What You’ll Need

Is Your R36S Authentic?

Before diving in, let’s make sure you have the real deal.

Signs of an authentic R36S:

• Crisp 3.5″ IPS display with vivid colours visible from any angle
• Solid build quality with responsive buttons
• Comes with ArkOS or compatible firmware pre-installed
• Display resolution of 640×480

Signs of a clone:

• Dull, washed-out screen with poor viewing angles
• Creaky plastic and mushy buttons
• Random or incompatible firmware
• Often ships without proper packaging

If you suspect you have a clone, the setup process may differ, and you might face compatibility issues with custom firmware.

Step 1: Understanding Your R36S Hardware

Let’s get familiar with what’s under the hood:

Key buttons to know:

• D-pad and analogue stick — Navigation and gameplay
• A/B/X/Y — Action buttons
• L1/L2, R1/R2 — Shoulder buttons
• Start/Select — Menu and system functions
• Function (FN) — Special hotkey combinations

Step 2: The Dual SD Card Setup (Recommended)

Your R36S has two microSD slots. Here’s the smart way to use them:

Slot 1 (TF1): Operating System
Slot 2 (TF2): Games and saves

Setting Up Your Cards

1. Insert your OS card (the one that came with your R36S or your custom firmware card) into Slot 1 (TF1)
2. Insert your games card into Slot 2 (TF2)
3. Power on the device — it should boot to the main menu

If you only have one card, that’s fine too. The device works with a single card containing both the OS and games.

Step 3: Basic Navigation and Controls

Before adding games, let’s master the essential controls:

Navigating Menus

• Use the D-pad or analogue stick to browse
• Press A to select
• Press B to go back

Exiting Games (Important!)

This trips up many new users:

1. Press Start + Select simultaneously
2. Select Quit from the menu
3. You’ll return to the game selection screen

Shutting Down Properly

1. Return to the main menu
2. Navigate to Settings or Power
3. Select Shutdown
4. Wait for the screen to go completely dark before putting the device away

Step 4: Adding Games to Your R36S

Now for the exciting part — loading up your game library!

Method 1: Direct SD Card Transfer

1. Power off your R36S completely
2. Remove the games SD card (Slot 2) or your single SD card
3. Insert the card into your computer’s card reader
4. Open the card in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac)

You’ll see folders organised by system:

ROMS/
├── GBA/          (Game Boy Advance)
├── GBC/          (Game Boy Colour)
├── NES/          (Nintendo Entertainment System)
├── SNES/         (Super Nintendo)
├── PS1/          (PlayStation 1)
├── SEGA/         (Mega Drive/Genesis)
└── ...and more

5. Copy your game files into the appropriate folders
6. Safely eject the card
7. Insert it back into your R36S
8. Power on and enjoy!

Method 2: USB Transfer (If WiFi Dongle Available)

The R36S doesn’t have built-in WiFi, but you can use a USB WiFi dongle for wireless transfers. However, for most users, the direct SD card method is faster and more reliable.

Step 5: Updating Your Firmware

The firmware that ships with the R36S is often outdated. Updating gives you:

• Better emulator performance
• More customisation options
• Bug fixes and stability improvements
• Support for additional systems

Recommended Firmware Options

We’ll cover detailed firmware installation in a separate guide. For now, the stock firmware works perfectly fine for getting started.

Step 6: Optimising Your Experience

Adjusting Display Settings

1. Enter a game and press Start + Select
2. Navigate to Settings → Video
3. Adjust:
   • Brightness — Lower for better battery life
   • Scaling — “Integer scaling” for pixel-perfect display
   • Filters — Add CRT or LCD effects for nostalgia

Battery-Saving Tips

• Lower screen brightness to 50-60%
• Disable WiFi dongle when not in use
• Use sleep mode for short breaks (quick press of power button)
• Keep volume at moderate levels

Creating Save States

Never lose progress again:

1. During gameplay, press Start + Select
2. Select Save State
3. Choose a slot (you get multiple!)
4. To load, follow the same steps and select Load State

Troubleshooting Common Issues

“My R36S won’t turn on”

• Ensure the battery is charged (connect USB-C for at least 30 minutes)
• Try holding the power button for 10+ seconds
• Check that SD cards are properly inserted

“Games aren’t showing up”

• Verify games are in the correct system folder
• Check file formats are supported (e.g., .gba for GBA, .nes for NES)
• Refresh the game list from the system menu
• Some systems require BIOS files — we’ll cover this in another guide

“Screen looks washed out”

• Unfortunately, this often indicates a clone device with a TN panel
• Try adjusting brightness and contrast in display settings
• If colours are significantly worse than product photos, you may have received a knockoff

“Games run slowly”

• Some PS1 and N64 games are demanding
• Try overclocking in system settings (increases battery drain)
• Use optimised game versions (e.g., proper PS1 disc rips)

What’s Next?

Congratulations! Your R36S is now set up and ready for hundreds of hours of retro gaming goodness.

Upcoming guides in this series:

• Installing Custom Firmware (ArkOS) on Your R36S
• Best Emulator Settings for Each System
• Essential BIOS Files and Where to Find Them
• Top 50 Games to Play on Your R36S
• R36S vs Competitors: Which Retro Handheld is Right for You?