nxdumptool
~5 min read · Third-party project overview
nxdumptool (by DarkMatterCore) is the homebrew app for dumping Switch cartridges, installed eShop titles, and game updates as NSP / XCI / NCA. It's the de-facto GUI dumping tool.
Dump formats
- NSP — single-title eShop package. Re-installable through any installer.
- XCI — full raw cartridge dump.
- NCA — individual content files that make up a title.
- Update / DLC only — dump just the patch or DLC, skip base game.
- Ticket extraction — common and personalized tickets for eShop titles.
Setup
- Grab
nxdumptool.nro from the GitHub releases.
- Drop into
/switch/ on your SD (or a subfolder).
- Launch from hbmenu via Album.
- For direct USB-to-PC output, run
nxdt_host.py on the PC side.
Dumping a cartridge as XCI
- Insert the cartridge.
- Launch nxdumptool → "Dump gamecard content".
- "XCI dump options" → "Start XCI dump".
- If your SD is FAT32, enable "Split output" (4 GB chunks).
Legality: personal backups of cartridges you own and eShop titles you purchased are typically allowed (fair use etc.). Redistributing dumps, or obtaining dumps of titles you don't own, is illegal.
Relation to the secretchat.tel loader
nxdumptool and our loader both run as homebrew NROs under Atmosphère, so they coexist on the same SD. Use nxdumptool to back up games you own; the loader handles Apex runtime separately.
Related