Install Haxchi CFW on Wii U (eShop DS Game Required)

This guide will show you how to install Haxchi CFW on your Wii U. This will unlock the greater potential of the console and allow you enjoy benefits such as playing game backups, emulators, importing save files and more.

Haxchi can be configured to run on boot (Coldboot Haxchi), enabling you to have a permanent custom firmware on your Wii U that persists after reboot.

Haxchi CFW requires a DS Game installed and purchased from the Nintendo eShop in order to be installed on your Wii U:

  • Animal Crossing: Wild World
  • Big Brain Academy
  • Brain Age
  • DK: Jungle Climber
  • Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training
  • Kirby: Canvas Curse
  • Kirby: Mass Attack
  • Kirby: Squeak Squad
  • Kirby: Mouse Attack
  • Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
  • Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
  • Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
  • Mario Kart DS
  • New Super Mario Bros.
  • Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky
  • Pokemon Ranger
  • Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs
  • Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
  • Starfox Command
  • Super Mario 64 DS
  • Wario: Master of Disguise
  • WarioWare: Touched
  • Yoshi’s Island DS
  • Yoshi’s Touch & Go

Required Downloads:

Wii U on Firmware 5.5.4

  • The Wii U browser exploit requires firmware 5.5.4 or lower
  • Update to 5.5.4 for greater compatibility with homebrew

SD Card (64B or larger recommended)

  • An SD card is required to install the homebrew files on your Wii U console
  • The SD card must be formatted to FAT32

Wi-Fi Internet Connection

  • The browser exploit can be launched by visiting wiiuexploit.xyz or u.wiidb.de on your Wii U
  • An internet connection is also required to download from the homebrew app store

Haxchi Compatible DS Game from eShop

Formatting SD Card

Windows is unable to format SD cards larger than 32GB to FAT32 so we will be using a well-known portable software tool called Rufus to accomplish this. This will delete all the files on your SD card so create a backup of any files you wish to keep.
  1. Select your MicroSD as the [Device]
  2. Set [Boot selection] to [Non bootable]
  3. Set [Partition scheme] to [MBR]
  4. You may name your SD card with [Volume label]
  5. Set [File system] to [Large FAT32]
  6. Set [Cluster size] to the Default setting switch exfat fat32 format sd
  7. Select [Show advanced format options] and uncheck [Create extended label and icon files]switch exfat fat32 format sd advanced options
  8. Select [START] -> [OK] and wait for the process to complete
Congratulations, you’ve now formatted your SD card to FAT32 and can begin hacking your Wii U.

Preparing SD Files

  1. Extract the contents of wiiu-extracttosd.zip (Homebrew App Store) to the root of your SD card
  2. Extract the contents of homebrew_launcher.v.1.4.zip to the root of your SD card
  3. Extract the contents of nnupatcher.zip to the root of your SD card
  4. Extract the contents of wup_installer_gx2.zip to the root of your SD card
  5. Extract the contents of Haxchi.zip to the root of your SD card
  6. Extract the contents of CBHC.zip to the root of your SD cardwii u cfw install sd files haxchi cbhc
  7. Copy config.txt to the /haxchi/ folder on your SD card (overwrite the existing file)wii u cfw install sd files haxchi config txt
  8. Extract the contents of payload.zip (Homebrew Launcher Installer) to the /wiiu/ folder on your SD cardwii u cfw install sd files mocha haxchi wiiu folder
  9. Create a folder named install in the root of your SD card
  10. Create a folder named hbc inside the /install/ folder
  11. Extract the contents of homebrew_launcher_channel.zip to the /install/hbc/ folder on your SD cardwii u cfw install sd files mocha haxchi homebrew launcher channel
  12. Insert your SD into your Wii U and power it on

Install Haxchi CFW

  1. Launch the [Internet Browser] on your Wii U and visit wiiuexploit.xyzwii u cfw install mocha internet browser
  2. Select [Run Homebrew Launcher]wii u cfw install homebrew launcher
  3. Select Haxchi Installer in the Homebrew Launcherwii u cfw haxchi homebrew launcher
  4. Select the DS Virtual Console game then press [A] and wait for the process to completewii u cfw haxchi installer
  5. Your Wii U will reboot and the DS game will be replaced with Haxchiwii u menu cfw haxchi installed

Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed the Haxchi CFW. You will need to launch Haxchi from the Wii U Menu to load the CFW patches every time you reboot your console.

Hold [A] while Haxchi is loading to access the Homebrew Launcher menu

Now that you have activated Haxchi custom firmware, you can enjoy the extra benefits such as:

  • Download and Install Game Backups
  • Play Wii Games from USB HDD (NGC + N64 VC Included)
  • Backup and Import Save Files
  • Emulators via RetroArch (Play GBA, SNES, SEGA and more)

You can configure Haxchi to be persistent even after reboot with Coldboot Haxchi. This will assign your DS game (Haxchi) to load on boot instead of the System Menu. The procedure is short and simple but it is advised to consider the risks before proceeding as a mistake can result in a bricked, unusable Wii U.

Coldboot Haxchi (Permanent CFW After Reboot)

  1. Launch Haxchi and hold [A] while it is booting to load the Homebrew Launcher menu
  2. Select Coldboot Haxchi Installerwii u cfw haxchi homebrew launcher
  3. Select the DS Virtual Console game then press [A] and wait for the process to completewii u cfw cbhc installer
  4. Your Wii U will reboot
  5. Launch the replaced Haxchi system icon to load the Coldboot Haxchi menu
  6. Set [Autoboot: ] to [System Menu]
  7. Select [Boot System Menu] to reboot the Wii Uwii u cfw cbhc autoboot system menu
  8. Manually reboot the Wii U to ensure that Coldboot Haxchi is working as intended
  9. Once you’ve rebooted, move the Coldboot Haxchi system icon to the final page to avoid tamperingwii u cfw cbhc menu dont touch me

Congratulations, you’ve now installed Coldboot Haxchi for a Wii U with permanent custom firmware features even after reboot. 

Install Homebrew Launcher Channel

To access the Homebrew Launcher menu without the browser exploit:

  • Haxchi users must launch Haxchi and hold [A] while it boots to load the Homebrew Launcher
  • Coldboot Haxchi must press [Home] while it is autobooting to access the menu and select [Boot Homebrew Launcher]

To Install the Homebrew Launcher Channel that can be accessed from the Wii U Menu:

  1. Load the Homebrew Launcher
  2. Select WUP Installer GX2wii u haxchi wup installer gx2
  3. Select [hbc] -> [Install] and wait for the process to complete
  4. Press the [Home] button to return to the Wii U Menu and find the Homebrew Launcher Iconwii u cfw haxchi homebrew launcher menu

Block Updates via DNS

It is advised to block Nintendo’s servers via DNS settings to prevent automatic updates. Run NNU-Patcher from the Homebrew Launcher to access the eShop temporarily until reboot.

  1. From the Wii U Menu, go to [System Settings] -> [Internet] -> [Connect to the Internet]
  2. Press [X] to see your saved networks
  3. Select your current network connection -> [Change Settings]
  4. Select [DNS] -> [Do not auto-obtain]
  5. Set [Primary DNS] to 168.235.092.108
  6. Set [Secondary DNS] to 081.004.127.020
  7. Select [Confirm] -> Press [B] -> [Save] -> [End]
  8. You will now receive an error if you attempt to access the Nintendo eShopwii u cfw mocha haxchi block nintendo dns

Wii U Homebrew and Games

Credits