PatchMyROM

SNES ROM Patcher

SNES ROMs patch cleanly in most cases — the one thing to watch for is an old-style copier header, which this tool detects and handles for you.

IPSUPSBPS

The Copier Header, Explained

Decades ago, SNES copiers — hardware used to transfer games before flash carts existed — tacked an extra 512 bytes onto the front of a dump. Some ROM files still floating around today carry that header, some don't, and a patch built for one won't line up with the other. It's a small detail, but it's specific to this platform and it's the single most common reason a technically-correct SNES patch still fails.

Step-by-Step

1

Start with your .sfc or .smc ROM

Both extensions are common for SNES dumps and work the same way once loaded.

2

Get the patch that matches your copy

SNES hacks show up in IPS, UPS, or BPS depending on the project's age and size.

3

Select both files

The patcher figures out the format on its own, and handles a copier header automatically if one is present.

4

Download the patched ROM

The result is ready to load in any SNES emulator, header or no header.

Patch an SNES ROM now

Mistakes That Trip Up SNES Patching

Not knowing whether the ROM has a copier header

Some older SNES dumps carry an extra 512 bytes tacked onto the front from long-obsolete copier hardware. This patcher detects and handles it automatically, so there's usually nothing you need to do manually.

Applying a patch built for the opposite header state

A patch made for a headered ROM expects those extra 512 bytes; one made for a headerless dump doesn't. Getting this backwards is one of the more SNES-specific ways a patch can fail.

Assuming IPS will catch a wrong-ROM mistake

Plenty of SNES hacks still use IPS, which has no verification built in. Newer projects using BPS will catch this for you; older IPS-based ones won't.

Troubleshooting

Patch fails or the game glitches out after a UPS/BPS patch

Check whether your ROM has a copier header the patch didn't expect, or vice versa. This is one of the most common SNES-specific causes of a checksum mismatch.

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IPS patch applies but the game is broken

Since IPS can't verify the source ROM, this usually means a mismatched revision or region rather than a bad patch file.

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Output file size looks 512 bytes off from what you expected

That's the copier header being added or removed as part of patching — not an error, just the header state changing.

Learn more

FAQ

A 512-byte block some old SNES ROM dumps carry at the start of the file, left over from copier hardware used to transfer games decades ago. It has nothing to do with the game itself.
Yes. It can detect a header on a supported SNES file extension and remove or reapply it as needed so the patch lines up correctly either way.
IPS historically, given how old the SNES hacking scene is. BPS has picked up ground more recently, particularly for larger or actively maintained projects.
Both are common container extensions for the same underlying SNES ROM data — the extension by itself doesn't tell you whether a copier header is present.

Related Guides

ROM PatcherPatch a ROM file directly in your browser.IPS PatcherThe classic format for SNES translation and hacking projects.BPS PatcherThe newer, checksum-verified choice for SNES hacks.NES ROM PatcherIPS's other classic home platform, from the same hacking era.

Header or no header, the patcher below sorts it out — your ROM never leaves this browser tab.

Open the ROM Patcher

Not sure which patch format you have? See IPS, UPS, BPS, and xdelta compared.

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