How to Connect a USB Cable to a Nintendo DS

By Ty Arthur

Updated September 22, 2017

Connect a USB Cable to a Nintendo DS
i Gagdets and Gizmos

The hand-held Nintendo DS game console offers the convenience of playing video games anywhere you go, but unfortunately it does not come with an extra memory card slot for downloading new programs as other hand-held consoles do. If you want to connect your DS to a computer to download additional software you will need a third-party memory card designed to fit in the game cartridge slot and a special Nintendo DS compatible USB cable.

Purchase a Nintendo DS compatible flash memory card such as an "R4 Revolution Card" and a DS compatible USB cable (see Resources below).

Remove whatever cartridge is in your Nintendo DS and replace it with the flash memory card. Power on your computer and wait for the operating system to finish loading. Turn on the Nintendo DS.

Plug one end of the DS compatible USB cable into the Nintendo DS and then connect the other end to an open USB port on your computer. Wait for a new window to appear on the screen, asking what action you want to take.

Click on the link labeled "Open a new folder to view files." Minimize the window when it pops up and open your web browser by double-clicking on its desktop icon. Navigate to a website that offers games and applications for the Nintendo DS (see Resources below).

Locate the program you want to transfer to the Nintendo DS and click on the download link. Open the "My Computer" icon on your desktop and navigate to the location where the file was saved.

Click on the file and then drag it into the window you opened earlier to transfer it to the Nintendo DS. Close both of the windows and then remove the USB cable.

Tips

In order to use any of the programs you download you will need to have the flash memory card in the cartridge slot of the Nintendo DS. You will not be able to use them with a normal game in the cartridge slot.

Warnings

A normal USB cable that you would use with a printer or camera will not work on a Nintendo DS as the DS has a different type of connector that is not compatible.

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