Tutorial  Updated

Region Changing the Wii U

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.
    1721326901000.png
  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).
    1721326853774.png
  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.
    1747859617670.png
  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
 
Last edited by Lazr1026,
Thanks for the guide.
I have been thinking about doing Region change on my Japanese console for some time, but could you explain these two questions:
1. Is it still required to access Nintendo Network for the initial firmware download? i.e. the console needs to download US firmware from the server during initialization, if failed then will it bricked?

The reason for asking this is can we be sure Nintendo will not shutdown the WiiU firmware download server after shutting down the WiiU/3DS network? If the server shuts down on Apr. 8, then if you made the region change afterwards, will it 100% brick your console?

2. Can the step "Downloading the MLC Titles" back up all install records for the games installed on external USB HDD? Or I must manually reinstall everything on the USB disk...
 
How can you tell if your gamepad is region changed? Like I thought region change -> initialize will region change it. Like it took a long time compared to same region on initializing the gamepad.

Any cons to region changing besides loss of eshop? I did mine through emunand + isfhax since I wanted NAND protection
 
Thanks for the guide.
I have been thinking about doing Region change on my Japanese console for some time, but could you explain these two questions:
1. Is it still required to access Nintendo Network for the initial firmware download? i.e. the console needs to download US firmware from the server during initialization, if failed then will it bricked?

The reason for asking this is can we be sure Nintendo will not shutdown the WiiU firmware download server after shutting down the WiiU/3DS network? If the server shuts down on Apr. 8, then if you made the region change afterwards, will it 100% brick your console?

2. Can the step "Downloading the MLC Titles" back up all install records for the games installed on external USB HDD? Or I must manually reinstall everything on the USB disk...
for 1. you dont need to use system settings to download it but it is still downloading from Nintendos servers. They wont shut down the NUS for a long time though. the online servers for games != update servers.
for 2. everything on the usb should still be present, since the usb key is never changed afaik.
Post automatically merged:

How can you tell if your gamepad is region changed? Like I thought region change -> initialize will region change it. Like it took a long time compared to same region on initializing the gamepad.

Any cons to region changing besides loss of eshop? I did mine through emunand + isfhax since I wanted NAND protection
the only way to region change a gamepad is to flash the firmware from a dev gamepad through a hardmod
 
Hey there. I'm attempting this procedure on my Japanese WiiU to switch it to the US region. I'm running step 5 of the Region Changing header and it seems to be stuck. The LED on the WiiU is purple. Any idea what I'm missing? It's probably something easy, since I'm new to WiiU hacking. Thanks.
 

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Hey there. I'm attempting this procedure on my Japanese WiiU to switch it to the US region. I'm running step 5 of the Region Changing header and it seems to be stuck. The LED on the WiiU is purple. Any idea what I'm missing? It's probably something easy, since I'm new to WiiU hacking. Thanks.
Why are you using the first boot option in minute? you should be using the third.
 
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Can't Erase MLC, on isfshax minute menu said "Erase MLC is not allowed!" And just press Power/Q button to go back
 
Last edited by AresNguyen,
Thanks for the guide.
I have been thinking about doing Region change on my Japanese console for some time, but could you explain these two questions:
1. Is it still required to access Nintendo Network for the initial firmware download? i.e. the console needs to download US firmware from the server during initialization, if failed then will it bricked?

The reason for asking this is can we be sure Nintendo will not shutdown the WiiU firmware download server after shutting down the WiiU/3DS network? If the server shuts down on Apr. 8, then if you made the region change afterwards, will it 100% brick your console?

2. Can the step "Downloading the MLC Titles" back up all install records for the games installed on external USB HDD? Or I must manually reinstall everything on the USB disk...
Last I checked you can still download Wii and DSI system updates so I don't think the server shutdown will be a problem.
 
then you dont have isfshax installed
Isfshax already installed with the link on your OP, i'm skipped Erase MLC step, just "Delete scfm.img" and do "Patch (sd) and boot IOS (slc)", now console blinking blue for a while. Is it correct and safe?
 

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Still waiting blinking blue, what's happens and what's to do next if i haven't Erase MLC, sorry i'm super new with this :rofl2:
just wait for it to stop blinking blue. its still doing the setup
Post automatically merged:

id say another 5 min. if its still blinking blue shut off the console and check the log
 
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just wait for it to stop blinking blue. its still doing the setup
Post automatically merged:

id say another 5 min. if its still blinking blue shut off the console and check the log
Still blinking over 2 hours! Wii U JP 32gb Black
Post automatically merged:

6 hours still blinking blue. I decide to force shut it down, now console won't turn on. Blue static led, Disc drive spin 2 times, no display on TV, gamepad says "unable to connect to wii u console" i can't do anything else. wafel_setup_mlc.log only got few lines (see attachment) help me please
 

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Last edited by AresNguyen,
Still blinking over 2 hours! Wii U JP 32gb Black
Post automatically merged:

6 hours still blinking blue. I decide to force shut it down, now console won't turn on. Blue static led, Disc drive spin 2 times, no display on TV, gamepad says "unable to connect to wii u console" i can't do anything else. wafel_setup_mlc.log only got few lines (see attachment) help me please
show your sd contents. you didnt install isfshax
 

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