Wii U safe softmod: There is a better option than CBHC

Yes, I still have a Nintendo Wii U and I think it is one of the best consoles ever. Why? Because it can play all Wii U and Wii games, and once hacked with a safe softmod, it gives one the access to Homebrew and emulations spanning every generation that came before it!

While updating my Wii U’s homebrew setup, I made a few mistakes—and learned a lot in the process. I had been using a dodgy SD card that eventually failed, so I replaced it with a better one and took the chance to refresh my apps. That’s when things went sideways, and I gained some hard-won experience with Haxchi.

This post is my attempt to share what I learned—not to dwell on the missteps, but to explain what I now believe is the best way to configure and launch Haxchi for a clean, reliable Wii U safe softmod.

Background: What is Haxchi?

I assume readers of this post are somewhat familiar with Haxchi. But for completeness, here’s a quick overview. To run homebrew software on a Wii U, you must bypass the protection mechanisms Nintendo put in place. This is usually done by exploiting bugs in system software or specific downloaded games.

Trying to launch homebrew directly will typically result in an error (usually 199-9999) and a system freeze that requires a cold reboot. This happens because the Wii U blocks unauthorised code execution. An exploit helps bypass this.

Several exploits exist, but most require launching a web browser and visiting a specific URL. Haxchi simplifies this by letting you launch homebrew from an icon in the Wii U system menu. When you click the Haxchi icon, it reloads the menu—but in doing so, it applies the exploit. No more error screens.

Haxchi works by modifying a digitally signed game downloaded from the eShop. Imagine the game as an egg: Haxchi empties the contents, inserts its own code, but leaves the shell (the digital signature) intact. The Wii U still sees it as legitimate.

The Haxchi Workflow and Its Limitations

Haxchi’s biggest benefit is convenience. Instead of opening the web browser and loading a specific URL every time you power on the console, you just click an icon from the Wii U menu.

However, the process still isn’t seamless. You must launch Haxchi first, wait for it to reload the system menu, and then launch your homebrew app. If you forget to run Haxchi first and try to launch homebrew directly, the system will freeze with a 199-9999 error. This makes it prone to user error—especially if you share the console with others.

Why CBHC Is Not the Solution for a safe Wii U softmod

To solve this, some users turn to CBHC—Cold Boot Haxchi. It’s a patch that runs Haxchi automatically every time the Wii U boots. In theory, it solves the inconvenience entirely.

But it comes with serious risks.

CBHC modifies your system in a way that ties its function to the original exploited game and the user account that downloaded it. If you move, delete, or reinstall the Haxchi game—or if you remove the associated user account—your console will brick (see here). That means a full, unrecoverable failure.

There must be a better way. And I believe there is.

A Safer, Smarter Alternative

My Wii U is set up without CBHC. Haxchi does not run automatically during boot. Instead, I have a Haxchi icon on the system menu. When I launch it, it opens the Homebrew Launcher, which lists all the homebrew apps installed on my Wii U.

There are no homebrew app icons on the main menu—only the customised Haxchi icon. Remember: Haxchi isn’t a homebrew app. It’s an exploit. Yes, there’s a Haxchi homebrew installer, but that’s only used during installation. Once Haxchi is installed, you can—and should—delete the installer.

Customising Haxchi

I used Jack Sorrel’s modified Haxchi files, available here. Inside the ZIP file, you’ll find two folders: wiiu and haxchi.

• The wiiu folder contains the Haxchi installer (a homebrew app).
• The haxchi folder contains the configuration and branding files.

Jack didn’t modify Haxchi’s binaries—only the content in the haxchi folder. You can customise these files further if you want. The package includes:

• bootDrcTex.tga and bootTvTex.tga – Splash images displayed when Haxchi is being loaded.
• iconText.tga – The icon for Haxchi shown in the system menu, data management, etc.
• config.txt – Configures the launching options for Haxchi.
• title.txt – An alternate title for Haxchi (it is called Homebrew Launcher instead).

Anyone can modify these files before installing Haxchi in order to customise the deployment, just bear in mind to follow these instructions for modifying the image (TGA) files.

These files are only needed during installation. Once Haxchi is installed, they’re injected into the exploited DS game. After that, you can safely delete /haxchi and /wiiu/apps/haxchi from your SD card.

Besides branding Haxchi as “Homebrew Launcher”, Jack configured it so the default action is to load the homebrew launcher application. I feel this is the safest and most convenient way to enable the launching of homebrew applications from the Wii U system menu. All homebrew applications would be found under the “h” icon for the “Homebrew Launcher” (Haxchi). I don’t bother installing “channel” applications that would be listed outside the homebrew launcher. I honestly don’t see the point as I find more convenient to have them all under the “h” icon, where there is no risk of 199-9999 errors.

So to install Haxchi, just follow Jack’s video entitled “Homebrew on Home Menu” found on his Wii U page (scroll down to the middle of the page).

Important Warning and Tips

• Never EVER uninstall Haxchi from the Wii U system memory. Even if you plan to reinstall it. Think back to the egg analogy: deleting Haxchi throws away the shell. That means you’ll need to redownload the original game from the Wii U eShop—and who knows how long that will stay online?
• Don’t get fooled by branding. If you’ve renamed Haxchi (e.g. to Homebrew Launcher), make sure you don’t accidentally delete it thinking it’s just another app.
• To rebrand or change configuration (e.g. what button does what when launching Haxchi), you must reinstall Haxchi. That requires the installer at /wiiu/apps/haxchi and the deployment branding/config files at /haxchi at the root of your SD card.
• Backup Haxchi! Seriously. I don’t trust the Wii U shop to be around forever. I made a backup to my USB storage (the Wii U prioritises system memory over USB if both exist). Then I made two more backups to small USB sticks I had lying around. One is even bubble-wrapped and tucked inside my Wii U box.

I spent 16 hours cleaning up a mess I made during Haxchi setup, and I learned a lot. Hopefully this guide helps you avoid the same mistakes. Have fun!