Guides
Fix "Your ROM is encrypted" on Eden and Citron Neo Android: What the Error Really Means
Key points
- 'Your ROM is encrypted' is a catch-all error on Eden and Citron Neo for Android. Any failed launch that isn't a GPU init failure shows this same title.
- If the line under it says 'Please ensure your prod.keys file is installed', no keys were loaded at all. Reinstall prod.keys and fully restart the app.
- If it says 'Please follow the guides to redump...', your keys loaded fine. The problem is the game file, keys that are too old, or a game that needs its update first.
- Old games work but new ones fail? Your keys are too old. The log line 'keys for gen 0xNN+ required' tells you exactly which generation is missing.
- The PC versions don't show this dialog. They show 'Error while loading ROM! (0007-XXXX)' with a specific error code instead.
On this page
"Your ROM is encrypted" is the catch-all launch error on Eden and Citron Neo for Android. It doesn't always mean an encryption problem. According to Eden's source code, any failed launch that isn't a GPU initialization failure shows this dialog. The line under the title tells you what's wrong. "Please ensure your prod.keys file is installed" means no keys were loaded, so reinstall prod.keys. "Please follow the guides to redump your game..." means your keys loaded fine, and the problem is usually the game file, keys that are too old, or a game that needs its update before it boots.
This page is about Switch emulators. The 3DS emulators Citra and Azahar have an error with the exact same name, but it's a different problem.
The exact error text
Dialog title:
Your ROM is encrypted
You'll see one of two messages under it:
(A) Please ensure your prod.keys file is installed so that games can be decrypted.
(B) Please follow the guides to redump your game cartridges or installed titles.
| Emulator | Message (A): no keys loaded | Message (B): keys loaded |
|---|---|---|
| Eden | Please ensure your prod.keys file is installed so that games can be decrypted. | Please follow the guides to redump your game cartridges or installed titles. |
| Citron Neo | Same as Eden, plus a Discord support link | Please ensure your game files are properly dumped. plus a Discord support link |
In Chinese or Japanese, the apps show translated versions of this text. The logic below is the same in every language.
Why "encrypted" doesn't always mean encrypted
Here's what Eden's Android code does when a game fails to launch (exitEmulationActivity in NativeLibrary.kt). Citron Neo for Android works the same way.
- If the GPU failed to initialize, it shows "An error occurred initializing the video core". That's a driver problem. See Vulkan and video core errors.
- For every other cause, it shows "Your ROM is encrypted". That includes an unknown file format, a damaged file, an update opened as a game, missing keys and old keys.
- Before showing the dialog, it reloads your keys. If no keys load at all, you get message (A). If they load, you get message (B).
So message (B) only means "the keys file can be read". It doesn't mean the keys are complete or new enough.
| Message | What it means | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| (A) Please ensure your prod.keys file is installed | No readable keys in Eden's keys folder | Reinstall prod.keys (next section) |
| (B) Redump your game / make sure game files are properly dumped | Keys loaded, but this game didn't | Work through the table further down |
Message (A): reinstall prod.keys
- Where: On Eden's home screen, go to Settings > Manage Eden data > Install prod.keys. The first-run setup wizard has the same step.
- File name: The extension must be
.keys. If your phone or browser renamed it to something likeprod.keys.txt, the install fails. Keep the nameprod.keys. - Restart: Fully close Eden (swipe it away from recent apps), reopen it, then launch the game.
- Still (A)? The file may be empty or damaged. Redump prod.keys.
- If the install step itself throws an error (wrong extension, Failed to Install Keys and so on), see Eden keys and firmware install errors.
Message (B): find your case
| Situation | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Only new games fail; old games work | Your keys are older than the game and lack its key generation | Redump prod.keys from a console on a system version at least as new as the game needs (see the gen table below). Update firmware to the same version |
| One game fails with only the base game (v1.0) and works once its update is installed | Some base games contain no executable and need their first update to boot. Eden's loader message: The Program-type NCA contains no executable. An update may be required. | Long-press the game > Add-ons > Install, and add that game's update |
| You opened an update or DLC file | Updates can't run on their own. Loader message: Game updates cannot be loaded directly. Load the base game instead. | Launch the base game. Add updates and DLC through Add-ons |
| The file extension was changed | Eden can't recognize the format (on PC this shows The ROM format is not supported.) | Use the game file in its original format (NSP, XCI and so on) |
| The file is incomplete or damaged | The header or data can't be read | Long-press the game > Info > Verify integrity. If it says "Integrity verification failed! File contents may be corrupt", redump that file |
| Only digital games, updates or DLC fail | The title key for that content may be missing | Make sure title.keys is installed too. Redump title.keys or the file if needed |
| A game released in the second half of 2026, and you're on Eden stable v0.2.1 | Games built with the Switch 22.0+ SDK use new ZBIC compression for their main program. Eden added support on 2026-09-27, so v0.2.1 (2026-06-01) can't read them | Get a Nightly build from the Eden official site and try again |
| You launch from a third-party frontend or an external SD card | Possibly a path or file permission problem | Add the game folder inside Eden and launch from Eden's own game list |
About the ZBIC row: there's no official word on whether older Eden builds show "Your ROM is encrypted" for these games. If your keys open other new games and only one recent release fails, trying a Nightly build is the cheapest test.
Check the log: which key generation is missing
On Eden for Android, export the log from Settings > Share debug logs. When your keys are too old, you'll find a line like this:
Cannot decrypt <file name>: keys for gen 0x15+ required.
gen is the key generation the game file (NCA) requires. Based on SwitchBrew's format notes, each generation maps to a Switch system version. Your keys must come from at least that version:
| gen | Keys from system version or newer |
|---|---|
| 0x10 | 16.0.0 |
| 0x11 | 17.0.0 |
| 0x12 | 18.0.0 |
| 0x13 | 19.0.0 |
| 0x14 | 20.0.0 |
| 0x15 | 21.0.0 |
| 0x16 | 22.0.0 |
| 0x17 | 23.0.0 |
For how keys and firmware versions relate (keys must be at least as new as firmware), see prod.keys, title.keys and firmware explained.
The PC version of this error
Eden and Citron Neo on PC don't show "Your ROM is encrypted". They show "Error while loading ROM! (0007-XXXX)" followed by an English sentence that names the exact cause. For example, 0007-0015 means your keys are older than the game. The full code list is in Error while loading ROM! (0007) error codes.
Still not working
- Update Eden or Citron Neo to the latest version from the official site.
- Try an older game you know works. If it also fails, focus on your keys. If only this game fails, focus on its file and updates.
- For the full Android setup, see the Android Switch emulator guide. For crashes, black screens and other problems, see troubleshooting.
FAQ
What does 'Your ROM is encrypted' mean on Eden?
It's the generic launch failure message on Eden and Citron Neo for Android. According to Eden's source code, every failed launch that isn't a GPU initialization failure shows it, so the file isn't necessarily an encryption problem. Read the line underneath: a prod.keys message means a keys problem; a redump message usually means the game file, key version or a missing update.
I already installed prod.keys. Why does it still say my ROM is encrypted?
In that case the message usually says to redump your game. That means Eden could read your keys file, not that the keys are complete or new enough. Common causes are keys older than the game, a base game that needs its update to boot, opening an update or DLC file, or a damaged file. Run Verify integrity on the game and check the log for 'keys for gen 0xNN+ required'.
Why do old games work but new games say 'Your ROM is encrypted'?
Your keys are too old. New games use a newer key generation that your prod.keys doesn't have. Redump prod.keys from a console on a system version at least as new as the game needs, and update firmware to the same version.
How do I know if my keys are new enough?
Check Eden's log. On Android, use Settings > Share debug logs and look for a line like 'Cannot decrypt <file>: keys for gen 0x15+ required.' Gen 0x15 means system 21.0.0, 0x16 means 22.0.0 and 0x17 means 23.0.0. Your keys must come from at least that version.
I get 'Your ROM is encrypted' when I open an update file. What now?
Updates and DLC can't run on their own. Launch the base game instead, then long-press it, open Add-ons and tap Install to add the update or DLC.
Is the fix the same on Citron Neo Android?
Yes. Citron Neo for Android uses the same logic as Eden. Its second message reads 'Please ensure your game files are properly dumped.' followed by a Discord support link.
Is this the same error as 'Your ROM is encrypted' on Citra or Azahar?
No. Citra and Azahar are 3DS emulators, and their error with the same name has different causes. This page covers the Switch emulators Eden and Citron Neo.
Does Eden on PC show 'Your ROM is encrypted'?
No. Eden and Citron Neo on PC show 'Error while loading ROM! (0007-XXXX)' followed by an English description, and the code tells you the exact cause.