ePSXe has built-in cheat code support — no external plugin needed. This guide covers adding codes on Windows and Android, the code download feature the team added in v2.0.5, and the one interpreter-mode fix worth knowing about.
Windows: the cheat window
- Launch the game first, then open the cheat code window from the emulator’s menu options while it runs.
- Add your code in the format the window expects (GameShark/CodeBreaker-style codes for the game’s region — a US code will not fire on the European version).
- Enable the codes you want, return to the game, and check the effect. Save a save state first: a bad code can soft-lock a session, and a state is your undo button (F1 to save).
The built-in code download (v2.0.5+)
Version 2.0.5 added an option in the cheat codes window to download cheat codes for games, using data from psxdatacenter.com. It is the low-effort route for popular titles and avoids typing long code lists by hand.
Android: cheats and scoped storage
On Android, cheat files live alongside your game data. The Android 2.0.18 update specifically added support for cheats stored in scoped storage folders, so on current Android versions keep the cheat files in the same approved folder as the game image, or the app cannot see them.
When codes refuse to work
- Region mismatch — the most common cause. Match code region to disc region.
- Interpreter mode: v2.0.5 fixed cheat support when running in interpreter mode; on older builds, codes could silently fail there.
- Master/enabler codes: some code sets need their master code entered and enabled first.
- Timing: codes that modify memory continuously can destabilise specific games — enable one at a time when troubleshooting, and see the troubleshooting hub if a game starts crashing only with codes on.
Cheats are single-player fun; they have no place in any competitive or netplay context, and ePSXe’s local netplay (see netplay guide) assumes both sides run the same setup.