How to sideload Playdate games

What is sideloading?

Lots of Playdate games live outside the Catalog, on itch.io and other stores. Panic says anyone can sell or share Playdate games any way they like, and owners can put them on their Playdate by sideloading: wirelessly through the Playdate website, or over USB.

You'll usually download a .pdx game file (or a zipped .pdx) from the store.

Method 1: Wireless, through play.date (easiest)

You need a Playdate registered on your account for this one.

1. Log in to your Playdate account at play.date.
2. Go to your Account page, then the Sideload page.
3. Drag or select the .pdx file (or zipped .pdx) to upload it.
4. On your Playdate, go to Game Library (or Settings > Games on earlier system versions).
5. Refresh the list (it may happen automatically) and find your game.

Bonus: if you reset your Playdate or get a new one, you can download the game again from Panic's server.

Method 2: USB, with Data Disk mode

No SDK needed. Panic warns you can break your Playdate's software by poking at its files directly, so go carefully.

Put your Playdate in Data Disk mode (either way):

• Connect it to your computer with a USB cable, then on the Playdate go to Settings > System > Reboot to Data Disk and confirm.
• Or connect it by USB and hold Left + Lock + Menu together for a few seconds, until the screen reads Sharing DATA segment as USB drive.

Then:

1. On your computer, open the PLAYDATE drive.
2. Open the Games folder.
3. Drop in the .pdx (not a zip file, so unzip it first).
4. Unmount (eject) the PLAYDATE drive.

The game should now be on your Playdate.

(Developers can also use the Playdate SDK's Simulator: Device > Upload Game to Device. See Panic's article.)

Troubleshooting

• No Sideload option working? Wireless sideloading only works if a Playdate is registered to your account.
• Copied a .zip over USB and nothing shows up? USB needs the .pdx itself, not a zip. (The website accepts either.)
• Seeing the same game twice? Normally only the newest version shows up. Games sideloaded through the website before February 2023 may appear as a separate game when updated. To clean up: on your account's Sideload page, open both, and Delete the older build; then on the Playdate go to Settings > Games, find the older copy under MY GAMES (it's lower in the list), and Delete it.
• Want to keep old saves? Panic explains how to copy them from the old game's folder to the new one in the Data folder, using Data Disk mode. Launch the new version once first so its folder exists. Full steps are in the help article.
• Still stuck? Contact Panic.

Stay safe

• Only install games from developers and stores you trust.
• Download from the game's official page (for example the developer's itch.io page), not re-uploads.
• In Data Disk mode, only touch the Games folder (and Data, if you're moving saves). Always eject before unplugging.

Playdate Games is an unofficial fan site. Playdate is a trademark of Panic Inc.