Importing from Network Drives

As of LaunchBox for Android 1.16, you can now import and play games directly from a network drive—a great option for users with limited device storage or those managing large libraries across devices.

This guide explains how network shares work, how to set them up, and how to import games using this new feature.

🗂️ What Are Network Shares?

A network share is a folder or drive on one device (such as a PC or NAS) that’s accessible to other devices on the same network. With this feature, your Android device can access ROMs stored on another machine without copying them locally first.

💡 Why Use This Feature?

Android devices often have limited internal storage, especially compared to PCs. This feature offers a solution to:

• Avoid filling up internal or SD card storage.

• Eliminate the need to manually sync libraries between Android and PC.

• Access a shared library without storing every game locally.

Games are downloaded on demand from the network share. Once downloaded, they remain local to your Android device and can be played offline going forward.

✅ What Do You Need to Get Started?

You’ll need a network share that hosts your games. There are two common ways to set this up:

1. A Shared Folder on Your Windows PC

Create a network share on your PC where your primary LaunchBox library is stored.

• Local Access: Within your home network

• Remote Access: From anywhere, if configured properly

📘 How to Create a Network Shared Folder

LaunchBox supports network drives using the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol. Other types of network drives may not be supported.

2. A Network-Attached Storage (NAS) Device

If you’re using a NAS, ensure that:

• SMB sharing is enabled.

• The shared folder is properly configured and accessible.

📱 How to Set Up Network Import on Android

For a full walkthrough, check out our release video:

🎥 Watch the Setup Guide

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Import Menu

   From the main menu, go to:

   Import Games > Folder of Games to Import > Network Share

   

2. Authenticate & Connect

   LaunchBox will scan for available network shares.

   If required, enter your network username and password.

   

3. Select the Shared Folder

   Browse to the folder containing your games and select it.
   

   

4. Complete the Import

   Proceed with the import process as usual.

   Note: Games are not downloaded yet—just added to your library.

⬇️ What Happens After Importing?

Games imported from a network share will display a download icon in your library.

To Play a Game:

1. Select the game in your library.

2. Tap Download and Play.

3. LaunchBox will download the game, then launch it automatically.

Once downloaded, the game is stored locally and can be played offline.

⏱ Download speed depends on your connection and file size. Larger games may take longer initially.

⚠️ Are All Systems Supported?

All systems except Arcade are currently supported.

Arcade platforms often require additional dependencies and may not work reliably when imported over a network. Attempting to import them will trigger a warning.

Arcade platform currently does not support importing from network shares. Please choose a local path to import Arcade games.

📋 Recap: Pros and Cons

✅ Advantages

• No need to store your full library locally.

• Games are downloaded only when needed.

• Downloaded games remain available offline.

• With remote access, you can play from anywhere.

⚠️ Considerations

• The host PC or NAS must be powered on and accessible.

• Large games may take time to download initially.

• Media (e.g., videos, images) can consume space—consider adjusting media settings.

By importing from network shares, you can enjoy your complete library without storage limitations, while still being able to play offline once a game is downloaded. It’s a flexible, powerful option for Android users looking to get the most out of LaunchBox.