Homebrew Tinfoil Questions

[Skeet1983]

Hi guys, I am wanting to start using Tinfoil, but I have a few questions about it before proceeding:

- After updating Switch FW to latest, as well as latest Hekate and Atmosphere, some of my homebrew apps crash right away when in CFW Applet mode. For Tinfoil, is it safe/ok to run that through title/game override?

- Since I would be connecting my Switch to internet/online for Tinfoil to get game updates and such, is 90DNS enough? I don't have an EmuNAND.

- Does Tinfoil find/get games and updates for you, or do I have to get them through other means?

- Lets say that a game I have is installed to mSD instead of to the internal memory. When I get an update for said game, does that also have to be installed to same location?

- If I have a game on a game card/cart, and install an update for it through Tinfoil, do I need to be in CFW to play said game?

Thoughts and help appreciated

 

[Lacius]

- After updating Switch FW to latest, as well as latest Hekate and Atmosphere, some of my homebrew apps crash right away when in CFW Applet mode. For Tinfoil, is it safe/ok to run that through title/game override?

Applet mode is almost never recommended. You should be running your homebrew apps using title override, since it allocates more available memory to the homebrew app. Many homebrew applications won't work with applet mode for this reason. Blawar recommends installing Tinfoil as a home menu app, not using the homebrew launcher, but if you are going to use the homebrew launcher, you should use title override.

- Since I would be connecting my Switch to internet/online for Tinfoil to get game updates and such, is 90DNS enough? I don't have an EmuNAND.

90DNS is enough. Alternatively, you could use Incognito or Atmosphere's built-in Incognito function.

- Does Tinfoil find/get games and updates for you, or do I have to get them through other means?

Tinfoil alone does not find games/updates/DLC for you. You can use Tinfoil to install manually downloaded NSP files, or you can setup Tinfoil to use "Tinfoil Shops." If you plug in the right repository information into Tinfoil, it will function as a free eShop alternative similar to freeShop from the 3DS days. You can find some of these "Tinfoil Shops" on a popular Reddit page, but these shop links cannot be shared here.

Last I checked a few days ago, most/all Tinfoil shops were down temporarily. I don't know if they're back up since I don't use them often.

- Lets say that a game I have is installed to mSD instead of to the internal memory. When I get an update for said game, does that also have to be installed to same location?

I think they used to have to be installed to the same location, but I don't believe that is the case anymore. Just make sure you are on a relatively recent system version, since I don't remember when the Switch started supporting this. Somebody correct me if I am mistaken, because I am not 100% sure on this history of this.

The latest system version as of this post is 12.1.0, and Atmosphere is compatible with it.

- If I have a game on a game card/cart, and install an update for it through Tinfoil, do I need to be in CFW to play said game?

If all you installed was the update, no, you don't need to be in CFW to play the cartridge game. However, that will change if you install DLC for it.

 

[Skeet1983]

Applet mode is almost never recommended. You should be running your homebrew apps using title override, since it allocates more available memory to the homebrew app. Many homebrew applications won't work with applet mode for this reason. Blawar recommends installing Tinfoil as a home menu app, not using the homebrew launcher, but if you are going to use the homebrew launcher, you should use title override.


90DNS is enough. Alternatively, you could use Incognito or Atmosphere's built-in Incognito function.


Tinfoil alone does not find games/updates/DLC for you. You can use Tinfoil to install manually downloaded NSP files, or you can setup Tinfoil to use "Tinfoil Shops." If you plug in the right repository information into Tinfoil, it will function as a free eShop alternative similar to freeShop from the 3DS days. You can find some of these "Tinfoil Shops" on a popular Reddit page, but these shop links cannot be shared here.

Last I checked a few days ago, most/all Tinfoil shops were down temporarily. I don't know if they're back up since I don't use them often.


I think they used to have to be installed to the same location, but I don't believe that is the case anymore. Just make sure you are on a relatively recent system version, since I don't remember when the Switch started supporting this. Somebody correct me if I am mistaken, because I am not 100% sure on this history of this.

The latest system version as of this post is 12.1.0, and Atmosphere is compatible with it.


If all you installed was the update, no, you don't need to be in CFW to play the cartridge game. However, that will change if you install DLC for it.

Thank you so much for the help and info! Um, how do I install Tinfoil as a Home Menu App? I was going to follow this guide: https://www.cfwaifu.com/atmosphere-tinfoil/.
Is that guide ok to follow, or is it outdated? Also, where can I get the latest Tinfoil for Home Menu install? Thoughts and help appreciated

 

[wiiNinja]

Google "tinfoil github".

 

[Skeet1983]

Hi guys. For tinfoil shops and game updates, do they only show/have latest game update? I am mainly wanting to update gamecard version of Disgaea 6, but cheats as far as I know are only for v2 of game, and v3 was just released yesterday. Also when installing Tinfoil to Home Menu, do I need to be in CFW title override mode, or can I run the self installer through CFW Applet mode? Thoughts and help appreciated

 

[Lacius]

Hi guys. For tinfoil shops and game updates, do they only show/have latest game update? I am mainly wanting to update gamecard version of Disgaea 6, but cheats as far as I know are only for v2 of game, and v3 was just released yesterday. Also when installing Tinfoil to Home Menu, do I need to be in CFW title override mode, or can I run the self installer through CFW Applet mode? Thoughts and help appreciated

If you're using a Tinfoil Shop to update your game, it's going to download only the latest update, and the Tinfoil Shop repositories typically don't include older updates (but sometimes they do). If there is a specific update you want to install that isn't the newest update, you'd be better off downloading that update NSP manually somewhere and installing the NSP manually.

To install Tinfoil as a home menu app, you can either a.) install the Tinfoil NSP, or b.) load the Tinfoil installer in the homebrew launcher. Like with all homebrew applications, you should always use title override. Never use the photo album to run homebrew applications.

You can download the installer here. Choose the self installer for the easiest install: http://tinfoil.io/Download#download

 

[Skeet1983]

If you're using a Tinfoil Shop to update your game, it's going to download only the latest update, and the Tinfoil Shop repositories typically don't include older updates (but sometimes they do). If there is a specific update you want to install that isn't the newest update, you'd be better off downloading that update NSP manually somewhere and installing the NSP manually.

To install Tinfoil as a home menu app, you can either a.) install the Tinfoil NSP, or b.) load the Tinfoil installer in the homebrew launcher. Like with all homebrew applications, you should always use title override. Never use the photo album to run homebrew applications.

You can download the installer here. Choose the self installer for the easiest install: http://tinfoil.io/Download#download

Thanks so much for help and info! Is Tinfoil safe to use as compared to getting games/updates from websites? Also, I heard something about Google DNS? What is that? Should I use 90DNS, or Google DNS to block Nintendo Servers? Thoughts and help appreciated

 

[Lacius]

Thanks so much for help and info! Is Tinfoil safe to use as compared to getting games/updates from websites? Also, I heard something about Google DNS? What is that? Should I use 90DNS, or Google DNS to block Nintendo Servers? Thoughts and help appreciated

Tinfoil Shops are safe to use.

If you want to block connections to Nintendo's servers, 90DNS is recommended if you aren't going to use Incognito.

 

[Skeet1983]

Tinfoil Shops are safe to use.

If you want to block connections to Nintendo's servers, 90DNS is recommended if you aren't going to use Incognito.

I know Shop links are forbidden on here, but google isn't helping much either. Is there a list or anything of which shops are up/work or not? I searched on google, posts from last April I think...

 

[Lacius]

I know Shop links are forbidden on here, but google isn't helping much either. Is there a list or anything of which shops are up/work or not? I searched on google, posts from last April I think...

There's a popular Reddit page that has a list of popular and publicly available Tinfoil Shops.

 

[Skeet1983]

There's a popular Reddit page that has a list of popular and publicly available Tinfoil Shops.

Thank you so much for helping me! When I use Tinfoil to install a game update for game that is on a game card, does it matter where I install said update (Switch internal memory or mSD)?

 

[Lacius]

Thank you so much for helping me! When I use Tinfoil to install a game update for game that is on a game card, does it matter where I install said update (Switch internal memory or mSD)?

No, it doesn't matter.

 

[Skeet1983]

No, it doesn't matter.

Ok. Before installing game update, does it let me choose where to install?

 

[Lacius]

Ok. Before installing game update, does it let me choose where to install?

Yes, it will let you choose where to install it.

 

[Skeet1983]

I am about to put the Tinfoil NRO on my Switch mSD card. When I go to run the Self-installer in CFW (Atmosphere), is it better to run it in title override mode, or should I run in Applet mode?

Side question: I am looking at switching mSD cards, going from 256GB to 400GB mSD card. How should I go about formatting the 400GB mSD card? I read on here that FAT32 is recommended? Also, what cluster size should I use?

Help appreciated

 

[OverRide]

Info about using FAT32 seems dated few years back. I'm using exFat since day 1 of having cfw, and never had any issues (related to SD problems, crashes, corruption) specifically because of exFat...
But really, it doesn't matter, I'm keeping exFat, as I'm often copying entire NSP etc. straight to SD card or use SD Card as backup solution. And having exFat it's in fact possible, with no 4GB file size limit.

 

[Draxzelex]

I am about to put the Tinfoil NRO on my Switch mSD card. When I go to run the Self-installer in CFW (Atmosphere), is it better to run it in title override mode, or should I run in Applet mode?

Side question: I am looking at switching mSD cards, going from 256GB to 400GB mSD card. How should I go about formatting the 400GB mSD card? I read on here that FAT32 is recommended? Also, what cluster size should I use?

Help appreciated

Use FAT32