The Nintendo 3DS system software is an updatable firmware and operating system used for the Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS handheld systems. The Nintendo Switch system software is believed to have evolved from the Nintendo 3DS operating system."Horizon is also the OS on the Nintendo 3DS; the Switch version is a further development of this OS, with refinements and further progress towards being a full-fledged operating system framework."
Firmware The Nintendo 3DS firmware can run in four different modes. NATIVE_FIRM is the native firmware running the kernel for Nintendo 3DS software (including the Home Menu). SAFE_MODE_FIRM is used for safe mode applications, such as System Settings and System Updater. TWL_FIRM is the Nintendo DSi's native firmware and it is used for Nintendo DS/DSi backward compatibility. Finally, AGB_FIRM is the Game Boy Advance's native firmware and it is used to run Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. The NATIVE_FIRM is different on the New Nintendo 3DS.
User interface HOME Menu
The HOME Menu is a graphical shell similar to the Nintendo DSi Menu and Wii U Menu for Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 2DS systems. It is used to launch software stored on Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS Game Cards, applications installed on an SD card, and DSiWare titles installed in the system's internal memory. Application icons are set in a grid with the touchscreen or D-pad and may be re-arranged via drag-and-drop. The number of icons per column can also be changed, from one to six icons. The menu can display up to 300 application tiles for applications on the SD card, and up to 40 for DSiWare titles. On the upper screen, a special 3D animated logo is displayed for each individual app, as well as system information such as wireless signal strength, date and time, and battery life, while on the bottom screen, application icons are displayed. It is also possible to change the screen's brightness while in the menu. Using the HOME button, users can suspend the current software that is running and bring up the HOME Menu, allowing the user to launch certain multitasking applications, such as the Internet Browser and Miiverse. Folders update On April 25, 2012, a system update brought the introduction of a folder system. Up to 60 folders can be created. Applications can be dragged on top of a folder in order to move them into the folder, and a folder can contain up to 60 apps. A title for the folder is automatically created in order of creation (from "1" to "60"), but the name can also be edited by the user. Only the first character of the title will be displayed on the folder's icon. When apps inside folders receive StreetPass or SpotPass notifications, a notification icon will appear on top of the folder.
Save data backup update On June 20, 2013, a system update brought the introduction of the Saved Data Backup feature. This feature allows the user to back up save data from downloadable Nintendo 3DS software and most Virtual Console games. Creating a backup of saved data allows users to delete software from the SD card without losing saved data. The backup created will then be automatically restored when the user re-downloads software from the Nintendo eShop. A total of 30 save data backups can be stored at a time. It is not possible to back up save data from retail versions of Nintendo 3DS software, DSiWare, and Game Boy Advance software.
Themes update On October 6, 2014, the 9.0 system update brought a revamp of the entire HOME Menu with the exception of the multitasking applications, while also adding support for themes, allowing users to further customize their HOME Menu with a theme that adds new backgrounds and changes the folder icons, background music, and sound effects to match the theme. This update was not implemented on Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese systems.
Badges An application called Nintendo Badge Arcade released in December 2014 in Japan, and November 2015 in America and Europe, allows yet further customizing of the HOME Menu, by using badges that are won in a pay-to-play crane game; these badges can then be accessed/used via an additional menu within the HOME Menu that is installed upon loading the game and then placed and removed like normal software icons/folders. Some badges act as shortcuts to access specific pre-installed applications, such as StreetPass Mii Plaza. The Nintendo Badge Arcade was discontinued on April 9, 2024 alongside the Nintendo Network, and badges are no longer obtainable.
Nintendo 3DS Camera "Nintendo 3DS Camera" is a built-in photo and video recorder with an integrated media gallery and photo editing functionality. The app uses the system's two front-facing cameras to take 3D photos, and the user-facing camera to take regular 2-D photos. All photographs are taken at a resolution of 640 × 480 px (VGA), or 0.3 megapixels. In addition to manual recording controls, timers can be set to take a photo three or ten seconds after pressing the "Take" button, or by means of voice commands such as saying "OK!" when wishing to take a photo. SD Cards can hold up to about 3,000 photos. Because photo data size can vary, the number may be reduced by two, or it may not decrease at all.
There are various options and filters available when taking photos or recording video. In addition to the "Normal" mode, there is a "Low-Light" option, which is useful when taking photos and recording video in dark lighting conditions. Other options include manual controls such as the color type (normal, black and white, sepia, negative or solarize), sharpness, contrast and brightness. Real-time photo filters are also available including "Sparkle", which adds moving stars to the photo, "Dream", which adds a dream-like bright light to the photo, "Pinhole", which lightens the center of the screen and darkens the edges and "Mystery", which adds a random finish to the photo. There is also a special mode called "Merge", which takes a photo of the user facing the inner camera and merges the photo from someone facing the outer cameras.
On December 7, 2011, a system update added the ability to record 3D video along three special recording options. "Interval Shot" allows sequences of images to be recorded in short-timed intervals to create time-lapse photography; "Frame Pick" edits still images together to create stop motion animation; and "Montage" lets the user pause and resume recording seamlessly. Videos can be recorded for up to 10 minutes. If the SD Card doesn't have enough space, available shooting time will be reduced. However, all recording modes only allow a single video to be up to ten minutes long.
Despite being more advanced than its predecessor, the software has fewer features than its predecessor, Nintendo DSi Camera. Even if there's enough free space on the SD Card, it can hold a maximum combined total of 3,000 photos and videos.
Nintendo 3DS Sound
"Nintendo 3DS Sound" is a built-in music player and sound recorder. Supported audio codecs include MP3 audio (with .mp3 filename extensions) and AAC audio (with .mp4, .m4a, and .3gp filename extensions). Audio files can be played from an SD card, with visualizations displayed on the upper screen. Music can be played while the console is in Sleep Mode, using the system's headphone jack. When using headphones with an included mic and button, the button can toggle play/pause and skip to the next and previous track. A set of sound manipulation options are available, as well as several audio filters. Ten-second voice recordings also can be recorded, edited with audio filters, and manipulated through modulation and playback speed. Users may save and modify up to 18 of these in the console's memory and up to 180 on an SD card. These can then be used throughout other applications such as Swapnote.
There is a StreetPass function built-into the app. When the user StreetPass's someone who also has StreetPass enabled, both users exchange song data such as the song's name, artist, album, release year, and how many times it's been played. There is also a compatibility chart between the users involved. Depending on the number of matching songs from both users a score will be displayed, ranging from 0% to 100%, with the latter being the most compatible.
Despite being more advanced than its predecessor, the software features fewer filters and themes than its predecessor, Nintendo DSi Sound.
A security bug in Nintendo 3DS Sound allowed a buffer overflow and, eventually, arbitrary code execution. Nintendo patched out the bug in System Firmware 11.3.
Pre-installed applications Health & Safety Information Nintendo 3DS/DS Game Card launcher Nintendo 3DS Camera Nintendo 3DS Sound Mii Maker StreetPass Mii Plaza Nintendo eShop AR Games Face Raiders Activity Log Nintendo Zone (discontinued in all regions) Download Play System Settings
Downloadable applications YouTube (United States, Canada, Europe, Australia & Japan only; discontinued in August 2019) Netflix (United States and Canada only; discontinued June 2021) Hulu Plus (United States and Japan only; discontinued February 2019) Swapdoodle (online functionally discontinued April 2024) Swapnote (SpotPass discontinued) Nintendo Video (discontinued) Eurosport (Europe and Australia only; discontinued in December 2012) Flipnote Studio 3D (only released on eShop in Japan - offered as a My Nintendo reward worldwide) Save Data Transfer Tool Nintendo Anime Channel (Europe and Australia only; discontinued in October 2018)
Multitasking applications The Nintendo 3DS is capable of suspending an application and running one of six multitasking applications. Once a game or application is running, the user can press the Home button to suspend it and open the Home Menu. It is then possible to open another specially designed multitasking application built into the system without closing the currently suspended software. Attempting to open a game or application while another is already running will result in a prompt. These multitasking applications include: Game Notes, which allows users to write and save notes, with screenshots from both screens of the current suspended software present to aid the user. Friend List, a list of registered friends, with information such as their current status as well as current/favorite application; up to 100 friends can be registered by exchanging friend codes. The top LED light will flash orange if a registered friend comes online while the 3DS is active (not in sleep mode). Notifications, whilst receiving notifications the top LED light will flash either blue or green, depending if it is a SpotPass or StreetPass notification, respectively. Internet Browser Miiverse, a social networking service dedicated to games and other applications; comments and software screenshots could be posted on dedicated software communities. The service was discontinued in November 2017. Camera, a lightweight version of Nintendo 3DS Camera with most features omitted, accessed by holding the L and R buttons; unlike Nintendo 3DS Camera, QR codes can be read by the camera. Home Menu Settings, a section that allows users to change their theme, add/remove badges, change the screen brightness and toggle Power Saving Mode at any time. Miiverse and the Internet Browser are disabled while certain software (such as Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) are suspended, due to that software's high usage of the 3DS's resources. However, this is not the case with the New Nintendo 3DS, which has upgraded hardware to allow this.
Network features
Nintendo Network