Disable Overlays

Note: These instructions assume you are running RetroArch within ArkOS on a compatible handheld device. The default hotkey to access the RetroArch menu in ArkOS is the Function Button. If your hotkeys differ, check your device's input settings in RetroArch under Settings > Input > Hotkeys.

Disabling the Overlay in RetroArch

Overlays in RetroArch are visual elements like bezels, frames, or on-screen controls that enhance the aesthetic for retro games, but can sometimes be distracting or unnecessary on handhelds. Disabling them is straightforward and can be done temporarily or persistently via overrides.

Steps to Disable the Overlay

1. Launch a Game: Start any game through EmulationStation or directly in RetroArch to enter the emulation environment where the overlay is active.

2. Access the RetroArch Quick Menu: While the game is running, press the Funciton button to open the menu. This brings up the Quick Menu.

3. Navigate to On-Screen Overlay Settings:

   • From the Quick Menu, select On-Screen Overlay.
   • Alternatively, for the full menu: Go to Main Menu > Settings > On-Screen Display > On-Screen Overlay.

4. Turn Off the Overlay:

   • Set Display Overlay to OFF. This immediately hides the overlay (e.g., bezels or borders) for the current session.
   • If the overlay persists, check additional options like Overlay Preset and set it to none (or press the reset key, such as Start on a controller, to clear it).
   • For touch-based overlays (less common on handhelds), ensure Hide Overlay When Controller is Connected is enabled if applicable.

5. Exit and Test: Press the Function button or back out of the menu and resume the game. The overlay should now be disabled. If it reappears on reload, proceed to saving an override (see below) to make the change persistent.

Making the Disable Persistent (Optional)

To prevent the overlay from re-enabling in future sessions, save the setting as an override:

• In the Quick Menu, go to Overrides.
• Choose one of the following based on your needs:
  • Save Core Override: Applies to all games using the current emulator core (e.g., all SNES games).
  • Save Game Override: Applies only to the specific game.
  • Save Content Directory Override: Applies to all games in the current ROM directory (useful for folder-based organization).
• Quit RetroArch and relaunch the game to confirm the overlay remains disabled.

Saving Content Directory Overrides in RetroArch

Content Directory Overrides let you save custom settings (e.g., custom file browser directories, video filters, or input mappings) that apply automatically to all content loaded from a specific folder. This is ideal for organising ROMs by system or type without changing global configurations. For example, you can override the default "File Browser Dir" (content directory) for a folder and save it.

What Content Directory Overrides Do

• They create a config file (e.g., /config/<core-name>/<directory-name>.cfg) that loads settings only for content in that directory.
• Overrides take precedence over core or global settings but are overridden by game-specific settings.
• Use this for folder-based customisations, like setting a unique content directory path for your arcade ROMs.

Steps to Save a Content Directory Override

1. Load Content from the Target Directory: Launch a game or content file from the specific directory (folder) where you want the override to apply. This ensures RetroArch recognises the directory context.

2. Make Your Changes:

   • Go to Main Menu > Settings > Directory.
   • Set File Browser Dir (or other directories like System/BIOS Dir) to your desired path. This overrides the default content directory for browsing ROMs.
   • Apply any other settings you want (e.g., video scaling, audio latency, or input remaps) that should be unique to this directory.

3. Access the Quick Menu: Press the hotkey (e.g., Select + X) while the content is running.

4. Save the Override:

   • In the Quick Menu, select Overrides.
   • Choose Save Content Directory Overrides. This saves only the changes that differ from the core or global config.
   • RetroArch will create a file in your config directory (e.g., /config/<core-name>/<directory-name>.cfg).

5. Verify and Test:

   • Quit and relaunch content from the same directory. The overridden settings (e.g., custom content directory) should apply automatically.
   • To edit or remove the override, manually delete the .cfg file or reload RetroArch without it.

Examples:

• If you're in the "roms/snes" directory using the "snes9x" core, saving the override creates /config/snes9x/roms-snes.cfg (or similar, depending on exact path naming).
• Use this to set a custom ROM path for a folder like "arcade" and ensure it persists across sessions.

Troubleshooting:

• If overrides don't apply, check the loading hierarchy: Game > Content Directory > Core > Global.
• Ensure you're loading content directly from the directory—playlists or shortcuts may bypass this.
• For advanced users, edit config files manually in ArkOS via SSH or the file manager, but back up first.