming the gamepad doesn't work? I will convert an ntsc-j console to ntsc-u.

 

[unqone]

Does anyone know if this changes the region of the vwii, and what I need to do next to hack the console with aroma assuming the gamepad doesn't work? I will convert an ntsc-j console to ntsc-u.

Aloha, Changiing the ntsc-j console to ntsc-u does not change the vwii. Someone recommended a program that worked for me, check within this thread (not allowed to reply with a url/link).

Note : I had an issue where I changed the vwii settingedit via FTPiiU, and the vwii settings gave an error, and fixed with the vwii-decaffeinator. Good luck!

 

[fate6]

Does anyone know if this changes the region of the vwii, and what I need to do next to hack the console with aroma assuming the gamepad doesn't work? I will convert an ntsc-j console to ntsc-u.

aroma comes with a region free plugin that also applies to the gamepad iirc so you should be fine, vWii requires lite mode in vWii Decaffeinator.

A weird thing i had happen gamepad wise is if the gamepad is already paired so it skips the pairing during setup it seems to install a firmware that matches the new region.
Was already paired when my console was JP then during the NA setup without aroma it said my gamepad needed an update and after that its always been in English.

 

[emes]

I done region change from japan to EU but Wii menu is still in japan language. What i have to do to change it to English? I use aroma

 

[kenziearyark]

Hello, so I did everything from the tutorial. But when I fix the sys_prod, the Mii Maker still crashes when setup. I don’t know what caused the problem. (Edit mind the mii maket Works now)

 

[neverendsDull]

Thanks for the great guide! I finally made up my mind and successfully changed my Japanese 32GB Wii U to US region and get rid off the unrecognized UI completely!! And also thanks to some other users above who tried and errored before me, without their feedback I could not finish this task...

This is completely doable NOW!
Here's some suggestions to improve this guide, for #2 and #3 maybe not 100% correct but they are based on my experience:

1. The guide should pointed out that, after region-change, the gamepad will turn out-of-region but with the help of Aroma's DRC free plugin, it can be paired directly. In fact in my case, if the pad is paired before making region-change, there is simply no pairing process, even when the console went through an initial setup. And during the initialization, the system will prompt to change also the gamepad's language to English, which takes about 5 minutes. These info can ease user's concern.

2. I encountered sys_prod FFFBFFEE issue, which caused WiiU logo freeze right after 2nd time you choose Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc), this should also be pointed out, i.e. before fixing this issue you will not be able to proceed to the initial setup and finish region change.


3. As for fixing the sys_prod issue itself, it is quite interesting that since we have not completed the initial setup, Wii U should have not connected to the Wifi, so how can the script use its IP to connect to the console? Another genius trick made by you guys? Anyway, the guide should point out that the best timing to correct the sys_prod issue/executing the python script is during the WiiU logo freeze, with + pressed on gamepad while booting.

4. Game saves:

Region change will erase MLC, but will NOT affect all your data and saves on your USB drive (you are however advised to disconnect it during the process), but high chance is that after the region change you will find all games on USB report no save data. This is because the user name used to distinguish saves are changed by system reset. Wii U uses the format of "8000000X" to represent user name, not the actual name ID you assigned. The first user created after system initialization will be 80000001, the 2nd is 80000002, and so on. Deleting users will NOT affect this number.
So if, before region change, you have created like 5 or 6 users, your user name in the system will be 80000005 or 80000006, and after region change, the new user you created will be 80000001, so the system thinks there is no single save for user 80000001, and you will be forced to creating data for all games on USB.

This can be easily solved:
FTP to the console, locate:

/storage_usb/usr/save/00050000/Game ID/user

There should be folders in the name of the user 8000000X, so just rename it to the current user, and all your save will be back! If you are not sure about the user name, just enter any game, let it create data, exit and locate its save folder and confirm it.

5. Autoboot
There is a way to skip Isfshax boot screen and autoboot into Aroma directly, check the Optional Autobooting and Fastbooting in the original Isfshax thread.

6. VWii
This seems to be a big project, but it will NOT affect any vWii side things, i.e. your vWii channels, saves etc. will be UNTOUCHED. So this will NOT change vWii's language. To change vWii's language, FTP to the console and locate:

 /slccmpt01/title/00000001/00000002/data/

download setting.txt to local, BACKUP first, then edit it with SettingEdit as follows for Japanese to US, do not touch MPCH and Serno, upload the modified file back to console, reboot to take effect:

No worry if you mess things up, this is vWii, you can always restore it if you have file backup.

 

[Lazr1026]

3. As for fixing the sys_prod issue itself, it is quite interesting that since we have not completed the initial setup, Wii U should have not connected to the Wifi, so how can the script use its IP to connect to the console? Another genius trick made by you guys?

The WiFi connections are stored on the SLC, so the Wii U should still use them before even setting up the network configuration.

 

[xstas13]

Hello @Lazr1026
Can you help me, pease
After changing the region, my console is not able to loading the system.

I have a console (JPN) region.
It has NAND-AID installed
I downloaded (52 titles) for (EUR) by “MLCRestorerDownloader”, and did “Rebuild MLC” according to the instructions from this thread.

After installing all the Titles, the system started up normally, in English.
The system asked for the language for Wii U, then asked for the language for Wii, then asked for Region. After selecting a region, the console has frozen.
I forcibly turned it off (holding the power button).

Now the system won't start. Only loads in “minute”.
Repeated “Rebuild MLC” on (EUR) or on (JPN) does not help.

 

[JorgePixel]

After doing a region change from JPN to USA, what functionality is kept and what is lost?

 

[neverendsDull]

Hello @Lazr1026
Can you help me, pease
After changing the region, my console is not able to loading the system.

I have a console (JPN) region.
It has NAND-AID installed
I downloaded (52 titles) for (EUR) by “MLCRestorerDownloader”, and did “Rebuild MLC” according to the instructions from this thread.
After installing all the Titles, the system started up normally, in English.
The system asked for the language for Wii U, then asked for the language for Wii, then asked for Region. After selecting a region, the console has frozen.
I forcibly turned it off (holding the power button).
Now the system won't start. Only loads in “minete”.
Repeated “Rebuild MLC” on (EUR) or on (JPN) does not help.

U mean even after another MLC rebuild the console still cannot boot?

Sometimes downloaded files can be corrupted, make sure you see "completed/finished" before exiting downloading. I forgot the exact word but should be these two or similar.

And after that, try enter the recovery menu using UDPIH and check system info, what is the EMMC manufacturer you got on yout WIi U?