How to install TotK Recomp
Installing is four steps. The setup builds the game from your files once; after that you just start totk.exe.
Before you start, check the requirements: an AVX2 CPU, a Vulkan 1.3 GPU with VK_EXT_external_memory_host, and about 36 GB free on the install disk.
1. Download the official setup
Go to the TotK Recomp Releases page and download TotK-Setup-0.2.1-windows.zip (about 135 MB). On Linux or Steam Deck, download TotK-Setup-x86_64.AppImage instead (see Steam Deck & Linux). Unpack the zip anywhere.
The release is only the installer: an embedded Python, the recompiler, an LLVM compiler and the runtime. It contains nothing from the game.
2. Start TotK-Setup.exe
Double-click TotK-Setup.exe. Because it is unsigned, Windows SmartScreen may warn: choose More info, then Run anyway.
3. Pick your files and press Start
The window asks for:
- the base game (XCI or NSP)
- the 1.2.1 or 1.4.3 update (NSP)
- your console’s
prod.keys - the game language and an install folder
Press Start. The setup then runs these steps, each with its own progress bar:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Check | Files open with your keys, the update is 1.2.1 or 1.4.3, keys are new enough, enough disk space, AVX2 CPU, Vulkan 1.3 GPU. Each failure shows one clear message. |
| Extract | ExeFS and RomFS are extracted into the install folder and their hashes verified. |
| Lift | The game code is translated to C in a temp folder next to the installer. |
| Compile | The generated C is compiled and linked into totk.exe (about 3 minutes on 24 cores). |
| Prepare | RomFS patches (normal and Xbox prompts, ultrawide layouts) and shaders are prepared; the shader cache is packed into one file. |
| Clean up | About 1.3 GB of temporary generated code is deleted. |
If the setup is cancelled or fails, run it again on the same folder: it resumes from the last finished step. Key values never appear in the window, logs or files.
4. Play totk.exe
Open the install folder and start totk.exe. Press F1 (or Minus + Plus on a gamepad) for settings, F10 for the performance overlay and F11 for borderless fullscreen. See settings and controls.
What is in the install folder
| Item | What it is |
|---|---|
| totk.exe, SDL3.dll, libopus-0.dll, totk_xlate.exe | the game and its runtime |
| totk.ini | your settings (every key is listed as a commented default) |
| exefs/, romfs/ | extracted from your files |
| profile/ | your saves |
| logs/ | totk.log of the last run plus the four before it |
| shader-cache/shader-cache.pack | shaders prepared by the setup |
| totk-install.json | what built this folder: release version, input hashes, finished steps |
Updating to a new release
Run the newer TotK-Setup.exe and point it at your existing install folder. Your game files, saves and totk.ini are kept after a hash check; totk.exe and the shaders are rebuilt. You only need to pick the game files again if you switch to a different game update (for example from 1.2.1 to 1.4.3).
Command-line install
The window is a front end over a command-line installer, useful for scripting:
python -m installer --base FILE --update FILE --keys FILE --lang CODE --dest DIRDetails: docs/installer.md in the official repository.
FAQ
How long does the TotK Recomp setup take?
It builds the game once on your machine. The 0.1.1 release notes say 30 minutes or more; the compile step alone is about 3 minutes on a 24-core CPU. A cancelled or failed setup resumes from the last finished step.
Windows SmartScreen blocks TotK-Setup.exe. Is that normal?
Yes. The installer is not code-signed, so SmartScreen warns on first start. The README says to choose More info, then Run anyway. Only do this for the file you downloaded from the official GitHub Releases page.
How do I update TotK Recomp?
Download the newer TotK-Setup and run it on the same install folder. It keeps your game files, saves and totk.ini, and rebuilds totk.exe and the shaders.
Can I delete the installer and the NSP/XCI afterwards?
Yes. The install folder holds only the game. The installer and your source NSP or XCI files can be deleted once setup finishes. Keep them if you want to switch to another game update later.
Can I move or copy the install folder?
Yes, it is portable. Since 0.2.1 a copied folder uses the profile (saves) next to the game instead of the path it was built with.