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Answers to frequently asked questions about Xenia, the Xbox 360 emulator.

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General Questions

Xenia is an experimental Xbox 360 emulator for Windows and Linux. It aims to emulate the Xbox 360 hardware and run commercial games, homebrew software, and development tools.The project is open source and focuses on research and education about modern console emulation techniques.
Xenia Canary is an experimental fork of the main Xenia emulator. It includes additional features, experimental changes, and potentially less stable code compared to the main branch.For more information, see the Xenia Canary wiki.
  • Discord: Join the Xenia Discord for community support (stay on topic in #dev)
  • FAQ: Check the FAQ page on the wiki first
  • Issues: Search GitHub issues for similar problems
Remember that developers have jobs and lives - don’t expect instant answers. Lurking is encouraged!

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System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
  • Modern quad-core CPU (Intel i5/AMD Ryzen 5 or better)
  • DirectX 12 or Vulkan capable GPU
  • 8 GB RAM
  • Windows 10 64-bit or Linux 64-bit
Recommended:
  • High-performance CPU with strong single-thread performance
  • Dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580 or better)
  • 16 GB RAM or more
  • SSD for faster loading times
Performance varies significantly by game. Some titles require very powerful hardware to run at full speed.
It depends on the laptop’s specifications. Gaming laptops with dedicated GPUs and modern CPUs can run many Xbox 360 games through Xenia.Ultrabooks and budget laptops with integrated graphics will struggle with most games. Check your laptop’s specifications against the system requirements.
Yes! Xenia has Linux support, though it may be less mature than the Windows version.If you’re skilled with Linux, consider helping with the Linux port.See the Linux building guide for setup instructions.
No. Xenia does not currently support macOS and there are no plans for macOS support at this time.

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Game Compatibility

Xenia can boot hundreds of Xbox 360 titles, with varying degrees of playability:
  • Some games are fully playable from start to finish
  • Many games have graphics glitches or performance issues
  • Some games crash or don’t boot at all
Check the compatibility list for specific game status.
Many factors can prevent games from working:
  • Unimplemented features: The game uses Xbox 360 features not yet emulated
  • Bugs: Emulation bugs that affect this specific game
  • Hardware: Your PC doesn’t meet the performance requirements
  • Corrupt files: The game files are incomplete or damaged
Try:
  1. Using the latest Xenia Canary build
  2. Checking the compatibility list for known issues
  3. Adjusting configuration settings
  4. Reporting the issue if it’s not already known
No. Online multiplayer and Xbox Live features are not supported. Xenia focuses on single-player game emulation.Some games may work in offline/single-player modes even if they have online features.
No. Kinect sensor emulation is not implemented, so games requiring Kinect will not work.
This depends on the game. Some game saves may work if transferred correctly, but compatibility is not guaranteed.Save file locations and formats vary by game.

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Performance Issues

Emulation is CPU-intensive. Common causes of slowdown:CPU bottleneck:
  • Xbox 360 emulation requires significant CPU power
  • Single-thread performance is critical
  • Some games are more demanding than others
Solutions:
  • Close background applications
  • Disable vsync with --vsync=false to test maximum speed
  • Ensure your CPU isn’t thermal throttling
  • Try different configuration settings
If your hardware doesn’t meet recommended specs, some games may not reach full speed.
Configuration tweaks:
# Disable vsync for maximum speed
xenia --vsync=false game.xex

# Unlimited framerate
xenia --framerate_limit=0 game.xex
System optimization:
  • Close unnecessary background applications
  • Ensure GPU drivers are up to date
  • Run Xenia with high CPU priority
  • Disable Windows Game Mode (sometimes helps)
Hardware:
  • Overclock CPU if possible (at your own risk)
  • Upgrade to a CPU with better single-thread performance
  • Ensure adequate cooling for sustained performance
Vsync Enabled (--vsync=true, default):
  • Limits rendering to 60 FPS (matching Xbox 360)
  • Reduces screen tearing
  • May add input latency
  • Recommended for most games
Vsync Disabled (--vsync=false):
  • Renders as fast as possible
  • Useful for testing maximum performance
  • May cause screen tearing
  • Can help identify CPU/GPU bottlenecks
Common causes:Shader compilation:
  • First-time shader compilation causes stuttering
  • Stuttering decreases as more shaders are cached
  • This is a known limitation of emulation
CPU/GPU spikes:
  • Background processes interfering
  • Thermal throttling
  • Insufficient hardware
Solutions:
  • Play through stuttering sections once to build shader cache
  • Monitor CPU/GPU temperatures
  • Close background applications
  • Ensure adequate system cooling

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Graphics Issues

Graphics issues are common in emulation:Common problems:
  • Missing textures or effects
  • Incorrect colors or lighting
  • Flickering or z-fighting
  • UI elements not displaying correctly
Potential fixes:
  • Try different GPU configuration options
  • Toggle half_pixel_offset setting
  • Update graphics drivers
  • Check compatibility list for game-specific settings
Many graphics issues are due to emulation inaccuracies and require code fixes.
Xenia renders at the game’s native resolution. Resolution scaling features are not currently implemented.Some UI elements and rendering techniques don’t scale well, making this a complex feature to add.
This usually indicates:
  • Graphics driver issues
  • GPU compatibility problems
  • Game-specific rendering bugs
Try:
  1. Updating graphics drivers
  2. Using different GPU API (DirectX 12 vs Vulkan)
  3. Checking if your GPU supports required features
  4. Looking for similar reports in the compatibility list

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Configuration and Setup

By default, Xenia stores configuration in:
  • xenia-canary.config.toml - Main configuration file
  • config/ subdirectory - Per-game configurations (named by Title ID)
You can specify a custom config location with --config command-line argument.See the Configuration reference for details.
Command-line arguments override config file settings:
xenia [options] <game_path>
Examples:
# Disable vsync
xenia --vsync=false game.xex

# Dump shaders for debugging
xenia --dump_shaders=output/ game.xex

# Run headless for testing
xenia --headless game.xex
See the Command-Line reference for all options.
Xenia can load:
  • .xex - Xbox 360 executable files
  • .iso - Disc images (ISO format)
  • Game directories containing default.xex
Make sure game files are not corrupted and come from legitimate sources (your own Xbox 360 discs).
You’ll need to use your Xbox 360 console or a compatible PC drive to extract game files.Important: Only extract games you legally own. Piracy is not supported or encouraged.Tools and methods vary - search online for current extraction guides for your specific situation.

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Development and Contributing

There are many ways to help:Code contributions:Non-code contributions:
  • Test games and report compatibility
  • Update documentation
  • Help other users on Discord
  • Report detailed bug reports
Advanced C++ knowledge is helpful for code contributions.
See the Building documentation for complete instructions.Quick overview:
  1. Install prerequisites (Python, Visual Studio/GCC)
  2. Clone the repository
  3. Run build script: xb build
Platform-specific guides:
Yes! Check the issue tracker for areas needing help:Ask on Discord in #dev before starting major work to coordinate with other developers.
Common reasons:
  • Question already answered in FAQ or documentation
  • Issue is a duplicate of an existing report
  • Not enough information provided
  • Issue is off-topic or not related to emulation
  • Discussing illegal activities (results in ban)
Please read the FAQ and search existing issues before posting.

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Troubleshooting

Check prerequisites:
  • Windows 10 64-bit or compatible Linux distribution
  • DirectX 12 or Vulkan capable GPU
  • Latest graphics drivers installed
  • Visual C++ Redistributables installed (Windows)
Try:
  1. Run as administrator (Windows)
  2. Disable antivirus temporarily
  3. Check event logs for error details
  4. Verify GPU supports required features
  5. Try different graphics API if available
Xenia creates log files in the same directory as the executable.Log files contain important diagnostic information for troubleshooting. Include relevant log sections when reporting issues.You can also specify custom log locations with command-line arguments.
Good bug reports include:
  1. Xenia version: Specific build/commit hash
  2. Game information: Title and Title ID
  3. System specs: CPU, GPU, RAM, OS
  4. Reproduction steps: Detailed steps to reproduce
  5. Logs: Relevant log file sections
  6. Screenshots: Visual evidence of the issue
  7. Configuration: Any non-default settings
Search existing issues first to avoid duplicates.
Some antivirus software may flag Xenia as suspicious because:
  • It uses JIT compilation
  • It modifies memory and code at runtime
  • It’s not digitally signed
These are normal emulator behaviors, not malicious activity.If you trust the source:
  • Add exception in antivirus software
  • Download only from official sources (GitHub releases)
  • Verify file checksums if provided
Never disable antivirus completely - only add specific exceptions.

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Community and Support

Join #dev on Discord for development discussion, but stay on topic!
Discussion of illegal activities will result in a ban:
  • Piracy or where to download games illegally
  • Circumventing game protection illegally
  • Sharing copyrighted content
Xenia is for research and education. Only use it with games you legally own.
Remember:
  • Developers have jobs, lives, and other commitments
  • This is an open-source project maintained in spare time
  • Many questions are answered in documentation
  • Search before asking - your question may already be answered
Lurking and reading documentation is encouraged! Don’t expect instant support.

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Additional Resources

Quickstart Guide

Get started with Xenia quickly

Configuration Reference

Complete configuration options

Compatibility List

Check game compatibility status

Discord Community

Join the community discussion

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

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