Hotkeys: exiting games, saving and getting to the menu
Quick answer: Most builds use a hotkey button (usually Select, or the Home/Guide button) held with another button. Hotkey plus Start exits a game in Batocera, RetroBat and RetroPie. Save states and the in-game menu use other hotkey combos, and the main menu is opened with Start.
You found a game, it loaded, you played. Brilliant. Now how do you get out? Retro consoles had no “quit” button, so builds use hotkeys: you hold one special button and press another to do things like exit, save or open a menu.
The hotkey button
The hotkey button is the one you hold down first. On most builds it is:
- Select (also called Back, View or Share depending on your pad), or
- the Home / Guide button (the Xbox or PlayStation logo button) on pads that have one.
When you set up a controller, many builds ask you to choose a hotkey. If you skipped it, see controller setup. Builders sometimes change these, so check the build’s post for its own list.
Batocera
Button names here follow the Super Nintendo layout: B is the bottom face button, A the right one, Y the left and X the top.
| Do this | Hold Hotkey and press |
|---|---|
| Exit the game | Start |
| Open the emulator menu | B |
| Save state | Y |
| Load state | X |
| Change save slot | Up or Down |
| Rewind / fast forward (if enabled) | Left or Right |
RetroBat
RetroBat uses the same idea as Batocera on most setups: Hotkey plus Start exits. Because it runs on Windows, a keyboard also works: Esc exits most emulators, and in RetroArch F1 opens the menu. Some standalone emulators (for PS2, Switch and so on) use their own keys; the build’s post lists them.
RetroPie
| Do this | Hold Select and press |
|---|---|
| Exit the game | Start |
| Open the RetroArch menu | X |
| Save state | R (right shoulder) |
| Load state | L (left shoulder) |
| Change save slot | Left or Right |
| Reset the game | B |
RetroArch on a keyboard
RetroArch is the engine behind many emulators in all of these builds. Its default keys are: F1 for the menu, F2 to save a state, F4 to load it, and Esc to quit (newer versions ask you to press it twice).
Save states vs in-game saves
- In-game saves are the game’s own save feature (a save point, a memory card). They work like the original console.
- Save states are snapshots of the exact moment, taken with a hotkey. Handy, but a state from one emulator version will not always load in another. Use the game’s own saves for anything you care about, and states as a bonus.
The main menu
Back in the game list (the front end), press Start to open the main menu. That is where you find settings, controller setup, network options, and Quit to shut down properly. Always shut down from here rather than pulling the power. See first boot.
Arcade cabinets and sticks
No Select button on your stick? Most builds let you set any spare button as the hotkey, and arcade builds often map a coin button to it. See arcade sticks, encoders and light guns.
Stuck in a game?
- Try Hotkey plus Start with both Select and Home as the hotkey.
- Plug in a keyboard and press Esc (twice if needed).
- If all else fails, use the power button if your device has one rather than yanking the cable, then re-do your controller setup so you have a hotkey.
Still stuck? See controller setup and a game will not load, or ask in our Discord.