Firmware & Customization Guide
Complete guide to choosing, installing, and customizing firmware for your R36S retro gaming handheld.
🎯 Quick Firmware Recommendations
✅ For Beginners
Community ArkOS
Easiest installation with Panel Picker Mode
⚙️ For Easy Configuration
Rocknix
Streamlined settings, integrated UI
📚 For Maximum Support
Stock ArkOS
Largest community, most documentation
Understanding Firmware Options
The R36S ships with ArkOS, but several custom firmware options exist. Each offers different features, update schedules, and user experiences. The firmware ecosystem is very active with regular updates.
Stock ArkOS
What it is: ArkOS is a Linux distribution using Emulation Station as the front-end and RetroArch for most emulators. It's the default firmware on genuine R36S units.
Pros:
- Stable and widely supported
- Active development with regular updates
- Extensive documentation and community guides
- Compatible with most micro-SD cards
Cons:
- Stock pre-installed version is usually outdated
- Manual update process (requires downloading the RG351MP version and replacing device-tree files)
- No built-in Wi-Fi support (requires USB dongle)
When to choose it: Best for users who want the most stable, well-documented firmware with the largest community support.
Community-Maintained ArkOS (by AeolusUX)
What it is: A ready-to-flash ArkOS image specifically configured for the R36S, maintained by community member AeolusUX on GitHub.
Pros:
- Includes the correct device-tree blob (.dtb) files for all R36S screen panels
- Features "Panel Picker Mode" to automatically detect your screen type
- Simplifies installation—just flash and boot
- Integrates latest ArkOS improvements
Cons:
- Unofficial build (not from the original ArkOS maintainers)
- May lag slightly behind the latest official ArkOS releases
- Smaller user base than official ArkOS
When to choose it: Ideal for beginners who want ArkOS without the complexity of manually replacing .dtb files.
Rocknix (formerly JELOS)
What it is: A continuation of the JELOS project after developers forked it. Rocknix uses Emulation Station with integrated configuration options accessible from the Start button.
Pros:
- Actively maintained with regular updates
- Easier per-system and per-game emulator settings
- Integrated settings UI (no need to dive into RetroArch menus)
- Good performance optimizations
- Active community support
Cons:
- Slightly different interface may require adjustment
- Some advanced RetroArch features less accessible
- Still requires flashing via SD card
When to choose it: Best for users who want a more streamlined configuration experience and prefer integrated settings over RetroArch's complex menus.
JELOS
What it is: An older custom firmware similar to ArkOS but with a more user-friendly emulator selection system.
Pros:
- Simple UI with on-screen emulator switching
- Beginner-friendly
- Clean interface
Cons:
- No longer actively maintained
- Missing recent emulator improvements and performance tweaks
- Outdated compared to Rocknix (its successor)
When to choose it: Only if you have an existing setup and don't want to migrate, or if you prefer its specific UI. New users should choose Rocknix instead.
AmberELEC
What it is: Custom firmware ported from Anbernic RG351 devices.
Pros:
- Alternative look and feel
- Some users prefer its interface
Cons:
- Not officially supported for R36S handheld
- No longer actively developed
- Requires manual configuration and renaming device-tree files
- Lacks recent performance optimizations
When to choose it: Only for advanced users who specifically want its unique features and are comfortable with manual configuration.
📊 Firmware Comparison
Quick reference table to help you choose the right firmware for your needs:
| Feature |
Stock ArkOS |
Community ArkOS ✅ |
Rocknix |
JELOS |
| Beginner Friendly |
⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐ |
| Active Development |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No (outdated) |
| Community Support |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐ |
| Panel Picker Mode |
No |
✅ Yes |
No |
No |
| Ease of Configuration |
⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Requires .dtb Replacement |
⚠️ Yes |
✅ No |
No |
⚠️ Yes |
| Performance |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⭐⭐⭐ |
| Recommendation |
Good |
Best for New Users |
Best for Config |
Not Recommended |
💡 Our Recommendation
New to R36S? Start with Community ArkOS for the easiest setup experience.
Want easier configuration? Choose Rocknix for integrated settings and simplified emulator management.
Need maximum community support? Stick with Stock ArkOS - it has the largest user base and most documentation.
How to Install or Update Firmware
Requirements
- A quality micro-SD card (16–128 GB, Class 10 or UHS-1)
- SD card reader for your computer
- Firmware image file (download from official sources)
- Flashing tool (Rufus, Win32DiskImager, Raspberry Pi Imager, or Balena Etcher—note: some guides discourage Etcher due to reliability issues)
- Backup of your original SD card (especially the BOOT partition and .dtb files)
Step-by-Step Installation Process
Step 1: Back Up Your Stock Card
Before making any changes, back up the entire stock micro-SD card to your computer. Pay special attention to the BOOT partition, which contains critical device-tree files (usually named rk3326-r35s-linux.dtb or rk3326-rg351mp-linux.dtb). If the stock card is corrupted or lost, these files can be downloaded from the community, but backing up is safer.
Step 2: Download Firmware
- For official ArkOS: Download the RG351MP version from the ArkOS website
- For community ArkOS: Download from the AeolusUX GitHub repository
- For Rocknix: Download from the Rocknix GitHub releases page
- For JELOS or AmberELEC: Find on their respective GitHub pages (note: both are outdated)
Step 3: Flash the Image
Insert your new micro-SD card into your computer's card reader. Use a flashing tool to write the downloaded image:
- Open Rufus (Windows), Win32DiskImager (Windows), or Raspberry Pi Imager (all platforms)
- Select your micro-SD card (double-check the drive letter to avoid overwriting the wrong disk!)
- Select the downloaded firmware image file
- Click "Write" or "Flash"
- Wait for the process to complete (5–15 minutes depending on image size and card speed)
Step 4: Replace Device-Tree Files (if needed)
This step is only necessary for official ArkOS. Community builds and Rocknix typically include the correct files.
- After flashing, the BOOT partition should appear as a readable drive on your computer
- Navigate to the BOOT partition
- Locate the
.dtb file (usually rk3326-rg351mp-linux.dtb)
- Replace it with the correct R36S device-tree file from your R36S backup or download from GitHub
- The file should be renamed to match the original name or as instructed in the firmware guide
Common .dtb files for R36S:
rk3326-r35s-linux.dtb (works for many units)rk3326-rg351mp-linux.dtb (standard for ArkOS RG351MP builds)- Community ArkOS includes multiple panel-specific .dtb files
Step 5: First Boot
- Safely eject the SD card from your computer
- Insert the SD card into the R36S's TF1/TF-OS slot (the right-side slot on your R36S)
- Power on the device
- Important: Allow 5–10 minutes for the OS to expand on first boot. The screen may stay black during this time—do not power off!
- After expansion completes, the Emulation Station interface should appear
Step 6: Configure Your Setup
Once booted:
- Set your language and timezone
- Configure screen brightness and volume
- If using a dual-card setup, insert your game ROM card into the TF2/TF-GAME slot and enable "Switch to Second SD for ROMS" in the Options menu
- If using a Wi-Fi dongle, connect it and configure your network
Dual-Card Setup (Recommended)
A dual-card configuration separates the operating system from your game library:
TF1/TF-OS Slot (system card): 16–32 GB card with firmware
TF2/TF-GAME Slot (ROM card): 64–256 GB card for games
Benefits:
- Firmware updates don't affect your game library
- Easier to test different firmware builds
- Simpler backup strategy
- Can swap ROM cards without touching the system
How to enable dual-card mode in ArkOS:
- Insert both cards
- Boot the device
- Press Start to access the main menu
- Navigate to Options → Switch to Second SD for ROMS
- Enable the option
- Reboot
- Your EASYROMS folder will now appear on the TF2 card
Customization Options
Changing Emulator Cores
Different games may perform better with different emulator cores. To change the core:
Per-System:
- Highlight any game in that system
- Press Start
- Navigate to "Emulator Settings"
- Choose your preferred emulator
- Changes apply to all games in that system
Per-Game:
- Highlight the specific game
- Press Start
- Navigate to "Edit This Game's Metadata"
- Change "Emulator" to your desired core
- Save
- This setting applies only to that specific game
Customizing Hotkeys
RetroArch hotkeys can be fully customized:
- During gameplay, press the hotkey button to open the RetroArch Quick Menu
- Navigate to Settings → Input → Hotkeys
- Assign new button combinations for functions like save state, load state, screenshot, fast-forward, etc.
- Save configuration to make changes persistent
Default R36S hotkeys (using FN as the hotkey button):
- FN + R1: Save state
- FN + L1: Load state
- FN + R2: Fast-forward
- FN + L2: Rewind
- FN + Y: Display FPS
- FN + Start: Exit to menu
- Start + Select: Alternative exit combination (stock firmware)
Installing Themes
Emulation Station supports custom themes to change the appearance of the menu system:
- Download a theme package (many available on GitHub and retro gaming forums)
- Extract the theme folder
- Copy it to the
themes directory on your SD card
- Reboot or restart Emulation Station
- Navigate to UI Settings → Theme Set
- Select your new theme
Popular themes include Carbon, Epic Noir, Art Book, and numerous custom community creations.
PortMaster (PC Game Ports)
PortMaster is a tool that allows you to run native PC game ports on the R36S:
Supported ports include:
- Half-Life
- Stardew Valley
- Cave Story
- Doom series
- Duke Nukem 3D
- Quake series
- And dozens more
Installation:
- Download the PortMaster script from the official repository
- Copy it to your SD card's scripts folder
- Run PortMaster from the Ports section in Emulation Station
- Browse and install available ports
- Launch games directly from Emulation Station