Open a command prompt in your portable tools folder. Run the following command to extract the contents of the CIA into a folder (e.g., extracted ):
This is the gold standard. Developed as part of the 3DS hacking scene, makerom can compile CIAs and decompile them into 3DS files. It is a command-line tool, which scares beginners, but it is 100% portable. cia to 3ds file converter portable
. Once installed, they appear as icons on the system's Home Menu. .3DS (Raw Dump) Open a command prompt in your portable tools folder
This is a raw, decrypted dump of a game cartridge. It is the “source code” of the physical game card. These files are typically used with flashcarts (like the Gateway or Sky3DS) or PC emulators (like Citra). A .3DS file is ready-to-run on compatible hardware but is larger because it includes unused padding data. It is a command-line tool, which scares beginners,