How to install DSiWare onto Nintendo DSi using NAND Title Manager

Myoon_Island · Dec 9, 2024

The Nintendo DSi is a great console to start modding, especially for beginners as the TwiLight Menu++ allows users to run community-made apps without affecting the System NAND (Unless an application is required to do so, such as Unlaunch).

I had struggled to get DSi Ware onto my Nintendo DSi for a few months, until I figured it out. Software by GBA Temp user @Pk11 makes installing DSiWare to the DSi Menu simple. The software is titled "NAND Title Manager", a fork of @JeffRuLz's "Title Manager for HiyaCFW". I will be explaining how to use this tool and how to install TwiLight Menu++ onto the Nintendo DSi.

Note that having Unlaunch installed avoids the need for a TMD file, though Unlaunch is gladly NOT necessary! I have also made a YouTube video on this, available at the following link:

You can download an updated version of the DSi Installer Pack mentioned in the following instructions at: https://mega.nz/file/eRcQzLAb#tJdE5MlegeVbqtTuLprWptxcdO-IVq8PhRdHt_U2KLQ
or download it it in this discussion.

See the below instructions on Installing TwiLight Menu++ on the nintendo DSi or see: https://dsi.cfw.guide/get-started.html

1. Power on your console. Make sure an SD Card is inserted into the DSi.
2. Open Nintendo DSi Camera.
3. Open the album using the large button on the right.
4. Take note of whether you have a Facebook icon alongside the star, club, and heart.
5. Take a photo using your DSi and save this image to the SD card.
6. Put the SD CArd into your PC now.
7. Navigate to your SD CArd and then /private/ds/app/484E494A/
8. Look for a 'pit.bin' file.
9. Rename this file to 'tip.bin'
10. If your DSi had a Facebook icon, navigate to the 'Facebook Icon' folder in this pack and copy the new 'pit.bin' file into your SD Card's /private/ds/app/484E494A/ directory
- (Or download the corresponding file from https://dsi.cfw.guide/get-started.html)
11. If your DSi did NOT have a Facebook icon, navigate to the 'No Facebook Icon' folder in this pack and copy the new 'pit.bin' file into your SD Card's /private/ds/app/484E494A/ directory
- (Or download the corresponding file from https://dsi.cfw.guide/get-started.html)

12. Copy all the files in the 'SD_Card_Base' folder onto the root of your SD Card
- (Or download the latest release of 'TwiLight Menu++' from https://dsi.cfw.guide/get-started.html)
13. Eject SD Card and insert into DSi
14. Power console on and open the 'Camera' app
15. Click 'SD' and then click the 'Album' icon.
16. If you followed the steps correctly, the screen should flash pink and white.
17. Proceed with the instructions on-screen
18. You have now set up the 'TwiLight Menu++' on your Nintendo DSi

1. Go to the MarioCube repository and download your DSiWare for your region in the .nds format.
2. Rename it to '00000001.nds'
3. Install Python from www.python.org
4. Once installed, enter the command prompt (for Windows) and type "py -m pip install requests" followed by 'enter'
5. If you downloaded the 'DSi Ware Installer FULL' zip file, a "gettmd.py" file will be included with the package.
6. Now, drag your "00000001.nds" file onto the 'gettmd.py' file.
7. If successful, a "00000001.tmd" file with the same name will appear.
8. Make a folder with an appropriate name on your SD Card. (Any directory will do), such as "Mario Clock" or "WarioWare Snapped"
9. Copy the "00000001.nds" file and the "00000001.tmd" file into the folder you made on your SD Card example: "WarioWare Snapped"
10. Insert the SD card into your DSi and enter the TwiLight Menu++
11. Now open the NAND Title Manager application (download and copy to SD card from: https://github.com/Epicpkmn11/NTM/releases/tag/v0.3.0)
12. Accept any warnings and proceed in the app.
13. When it says 'Mode', click 'A' to change this selection to 'SysNAND'
14. Scroll down and click 'Install', select with 'A'
15. Navigate to the folder you made on your SD Card containing the 00000001.nds and 00000001.tmd
16. Select the '00000001.nds' file and proceed to install it.
17. If all goes well, there should be a message saying the installation was successful.
18. Press 'B' until you reach the TwiLight Menu++ and then Shutdown.
19. Turn on your DSi, it SHOULD boot normaly.
20. There will be a a blue present icon on your DSi Menu, click on it to unwrap it.
21. Test out your game, you have successfully installed a DSiWare Title onto your DSi!
22. Repeat these steps for other games
23. You may also remove the SD card from your DSi and play your game (It has been installed onto your system, not SD Card)

- Instructions and Installer pack by Me.

SylverReZ · Dec 9, 2024

Not to be this guy, but is there a reason you need to make a YouTube video on how to do it when everything is all out there?

Myoon_Island · Dec 9, 2024

I know it's a bit unnecessary but it took me a while to figure it out, so the video is for beginners like me who couldn't understand the instructions properly.

abymjr · Sep 1, 2025

Hi bro! Shoud i rename the dsiware file to "00000001.nds" everytime i want to install another dsiware? So how about to install multiple dsiware?

Greninji88 · Sep 2, 2025

abymjr said:
Hi bro! Shoud i rename the dsiware file to "00000001.nds" everytime i want to install another dsiware? So how about to install multiple dsiware?

Hey, I made this on my old account, so I'll help. Turns out that the .nds file can be named anything, as long as the .tmd has the same name as the .nds DSiWare ROM, and yes, multiple DSiWare's can be in the same directory, as long as their .tmd and .nds have the same name.

For example, you could have the "Mario Clock" DSiWare named "mario_clock.nds" and drag that file onto the "get_tmd.py" to generate a .tmd fie called "mario_clock.tmd", with these two files of the same name (just different extensions), in the same directory on the SD Card, you can install the DSiWare successfully without Unlaunch. If you want to install multiple DSiWare titles, simply repeat the process with other .nds DSiWare files. Multiple DSiWare titles (their nds file and their .tmd) can be in the same directory on the SD Card, and will install successfully.
On NAND Title Manager, once one DSiWare has installed, you can just install another without exiting the tool.

Hope this isn't too confusing...
Let me know if this helps!

Homebrew Thread '[Release] NTM - NAND Title Manager for DSi'

Jan 16, 2022

Warning

This is a potentially dangerous tool. I have added many safety checks and tested it as thoroughly as I could think of, but please use with caution and do not ignore the warnings when using in SysNAND mode.

Using TWiLight Menu++ or hiyaCFW instead of installing your titles directly to SysNAND is strongly recommended, especially if you intend to do it with any degree of frequency. Writing to NAND always has a risk, albeit small. You also continue to wear down NAND with writes such as save data.

NAND Title Manager, or NTM for short, is a fork of...

More info on the tool is linked above.

k66 · Sep 2, 2025

Greninji said:
you can install the DSiWare successfully without Unlaunch.

Is this tutorial about using NTM to install dsiware without Unlaunch?
~~But without Unlaunch, NTM is not available.~~
I found that I was using the old version.

MargoMS1 · Oct 12, 2025

SylverReZ said:
Why do you ever need to make a YouTube video on how to do it when everything is all out there?

Not speaking for anyone else, but it helped me to better understand how to install DSiWare. I think more learning resources in this context is nice as it's easy to misinterpret some guides. Visual references were helpful for me.

Greninji88 · Oct 12, 2025

MargoMS1 said:
Not speaking for anyone else, but it helped me to better understand how to install DSiWare. I think more learning resources in this context is nice as it's easy to misinterpret some guides. Visual references were helpful for me.

Thanks for that! Im glad it helped you. Things we're difficult for me when I started modding, and thought making a guide like this would be nice for beginners

ChronoCrossfangirl2002 · Dec 1, 2025

PoliDante said:
Hey, I made this on my old account, so I'll help. Turns out that the .nds file can be named anything, as long as the .tmd has the same name as the .nds DSiWare ROM, and yes, multiple DSiWare's can be in the same directory, as long as their .tmd and .nds have the same name.

For example, you could have the "Mario Clock" DSiWare named "mario_clock.nds" and drag that file onto the "get_tmd.py" to generate a .tmd fie called "mario_clock.tmd", with these two files of the same name (just different extensions), in the same directory on the SD Card, you can install the DSiWare successfully without Unlaunch. If you want to install multiple DSiWare titles, just rename the .nds file to something else, such as "calculator.nds", and get the .tmd file for it with the same name. This, and the Mario Clock .nds file and their .tmd can be in the same directory on the SD Card, and will install successfully. On NAND Title Manager, once one DSiWare has installed, you can just install another without exiting the tool.

Hope this isn't too confusing...
Let me know if this helps!

Homebrew Thread '[Release] NTM - NAND Title Manager for DSi'

Jan 16, 2022

Warning This is a potentially dangerous tool. I have added many safety checks and tested it as thoroughly as I could think of, but please use with caution and do not ignore the warnings when using in SysNAND mode.

Using TWiLight Menu++ or hiyaCFW instead of installing your titles directly to SysNAND is strongly recommended, especially if you intend to do it with any degree of frequency. Writing to NAND always has a risk, albeit small. You also continue to wear down NAND with writes such as save data.

NAND Title Manager, or NTM for short, is a fork of...

Pk11

Replies: 202

Forum: Nintendo DS

More info on the tool is linked above.

Im confused on this, why would you rename it when installing multiple dsiware titles when you can just leave something like mario clock.nds as that when generating other .tmds? also in the case of installing a game and you get a "the save is corrupted the game will now reset" prompt when booting, what did one do wrong there and how exactly can they prevent that? as i'm sure i followed this to a tee and this message unfortunately popped up

Greninji88 · Dec 1, 2025

ChronoCrossfangirl2002 said:
Im confused on this, why would you rename it when installing multiple dsiware titles when you can just leave something like mario clock.nds as that when generating other .tmds? also in the case of installing a game and you get a "the save is corrupted the game will now reset" prompt when booting, what did one do wrong there and how exactly can they prevent that? as i'm sure i followed this to a tee and this message unfortunately popped up

Sorry for the confusion, I've edited my post so hopefully its easier to understand, what I meant was just rename them to avoid confusion of which DSiWare was which game.

About your problem, does your DSi have Unlaunch installed? Does this error happen every time you open your DSiWare? What happens if you proceed with the error (can you?), does the game boot and play fine?

Apologies if I come across as mean, just getting straight to the point, I've edited the guide properly, so have a read of it below if you like.

NEW GUIDE!!! V3.5
*Follow this new guide to install DSiWare!*

Read me!
This guide helps you install Nintendo DSiWare, previously available for download through the Nintendo DSi Shop. Software for the DSi developed by @JeffRuLz and enhanced by @Pk11 allows this DSiWare to be installed on a DSi family console without the need for permanent software changes like Unlaunch. This software installs DSiWare in the .nds format, but MUST have a respective .tmd file, that contains the 'Title MetaData' for the DSiWare. To use the tool of course, you will need a SD Card, PC and TwiLight Menu++ ready to boot into using an exploit of your choice. See the Prerequisites.

See here for the developers guide and info:
- https://github.com/Epicpkmn11/NTM/wiki/How-to-Install-dsiware
- https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-ntm-nand-title-manager-for-dsi.606244/
- https://gbatemp.net/threads/release-dsi-title-manager-for-hiyacfw.518053/

Warnings!
The DSi System NAND chip isn't so strong, so repetitive use of this tool can wear it down, leading to a very small chance of your DSi becoming bricked.

Prerequisites:
- A 2gb+ SD Card formatted to fat32
- TwiLight Menu++ installed and ready to boot from an exploit, see: https://dsi.cfw.guide/ (Up to installing Unlaunch)
- A computer running Windows XP or later
- An SD Card reader
- A stable internet connection

Let's begin!
1. Use a website of your choice to download a Nintendo DSiWare file in the .nds file format. Be sure that the region of your console and your DSiWare .nds file match up.
2. Rename it to anything you choose to assist in organization, but make sure it ends in .nds (obviously)
3. Install the latest version of Python from www.python.org
4. Once installed, enter the command prompt (for Windows) and type "py -m pip install requests" followed by 'enter', this will install correct libraries used when accessing your .tmd file
5. Go to GitHub PK11 gettmd.py , and save the file as 'gettmd.py'
6. Now, drag your DSiWare .nds file onto the 'gettmd.py' file
7. If successful, an 'example.tmd' file with the same name will appear in the same directory
8. Make a folder with an appropriate name on your SD Card. (Any directory will do), such as "Mario Clock" or "WarioWare Snapped"
9. Copy both the .tmd and the .nds files into the folder you made on your SD Card
10. Download NAND Title Manager at https://github.com/Epicpkmn11/NTM/releases/tag/v0.3.0) and copy it to the SD Card
11. Eject and insert the SD card into your DSi and enter TwiLight Menu++ through your preferred exploit
12. Carefully read and accept any warnings in the software
13. Once you reach the main menu of NAND Title Manager, an option saying 'Mode' should appear, click 'A' to change this selection to 'SysNAND'
14. Scroll down and click 'Install', select with 'A'
15. Navigate to the folder you made on your SD Card containing your DSiWare .nds and .tmd files
16. Select the .nds file and proceed to install it.
17. If all goes well, there should be a message saying the installation was successful.
18. Press 'B' until you reach TwiLight Menu++ and then Shutdown your console.
19. Turn on your DSi, it SHOULD boot normaly.
20. There will be a a blue present icon on your DSi Menu, click on it to unwrap it.
21. Test out your game, you have successfully installed a DSiWare title onto your DSi system memory!
22. Repeat these steps for other games, you may install multiple DSiWare at a time if you wish

ChronoCrossfangirl2002 · Dec 1, 2025

PoliDante said:
Sorry for the confusion, I've edited my post so hopefully its easier to understand, what I meant was just rename them to avoid confusion of which DSiWare was which game.

About your problem, does your DSi have Unlaunch installed? Does this error happen every time you open your DSiWare? What happens if you proceed with the error (can you?), does the game boot and play fine?

Apologies if I come across as mean, just getting straight to the point, I've edited the guide properly, so have a read of it below if you'd like.

Nah you're good man, i figured it out and turns out there was an oopsie on my end as i actually did try installing by opening NTM through unlaunch. and after making that post/reply i went into twilight menu to see if booting it through that would make a difference and i noticed NTM didn't have the green present icon like usual but instead a grey square with a question mark, so i may have had a outdated version downloaded from somewhere though i honestly don't even remember where i got it from, so it was a matter of going to the github link and getting the latest version.

nevertheless, yeah the game did boot fine it's just when you boot it up you would see the save is corrupted message and the game would be playable from there and whenever you save it'd save fine but when you close out then boot back up you get the save corruption message once more and it all just kinda cycles like that.

so the PSA here for myself i guess, is to make sure NTM is up to date, im not sure if anything else in particular can cause this but this was apparently the issue for me.

SylverReZ · Dec 6, 2025

MargoMS1 said:
Not speaking for anyone else, but it helped me to better understand how to install DSiWare. I think more learning resources in this context is nice as it's easy to misinterpret some guides. Visual references were helpful for me.

That's good if it helped you better understand what you needed to do. I think it's a great resource of information for those who get confused mid-step and those who wish to have somebody instruct them throughout, but in my opinion, video guides like these become outdated, so a text-based guide which gets regular community updates linked to the video itself is best. Because, if you're dealing with something critical like system firmware, then you don't want to refer to advice that could put your console at risk—I've seen this happen to Wii softmod video guides beforehand.

Cipher365 · May 25, 2026

Is there a fix if the Nand Title manager is just showing green text saying "sd:/"

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2026

Is there a fix if the Nand Title Manager just shows green text saying "sd:/" when selecting the install option in its menu?

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