Recover RetroArch core options that reset after an Android update
First record the frontend and core versions and inspect the Core Options path shown by RetroArch. A core update may add, rename, or remove options, while a frontend reinstall or storage change may point at a different options file. Restore only settings whose current names and accepted values still appear; do not overwrite the new file blindly with an old copy.
Do this in order
- 01
Record the package, frontend version, exact core version, affected option names, current values, and the Core Options file path shown in the UI.
- 02
Determine whether the update replaced only the core, the frontend, or the app data; preserve old and new option files as read-only evidence.
- 03
Launch one authorized test game and check whether a game-specific options file or content-directory override masks the core-wide value.
- 04
Compare visible current option names and allowed values with the old receipt; restore one still-supported value through the UI.
- 05
Cold-launch the same game and a second game to verify scope, then repeat only for settings that remain valid.
- 06
Archive a redacted version-and-option receipt; never include game, firmware, account, or private path data.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Symptom | Likely layer | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| All options use new defaults | Core update | Compare current option names |
| Only one game differs | Game options file | Inspect per-game scope |
| Old file exists elsewhere | Configured path | Trust the UI path receipt |
| Option disappeared | Core contract changed | Do not force an obsolete key |
The core owns the vocabulary
RetroArch stores choices, but the installed core defines available option keys, values, and defaults.
Path evidence comes before copying
An old file proves prior state only after the current package confirms which location it reads.
Restore through the current interface
Setting one value in the UI validates the new schema and write path before a larger recovery.
Use only game, firmware, artwork, and configuration files you created, dumped lawfully, or received under permission covering your use. Compatibility does not grant content rights; never use unauthorized ROM, BIOS, CHD, artwork, or music mirrors.