> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://wiki.retrobat.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://wiki.retrobat.org/navigation/main-menu.md).

# Main Menu

Configure RetroBat

The **MAIN MENU** is opened by pressing **START** (**Enter** on the keyboard) in the System View or the Game View.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://990680527-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FexdzL60ZuqPLldz2AYta%2Fuploads%2FNSM4iGBF4PXuoArcr99K%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=ac2a3537-9e7e-4fe2-951d-980d92df3de1" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

<table><thead><tr><th width="269">Entry</th><th>Content</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><a href="/advanced-features/retroachievements.md"><strong>RETROACHIEVEMENTS</strong></a></td><td>Your RetroAchievements profile and progress (only shown when a RetroAchievements account is configured)</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#game-settings"><strong>GAME SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Default settings for all games and emulators, save states, BIOS, accounts</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#user-interface-settings"><strong>USER INTERFACE SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Theme, screensaver, game list display</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#controller-settings"><strong>CONTROLLER SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Controller configuration, player assignment, guns</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#sound-settings"><strong>SOUND SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Volume, music, interface sounds</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#game-collection-settings"><strong>GAME COLLECTION SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Systems and collections displayed, grouped systems, sorting</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#scraper"><strong>SCRAPER</strong></a></td><td>Download game information and media</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#updates-and-downloads"><strong>UPDATES &#x26; DOWNLOADS</strong></a></td><td>RetroBat updates, themes, bezels and free content</td></tr><tr><td><a href="#system-settings"><strong>SYSTEM SETTINGS</strong></a></td><td>Language, interface mode, advanced settings</td></tr><tr><td><strong>QUIT</strong></td><td>Quit RetroBat, restart or shut down the computer</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
In **Kid** or **Kiosk** mode (see User interface mode), the menu only shows **INFORMATION**, **UNLOCK USER INTERFACE MODE** and **QUIT**.
{% endhint %}

## Game settings

Settings defined here apply to **all systems and games**. They can be changed for one system ([View options](/navigation/view-options.md) > **ADVANCED SYSTEM OPTIONS**) or one game ([Game options](/navigation/game-options.md) > **ADVANCED GAME OPTIONS**).

<table><thead><tr><th width="218.25">Section</th><th width="246.5">Setting</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Tools</td><td>Update gamelists</td><td>Refresh the game lists: detect added or removed games, newly scraped media…</td></tr><tr><td>Accounts</td><td>RetroAchievements settings</td><td>Enable and configure <a href="/advanced-features/retroachievements.md">RetroAchievements</a></td></tr><tr><td>Accounts</td><td>Netplay settings</td><td>Enable and configure online play (Netplay)</td></tr><tr><td>BIOS settings</td><td>Missing BIOS check</td><td>List the missing or invalid BIOS files (see <a href="/get-started/adding-bios-files.md">Adding BIOS files</a>)</td></tr><tr><td>BIOS settings</td><td>Check BIOS files before running a game</td><td>Warn when a BIOS file is missing when launching a game</td></tr><tr><td>Savestates</td><td>Auto save/load</td><td>Load the latest save state when a game starts, and save when you quit</td></tr><tr><td>Savestates</td><td>Incremental savestates</td><td>Never overwrite save states / use a new slot for each session / always use the current slot</td></tr><tr><td>Savestates</td><td>Show savestate manager</td><td>Show the save state list before launching a game (never, always, or only if save states exist)</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Shader set</td><td>Video filter applied to games (CRT effect, scanlines…)</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Decorations</td><td>Bezels displayed around the game</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Tattoo</td><td>Show a controller layout image over the bezel, its corner and size</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Video mode</td><td>Screen resolution and refresh rate used for games</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Game aspect ratio</td><td>Image format (4:3, 16:9…)</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Force fullscreen</td><td>Force emulators in fullscreen, even if RetroBat is windowed</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Prefer exclusive fullscreen</td><td>Use exclusive fullscreen when the emulator supports it</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Never pause emulation on lost focus</td><td>Keep the game running when another window takes the focus</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Disable Game Center</td><td>Disable the <a href="/navigation/game-control-center.md">Game Control Center</a> (HOTKEY + East or <code>Ctrl</code> + <code>F12</code>)</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>ReShade</td><td>ReShade is used by RetroBat to display bezels and shaders in some standalone emulators</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Integer scaling (pixel perfect)</td><td>Scale the image by whole numbers only, for sharp pixels</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Smooth games (bilinear filtering)</td><td>Smooth the image</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Discord Rich Presence</td><td>Show the game you are playing in your Discord status</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Autoconfigure controllers</td><td>Let RetroBat configure controllers in all emulators (enabled by default, untick to disable)</td></tr><tr><td>Global options</td><td>Gamepads before arcade sticks</td><td>Gamepads become players 1, 2…, arcade sticks are assigned to the next players</td></tr><tr><td>Global options > Switch</td><td>Saves in RetroBat saves folder</td><td>Use <code>saves\switch</code> for Citron and Eden saves</td></tr><tr><td>Game stores and launchers > Windows games</td><td>Scan installed store games…</td><td>Add your Steam, Epic, GOG… games to RetroBat automatically</td></tr><tr><td>Game stores and launchers > Game launchers</td><td>eXoDOS, eXoWin3x, eXoWin9x, AGS</td><td>Scan and path of these collections</td></tr><tr><td>Game stores and launchers</td><td>Scan recompilation (QuiverLauncher)</td><td>Add the N64 recompiled games</td></tr><tr><td>Compression</td><td>Decompression, decompression path, never try to mount as drive</td><td>How compressed games (7z, squashfs…) are extracted and where</td></tr><tr><td>Controls > Special controllers</td><td>D-pad as analog, N64 trigger invert, PS4/PS5 enhanced</td><td>Options for special controllers (N64, Mega Drive, DualShock 4, DualSense…)</td></tr><tr><td>Guns > Sinden</td><td>Sinden software path, buttons configuration, kill Sinden software</td><td>Sinden lightgun options</td></tr><tr><td>Guns > Wiimote</td><td>Wiimote connection mode, Wiimote fix association</td><td>Wiimote and DolphinBar options</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Video</td><td>Aspect ratio, screen orientation, monitor index, GPU index, CRT output, HDR, integer scale type…</td><td>Video settings for RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Visual rendering</td><td>Allow game/core shaders override</td><td>Keep the shaders defined in RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Screen sync</td><td>V-Sync, hard sync, swap interval, black frame insertion, G-Sync/FreeSync…</td><td>Synchronization settings</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Audio</td><td>Resampler, quality, volume gain, DSP plugin, audio sync</td><td>Audio settings for RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Emulation</td><td>Rewind, fast forward ratio, fast forward behavior, softpatching, allow game/core options override</td><td>Emulation settings for RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Latency reduction</td><td>Run-ahead, preemptive frames, automatic frame delay, input polling</td><td>Settings to reduce input lag</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > AI game translation</td><td>Enable, target language, service URL, pause on translated screen</td><td>In-game translation service</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > User interface</td><td>Notifications, statistics, RetroArch menu elements, press hotkeys twice to exit…</td><td>RetroArch interface settings</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Drivers</td><td>Video, audio, controllers</td><td>Drivers used by RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Controls</td><td>Pause on disconnect, RetroArch controller profiles, deadzone, sensitivity, pad index…</td><td>Controller settings for RetroArch</td></tr><tr><td>RetroArch options > Guns</td><td>P1 to P4 mouse/gun index</td><td>Mouse or lightgun used by each player</td></tr><tr><td>System settings</td><td>Per system advanced configuration</td><td>Open the advanced settings of a system</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
Most options have a short description, displayed at the bottom of the screen when the option is selected.
{% endhint %}

## User interface settings

<table><thead><tr><th width="189">Section</th><th>Main settings</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Appearance</td><td><strong>Theme set</strong>, <strong>theme configuration</strong> (colors, layout, <strong>gamelist view style</strong>…)</td></tr><tr><td>Display options</td><td>Screensaver settings, list and game launch transitions, game media during fast scrolling, show clock, on-screen help, battery status</td></tr><tr><td>Gamelist options</td><td>Show favorites on top, hidden files, folders, file names instead of game names, ignore leading articles when sorting, icons (region flag, save state, manual, RetroAchievements, gun, wheel…)</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Controller settings

* **CONTROLLER MAPPING**: configure a new controller or reconfigure a controller.
* Assign a controller to each player.
* **SINDEN GUN SETTINGS** / **WIIMOTE GUN SETTINGS**: lightgun settings.
* **DISPLAY OPTIONS**: show controller notifications, activity and battery level, gun notifications and crosshair.
* **BEHAVIOR**: joystick hotkeys, global hotkeys.

See the [Controllers](/controllers/supported-controllers.md) section.

## Sound settings

<table><thead><tr><th width="131.5">Section</th><th>Main settings</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Volume</td><td>System volume, music volume, show volume overlay</td></tr><tr><td>Music</td><td>Frontend music, display song titles, only play system-specific music folder, lower music when playing video, favorite songs</td></tr><tr><td>Sounds</td><td>Navigation sounds, video preview audio</td></tr></tbody></table>

Music files are stored in `emulationstation\.emulationstation\music`: see [RetroBat folder structure](/get-started/retrobat-folder-structure.md).

## Game collection settings

<table><thead><tr><th width="224">Section</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Collections to display</td><td><strong>Systems displayed</strong>, automatic, editable and dynamic collections to display, <strong>grouped systems</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Create custom collection</td><td>Create an editable or dynamic collection, or a collection from the theme</td></tr><tr><td>Options</td><td>Sort systems, start on a system or a game list, group custom collections, show empty systems, show games of hidden systems in collections…</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="info" %}
More information in the [Game collections](/navigation/game-collections.md) section.
{% endhint %}

## Scraper

Configure the scraper (source, filters, media to download) and start scraping.

{% hint style="info" %}
More information in the [Scraping & metadata](/navigation/scraping-and-metadata.md) section.
{% endhint %}

## Updates and downloads

* **CONTENT DOWNLOADER**: free games and other content
* **THEMES**: download themes
* **THE BEZEL PROJECT**: download bezels
* **CHECK FOR UPDATES**: update RetroBat

{% hint style="warning" %}
RetroBat does not provide any copyrighted content: only free games, or games whose authors allow distribution, are available for download.
{% endhint %}

## System settings

<table><thead><tr><th width="152">Section</th><th width="270.5">Setting</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>System</td><td>Information</td><td>Hardware and software information</td></tr><tr><td>System</td><td>Language (region)</td><td>Language of the RetroBat interface</td></tr><tr><td>System</td><td>Show clock in 12-hour format</td><td>12 or 24-hour clock</td></tr><tr><td>System</td><td>Power saving mode</td><td>Reduce power consumption when idle</td></tr><tr><td>System</td><td>Screen reader (text to speech)</td><td>Read the menus aloud (<code>F3</code> on the keyboard)</td></tr><tr><td>System</td><td>User interface mode</td><td><strong>Full</strong>, <strong>Kiosk</strong> (no settings) or <strong>Kid</strong> (no settings, limited content)</td></tr><tr><td>Advanced</td><td>Frontend developer options</td><td>Advanced EmulationStation settings, see below</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Frontend developer options

<table><thead><tr><th width="195.25">Section</th><th>Main settings</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Video options</td><td>VRAM limit, show framerate, V-Sync, anti-aliasing, FPS limit</td></tr><tr><td>Tools</td><td>Log level, create a support file, reset file extensions, clear caches…</td></tr><tr><td>Display settings</td><td>Menu and theme font scale, fullscreen menus</td></tr><tr><td>Data management</td><td>Ignore multi-file disk content (cue/gdi/ccd/m3u), save metadata on exit</td></tr><tr><td>User interface</td><td>Carousel transitions, <strong>quick system select</strong>, <strong>quick jump letter</strong>, on-screen keyboard, hide EmulationStation when running a game, <strong>switch confirm &#x26; cancel buttons</strong>, <strong>access game options with North button</strong>, right analog stick changes volume…</td></tr><tr><td>Optimizations</td><td>Threaded loading, async image loading, VRAM optimizations, filesystem cache</td></tr></tbody></table>

{% hint style="warning" %}
These settings are intended for advanced users: change them only if you know what they do.
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://wiki.retrobat.org/navigation/main-menu.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.