Choosing the Right Way to Import Your Games

Choose the correct LaunchBox workflow for single- or multi-platform ROMs, automated folders, storefronts, Windows shortcuts, MAME, DOS, and manual additions.

Written By launchbox

Last updated 7 days ago

LaunchBox offers different import workflows because ROM collections, storefront libraries, Windows shortcuts, arcade sets, and DOS installations do not provide the same information. Choose the workflow that matches where the games came from; importing a small sample first is the safest way to avoid incorrect platforms, duplicate entries, and broken launch paths.

Best first import: If you are new to LaunchBox, start with three to five games for one system and use Tools > Import > ROM Files > Single Platform. Confirm that every test game launches before importing the rest.

Quick decision guide

If you have…	Start with…	Important distinction
ROMs for one console or computer	Single Platform	The guided choice with the most control over platform, Scrape As, emulator, file handling, metadata, and media.
One or more root folders whose immediate subfolders each contain a different platform	Multiple Platforms	Imports several organized platform folders together and uses existing emulator defaults where available.
New ROMs placed in platform game folders that LaunchBox monitors	Automated ROM Imports or an added-ROM scan	Best after your folder, platform, and emulator setup is understood.
Games from Steam, GOG, Epic, Amazon, EA, Ubisoft, or Xbox/Microsoft Store	The matching storefront importer or storefront scan	Uses storefront-specific records and launch information; it does not necessarily install the games.
Installed games represented in the Windows Start Menu	Windows Games	Searches Start Menu entries, so review the results and expect some games without shortcuts to be missed.
One executable, shortcut, script, fan game, or unusual title	Manually Add Game	You supply the title, platform, application path, and launch settings.
A complete MAME ROM set	MAME Arcade Full Set	Provides MAME-specific setup, metadata, and filtering for a full set.
An already-installed MS-DOS game	MS-DOS Games	Imports an existing DOS installation.
A DOS game on a physical CD or disc image that still needs installation	Install DOS Game	Runs the DOS installation workflow instead of treating the files as ordinary ROMs.

Single Platform: the recommended beginner route

Go to Tools > Import > ROM Files > Single Platform when all selected files belong to one platform. The wizard can:

Select individual files or scan a folder.
Confirm the LaunchBox platform and its Scrape As database mapping.
Select an existing emulator or, for supported choices, help install and configure one.
Check required emulator dependencies when that support is available.
Leave, copy, or move the game files.
Choose metadata, images, EmuMovies media, bezels, and advanced import behavior.
Review and adjust the proposed games before finishing.

Platform is the name shown in your LaunchBox library. Scrape As maps a custom platform name to the corresponding LaunchBox Games Database platform so matching and media downloads use the correct system. They are usually the same; only choose a different Scrape As value when the library name is custom or otherwise does not match the database platform.

See Single Platform Imports for the complete wizard walkthrough.

Multiple Platforms: for an already organized collection

Go to Tools > Import > ROM Files > Multiple Platforms when your directory layout resembles this:

D:\ROMs
├── Nintendo Entertainment System
├── Sega Genesis
└── Sony PlayStation

Select the root folder such as D:\ROMs. The wizard examines its immediate subfolders, proposes a platform name from each folder name, and lets you confirm both the platform and Scrape As mapping. You can add more than one root folder.

The selected root itself should contain platform folders directly beneath it. Files placed loose in the root, or inconsistent folder structures that mix systems, are better handled one platform at a time.

This workflow deliberately has fewer per-system setup steps than Single Platform. It imports files from their current locations rather than presenting the leave/copy/move page, and it uses an existing default emulator for each platform when one is configured. If a platform has no default emulator, configure one afterward under Tools > Manage > Emulators...; supported platforms may also offer automatic emulator setup when you first try to play a game.

Review every proposed folder assignment and Scrape As value. For a collection with unclear folder names or different emulator requirements, Single Platform is slower but easier to verify.

Automated ROM imports and manual scans

Automated ROM Imports watch platform game folders for new ROMs while LaunchBox is open and scan them again at startup. The monitor can also update library paths when a watched file or platform folder is renamed; use a removed-ROM scan when files have actually been deleted or moved elsewhere. The simplest beginner layout uses correctly named platform folders beneath LaunchBox\Games. Existing platforms can also have a configured games folder, but the folder must map cleanly to the intended platform.

Enable or disable ROM monitoring under Tools > Options > Automated Imports. Media choices for automatic imports are under Tools > Options > Automated Imports Media. A platform can also be excluded from automatic import through its platform settings.

For an on-demand check, use Tools > Scan:

For Added ROMs in Any Platform... checks the configured games folders of emulated platforms for unimported files.
For Added [Platform] ROMs... checks only the platform currently selected in the sidebar.
For Removed ROMs in Any Platform... and the selected-platform equivalent find library entries whose referenced files are missing.
For Storefront Games... runs the enabled storefront checks; it is separate from ROM-folder scanning.

Review a removed-ROM scan before accepting changes. A missing file may mean an external or removable drive is disconnected or a path changed. The scan cannot repair that path for you.

Automatic imports and scans are convenient maintenance tools, not substitutes for the controlled setup of a new or unfamiliar platform. See Automated ROM Imports for the folder-based workflow.

Storefront games

For supported PC storefronts, use the matching entry under Tools > Import rather than turning a storefront shortcut into a generic Windows game. LaunchBox includes dedicated importers for Amazon Games, EA, Epic Games, GOG, Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and Xbox/Microsoft Store.

Use Tools > Manage > Storefronts... to sign in where required and choose whether each storefront imports no games, installed games, or all owned games when those choices are supported. Use Tools > Scan > For Storefront Games... to run the enabled checks on demand.

An imported storefront entry may represent an owned but uninstalled title. Importing it does not itself guarantee that the game is installed or playable offline; the storefront client, account permissions, privacy settings, and login requirements still apply. See Managing Storefront Games in LaunchBox for the detailed storefront workflow.

Windows Games and manual additions

Tools > Import > Windows Games... searches the Windows Start Menu for installed-game shortcuts. It does not perform an exhaustive search of every executable on every drive. Review its results because the Start Menu can also contain tools, uninstallers, configuration programs, and non-game applications.

If the wanted game has no useful Start Menu entry, choose Tools > Import > Manually Add Game.... This is also appropriate for a single executable, shortcut, script, homebrew or fan game, custom launcher, or other special case.

For a manual entry, verify:

Application Path points to the file that should launch.
The platform is correct. If it is a custom platform, configure the appropriate Scrape As value under Tools > Manage > Platforms....
Use an Emulator is enabled only when LaunchBox should pass the game file to an emulator.
Any command-line parameters, working directory, or launcher requirements are tested before adding more games the same way.

MAME and MS-DOS need their own workflows

Use Tools > Import > MAME Arcade Full Set... for a complete MAME set. It provides an Arcade platform choice, ROM location, MAME installation or emulator setup, high-score options, metadata and media choices, and filters for the types of arcade games you want. For a small or incomplete arcade selection, the normal Single Platform ROM wizard may be more appropriate; read its MAME-specific options carefully.

For DOS, choose based on the current state of the game:

Tools > Import > MS-DOS Games... is for games that are already installed in folders on the hard drive.
Tools > Import > Install DOS Game... is for installing from a physical CD or disc image.

Drag and drop

Dragging files or folders from File Explorer onto LaunchBox opens an import workflow and first asks what type of game files they are. Depending on that choice, it can follow a ROM, MS-DOS, or general-file path. Treat drag and drop as a convenient starting point, not a shortcut around review: confirm the platform, emulator use, file handling, metadata, and final game list before finishing.

Choose what happens to ROM files

The Single Platform and drag-and-drop ROM workflows can present these choices:

Use the files in their current location records paths to the existing files. Choose this when the collection is already organized in a stable location.
Copy the files into my LaunchBox games folder creates a second copy and leaves the source intact. This is the safest choice when you want a LaunchBox-managed copy but are not ready to remove the original.
Move the files into my LaunchBox games folder relocates the originals. Other frontends, scripts, emulator playlists, or backups may still refer to the old location.

Copy a small test set before moving a large collection. A LaunchBox data backup does not include your ROM files.

See Managing Game Files, Folders, and Paths before reorganizing an existing library.

Avoid duplicate and incorrect imports

Do not run several import methods against the same collection unless you review the proposed results.
LaunchBox normally filters candidates it considers duplicates, including existing paths or matching titles. Enable Force importing duplicate games only when separate entries are intentional.
Keep platform names and Scrape As mappings consistent. A custom platform name with the wrong database mapping can produce incorrect metadata even when the ROM is valid.
For regions, revisions, alternate discs, or multiple executables, decide whether you want separate games or one entry with Additional Versions or Additional Apps.
Review the final game list, import a small sample, test every sample launch, and only then expand the import.

The best importer is the one that matches the source and organization of your games while giving you enough control to verify the result. For a new user, that usually means Single Platform first, specialized importers for special sources, and automation only after the setup works.