This guide explains how to build the UWP (Universal Windows Platform) version of the Dolphin emulator from source code, targeting deployment to an Xbox Series S/X in Developer Mode. It combines information from SirMangler's Discord and the XBSX2 building guide. Note: Success is not guaranteed, as build processes can change.
This section is identical to the previous guide, but included here for completeness.
Choose a Location: Decide where you want to store the Dolphin source code on your PC (e.g., C:\DolphinSource). Create this folder.
Open Git Bash: Navigate to the folder you chose in File Explorer. Right-click inside the folder and select "Git Bash Here". This opens a Git Bash terminal window in that directory.
Clone the Repository: In the Git Bash terminal, run the following command exactly as shown:
git clone -b uwp --recurse-submodules https://github.com/SirMangler/dolphin
-b uwp: This specifies that you want to clone the uwp branch, which contains the UWP-specific code. This is critical.--recurse-submodules: This ensures that all necessary submodules (external libraries used by Dolphin) are also downloaded. This is also critical.https://github.com/SirMangler/dolphin: This is the URL of SirMangler's fork of the Dolphin repository, which contains the UWP port.Wait: The cloning process will take a while, as it downloads the entire source code and submodules.
Navigate to Source: In File Explorer, go to the folder where you cloned the repository (e.g., C:\DolphinSource). Inside, you should find a folder named dolphin. Go into that folder.
Open Solution: Find the file named dolphin-emu.sln (likely inside a folder called Source). Double-click this file. This will open the Dolphin solution in Visual Studio 2022.
Set Build Configuration: In the Visual Studio toolbar (usually at the top), you'll see a dropdown that probably says "Debug". Click the dropdown and change it to "Release". This is important for creating a build suitable for deployment.
Set Startup Project:
DolphinWinRT.DolphinWinRT and select "Set as Startup Project".Open Properties: Right-click on the DolphinWinRT project in the Solution Explorer again and select "Properties" (at the bottom of the context menu).
Debugger Settings:
AppxManifest:
DolphinWinRT project, find and double-click the file named Package.appxmanifest. This opens the manifest editor.MyDolphinCert).Locate SDL-UWP: In the Solution Explorer, expand the externals folder. You should see a project named SDL-UWP.
Open Properties: Right-click on SDL-UWP and select "Properties".
Configuration Properties: In the Properties window, on the left, select "Configuration Properties" -> "General"
Platform Toolkit: Find the "Platform Toolkit" setting. It might say something like "Visual Studio 2019 (v142)". Change this to "Visual Studio 2022 (v143)" (or the highest v14X version available, matching your Visual Studio installation). This is crucial for compatibility.
Apply and OK: Click "Apply" then "OK" to save the changes.
Remote Machine: In the Visual Studio toolbar (where you changed "Debug" to "Release" earlier), there's another dropdown that probably says "Local Machine". Click this dropdown and select "Remote Machine". This tells Visual Studio to deploy to your Xbox.
Start Debugging (Deploy): Click the green "Play" button (it should now say "Remote Machine" next to it) in the toolbar. This will:
Wait: The build and deployment process will take a significant amount of time, especially the first time. Be patient. You'll see progress in the "Output" window in Visual Studio.
Authentication: You may be prompted for your Xbox Developer Mode credentials (username and password) during the deployment process.
Certificate Trust: You may be prompted to trust the certificate. Choose Yes.
If everything goes correctly, Dolphin UWP should launch on your Xbox. If you encounter errors, carefully review all the steps, especially the repository cloning (making sure you used the correct branch and submodules), the project properties (remote machine, certificate), and the SDL-UWP toolkit version. Double-check your Xbox's IP address and Developer Mode credentials.