| Feature | On-the-Fly (with keys.txt) | Permanent Decryption | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Keys are small (few KB). | Decrypted ROMs are larger (but same size as encrypted). | | Speed | Minimal overhead (AES-NI acceleration). | Faster loading (no decrypt step). | | Compatibility | Works with all citra builds. | Works even without keys.txt. | | Legality | Requires keys in memory. | Same legal requirement for initial decrypt. |
Some community builds or “portable packs” may include a placeholder aes_keys.txt , but actual keys must be user-supplied. citra aes keystxt portable
The feature you're describing — loading AES keys from a keys.txt file in the same folder as the portable executable — in most Citra versions. | Feature | On-the-Fly (with keys