Will my games scan properly?
Point it at the folder you already have. It reads the filenames, works out which game each one is, and downloads the cover art. There is no naming scheme to follow and no folder structure to set up.
Zipped games, multi-disc games, romhacks, fan translations and duplicate regions are all normal cases, not problems. Romhacks tuck in behind the original game so they stay out of your way. If something matches wrong, you can fix it in a couple of clicks and it will not be undone later.
Will my saves still work?
Yes, exactly as they are. Saves from RetroArch, memory card files, old DexDrive and GameShark dumps, and PlayStation and DS exports all work without converting anything.
YendleBox only reads your saves, never writes to them. It keeps backups so you can put an old one back, and a backup or sync that arrives while you are playing waits until you stop. Save states are left completely alone.
How does it know how far through a game I am?
It reads the number the game itself saved. Super Mario World counts exits, Mario Kart counts cups, Suikoden counts recruits — so that is the number you see, rather than hours played.
This works for 314 games today, and the list grows most weeks. If a game is not on it, YendleBox shows nothing rather than guessing — so every number you see is one you can trust.
Do I have to use RetroArch?
No. RetroArch is the easiest way to start, but any emulator works — PCSX2, DuckStation, Dolphin, RPCS3 and the rest. Point at it once and keep whatever settings you already use. You can use a different emulator for a single game if that one needs it.
Do I need to install anything else first?
No. One installer, then point it at your games. No command line and nothing to configure beforehand.
Playing with a friend, or streaming to another room?
Streaming is for playing your own games somewhere else in the house. It uses Sunshine and Moonlight, which are free, and YendleBox comes set up for them. There is no lag worth worrying about, so anything works.
Retro Lobby is for a friend who is not in your house and will not install anything. They click a link and they are player two. It is great for Mario Kart, Bomberman and Mario Party, and too laggy for fighting games.
Does the phone remote need a password?
No, and that is worth knowing before you install it. YendleBox shares your library with your home network so the phone remote, the marquee, Retro Lobby and the Android app can reach it — which means anyone on your Wi-Fi can browse and launch games.
In Settings you can switch it to this PC only, which turns those four things off. You can also put a PIN on the settings so guests can play but not change anything. It is built for a home network, so do not open it up to the internet.
Will the Game Pass and PS+ screens keep working?
Those open the real service in its own window, so if Microsoft, Sony or Nvidia redesign their site, one can break until it is updated. YendleBox tells you when that happens so you know it is not your setup. Your own library is unaffected.
What gets uploaded?
Nothing, unless you turn on cloud saves. There is no YendleBox server to upload anything to.
If you do turn it on, it uses your own Google Drive and can only see the files it made itself. It has no way to delete anything, so a bad sync cannot lose a save.
Can I move over from LaunchBox?
Yes. It brings over your favourites and which games you finished — the two things you cannot just scan again. Anything it is unsure about it leaves alone, and it shows you the changes before making them.
If you already have a LaunchBox artwork folder, it uses that first, because it is already on your disk.
Is it really free?
Yes, and it will stay that way. No paid tier, no accounts, no store.
Does it come with games?
No. YendleBox does not include, supply or help you find any games. It is a way to organise and launch what is already on your PC — your own ROM folder, and your Steam, Epic and GOG libraries.
Where your games came from is your business, and it stays between you and your disk.