If you’ve ever played a PSP game on PPSSPP Gold and thought, “I just want unlimited money for a bit” or “this boss fight is testing my patience,” you’re not alone. Cheats are a big reason people explore emulation in the first place. The real question most players ask isn’t why use cheats, but How to set up cheats in PPSSPP Gold? without crashes, glitches, or broken save files.

I’ve spent enough time tweaking PPSSPP to know cheats can be smooth or a complete mess depending on how you handle them. This guide walks through the process in plain language, explains what actually matters, and shows you how to avoid common mistakes that frustrate a lot of users.

What PPSSPP Gold Cheats Really Are (and What They Aren’t)

Before jumping into menus, it helps to understand what’s going on under the hood.

PPSSPP Gold cheats are mostly CWCheat-style codes. These are memory-based instructions that tell the emulator to modify values while the game is running—things like health, money, XP, or item counts. They don’t rewrite the game itself. They temporarily change how it behaves.

That’s why some cheats work perfectly, others half-work, and some crash the game instantly. It depends on:

Game version
Region (ULUS, ULES, etc.)
Emulator build
Timing (menu vs in-game)

Knowing this makes troubleshooting much easier later.

Step One: Make Sure Cheats Are Enabled in PPSSPP Gold

This sounds obvious, but it’s the most common thing people miss.

Open PPSSPP Gold and go into Settings. Scroll until you see the cheats option and turn it on. If cheats are disabled here, nothing else matters.

Many users download ppsspp gold apk and assume cheats are active by default. They aren’t. PPSSPP keeps them off intentionally to prevent crashes for new users. Once enabled, restart the emulator. Don’t skip that part it matters.

Where PPSSPP Gold Stores Cheat Files

PPSSPP uses a file called cheat.db. This file contains thousands of cheat codes for different PSP games.

On Android, the cheat file location is usually:

/PSP/Cheats/cheat.db

On PC (including the windows pc version), it’s typically inside:

Documents/PPSSPP/PSP/Cheats/

If that folder doesn’t exist, create it manually. PPSSPP won’t always do it for you.

This single file controls most built-in cheats. No cheat.db, no magic.

Loading a Game and Finding the Cheat Menu

Now comes the part most people expect to be complicated but it’s actually simple.

Launch your PSP game.
Once the game starts, tap or press the PPSSPP menu button.
Open Cheats.

If everything is set up correctly, you’ll see:

Available cheat groups
Individual cheat toggles
The game’s ID (important for compatibility)

If the menu is empty, don’t panic yet. That usually means a game ID mismatch, not a broken setup.

Why Game ID and Region Matter More Than Cheats Themselves

Here’s where many tutorials gloss over details.

Each PSP game has a unique ID like ULUS-10391 or ULES-01505. Cheats are written for specific IDs. If your game region doesn’t match the cheat’s region, it won’t work—or worse, it’ll crash.

This is especially common when using:

ROMs from different regions
Modified or patched ISOs
Dumps from older psp versions

Always check the game ID shown in the PPSSPP cheat menu and make sure the cheats are written for that exact ID.

Adding Custom Cheats Manually (When Built-In Ones Fail)

Sometimes the default database doesn’t include the cheat you want. That’s when manual editing helps. Inside the Cheats folder, PPSSPP creates a .ini file for each game once cheats are enabled. Open that file using a text editor and paste in custom cheat codes.

This method works on Android, PC, and even behaves similarly on the PPSSPP iOS version, though file access is more restricted there. Save the file, restart the game, and check the cheat menu again.

Testing Cheats the Smart Way (Avoid Crashes)

Here’s a tip from experience: never enable all cheats at once.

Turn on one cheat.
Play for a minute.
Save normally (not a save state).
Then test another.

Many PPSSPP Gold cheat issues happen because two cheats conflict like infinite health and instant kill running together. If the game freezes, reload without cheats and disable the last one you enabled.

PPSSPP Gold Cheats Not Working? Common Fixes That Actually Help

If cheats show up but don’t work, try these steps in order:

Reset emulator settings of ppsspp (not your saves)
Disable Fast Memory temporarily
Switch graphics backend (OpenGL ↔ Vulkan)
Update PPSSPP Gold to the latest version
Confirm your cheat.db isn’t outdated or corrupted

Nine times out of ten, one of these fixes solves the issue.

Pros and Cons of Using Cheats in PPSSPP Gold

Why people love them

Skip repetitive grinding
Experiment freely in games
Practice difficult sections
Explore hidden content

Where cheats can hurt

Save file corruption
Random crashes
Broken progression
Reduced challenge (which matters to some players)

Cheats are tools. Use them intentionally, not blindly.

Safety Tips: Using Cheats Without Ruining Your Setup

A few habits go a long way:

Keep backup saves
Avoid enabling cheats during cutscenes
Don’t rely on save states when cheats are active
Disable cheats before updating PPSSPP Gold

Used carefully, cheats don’t damage your emulator or device. Problems come from overuse or mismatched files.

Real Talk: Are Cheats “Wrong” in Emulation?

Honestly? That depends on why you play.

Some people want a pure experience. Others want fun without frustration. PPSSPP Gold supports cheats because players asked for them not because they’re hacks or exploits. If cheats make you enjoy a game more, that’s the point.

Final Thoughts on How to Set Up Cheats in PPSSPP Gold

So, How to set up cheats in PPSSPP Gold? The short answer is: enable cheats, place the cheat.db correctly, match game IDs, and test one cheat at a time. The longer answer is understanding how PPSSPP handles memory, regions, and compatibility. Once you get that, cheats stop feeling risky and start feeling predictable.

Take it slow. Be selective. And remember most crashes aren’t random. They’re just the emulator telling you something doesn’t match. If you respect that, PPSSPP Gold cheats can be one of the most enjoyable features the emulator offers.