What should you prepare first?
Use a Windows machine that matches the x86-64 package listed in the release, enough free space to extract the full archive, and your legally obtained games and system files. Games, keys and firmware are not included with Lichii. A successful install is separate from compatibility with any particular game.
If you already use Eden or Eglantine, back up your saves and settings before opening an experimental build. The current Lichii README says it keeps their existing data directories and configuration keys.
Download and extract the official package
- Open Lichii downloads and select Windows.
- Check the linked GitHub release notes. Build 125 provides a PGO ZIP and a standard ZIP. Read PGO vs standard if you are unsure which to choose.
- Extract the entire archive to a normal folder you can find again. Do not run an executable from inside the ZIP or copy only the EXE out of it.
- Open the extracted folder and run lichii.exe. This is the GUI executable identified in the project README.
The expected result is the emulator window. If Windows blocks the program, verify the repository, archive and release before deciding whether to allow it. A familiar project name on an unrelated download page is not evidence that a file is authentic. Do not disable system protection as a general installation step.
Prepare game files and input
The repository includes an inherited Eden Quick Start. It describes Tools → Install Decryption Keys, Tools → Install Firmware, adding a game directory by double-clicking the empty main window, and Emulation → Configure → Input for controller settings. Some labels still use Eden terminology; check the labels in the build you actually opened.
Follow those file-selection dialogs only with files you have legally obtained. After selecting your game directory, confirm that the base game appears in the library. Configure the input device you are using and check its button mapping before launching a game.
A controller detected by Windows is not necessarily the device currently selected for Player 1. If input does not respond, recheck the selected device and mapping before changing unrelated graphics settings.
Check the first launch in stages
Double-click the game entry. Note which stage it reaches:
- The emulator opens, but the game is not listed: follow game not showing.
- The game reaches the title screen: confirm input works, then try actual gameplay.
- It closes or freezes as a new scene starts: record the build, GPU, driver, game version and timing.
- It runs with poor performance: use low FPS diagnosis to distinguish compilation stalls from sustained slow gameplay.
For Ocarina of Time, the intro movie and the first 3D scene are different checkpoints. See the game guide before assuming a successful movie means the full game is playable.
If Lichii itself will not open
Confirm you extracted all files and selected the correct package. The inherited Quick Start mentions Microsoft’s C++ redistributable for Eden, while current Lichii builds have their own build details; do not treat that inherited note as a complete dependency specification for every release. Consult the exact release notes and attach the startup error when reporting a failure.