While the PS Vita has VitaShell as a definite option for all your file management needs, the 3DS has more choices. GodMode9 is one of said choices. Created by developer d0k3 to be a sort of definite tool for all your file management needs, it is so powerful he also created a secondary package named SafeMode9 to stop you from doing potentially damaging stuff to your 3DS.

Update 0.9.2 of GodMode9 is a huge update and brings tons of new features. The developer himself states that between the last version and this one, there were over 92 commits to his GitHub. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you can run it!

What is GodMode9?

GodMode9 is a full access file browser for your 3DS that allows you to browse both your SD card and your SysNAND/EmuNAND. It is a very powerful tool and as such comes in two flavors: GodMode9 and SafeMode9. In SafeMode9 the read/write permissions for SysNAND/EmuNAND are not unlockable.

Changelog for v0.9.2

• This is a major rewrite for most of the code GM9 consists of
• Verify support for CIA, NCSD, NCCH, TMD and FIRMs
• Decrypt support for CIA, NCSD, NCCH, FIRMs
• Building CIAs from NCSD, NCCH and TMD (that includes building CIAs from SD installed and system contents)
• Batch support for all of the above
• Mount support for CIA, NCSD (.3DS), NCCH, ExeFS, RomFS and FIRMs (from system and SD installed content, too)
• New X: drive for NAND XORpads
• Persistent RAM drive on 9:, not coupled to image handling
• No SD mode – GodMode9 can now run without an SD card inserted
• Readme finally provides actual useful information
• Countless smaller improvements and bug fixes

Instructions

I’m only going to highlight to way of running this, since those are probably the most used:

• If you have the LumaCFW the process is rather simple
  1. Download the whichever flavor of GodMode9 you prefer
  2. Get the GodMode9.bin/SafeMode9.bin file and move it to your SD card to sdroot:/luma/payloads/
  3. Rename the GodMode9.bin/SafeMode9.bin file to start_g9.bin
  4. Put the SD card back on your 3DS and press Start on boot to start GodMode9/SafeMode9
• If you use Smea’s Homebrew Launcher
  1. Copy the GodMode9/SafeMode9 folder to sdroot:/3ds
  2. Open the HomebrewLauncher and enjoy!

Credits

This tool would not have been possible without the help of numerous people. Thanks go to…

• Archshift, for providing the base project infrastructure
• Normmatt, for sdmmc.c / sdmmc.h
• Cha(N), Kane49, and all other FatFS contributors for FatFS
• SciResM for helping me figure out RomFS
• b1l1s for helping me figure out A9LH compatibility
• Gelex and AuroraWright for helping me figure out various things
• dark_samus for the new 6×10 font and help on various things
• Al3x_10m, Supster131, imanoob, Kasher_CS and all other fearless testers
• The fine folks on freenode #Cakey
• Everyone I possibly forgot, if you think you deserve to be mentioned, just contact me!

Download GodMode9

To download GodMode9, simply head to d0k3‘s GitHub release page and get the package you prefer from the latest release. If you want to leave the developer feedback I would recommend doing so in the official thread for this homebrew over at GBATemp.