Importing ROMs

How to import ROMs into Provenance.

Provenance supports multiple ways to import ROMs and BIOSes, including single-drop mass-uploading:

• ⬆️ Uploading¹ (via built-in Web Server) · for iOS & tvOS

  • Web Server UI

  • WebDav Clients

• ⬇️ Downloading (from Mobile Browsers) · for iOS only

• ➡️ Copying · for iOS only

  • Mobile Apps

  • AirDrop · macOS → iOS¹ or iOS → iOS

• ⤵️ Injecting (with Desktop Apps) · for iOS and ATV4 only

  • iTunes (discontinued; use Finder on macOS or third-party tools)

  • Other Tools

¹ Mass-uploading ROM libraries or uploading multiple ROMs simultaneously is supported.² ² Avoid mass-uploading multi-disc ROMs.

Requirements

• 🛑 All ROMs must be formatted correctly before importing. (Formatting ROMs)

• ☑️ Certain systems require BIOS files in order to play ROMs. (BIOS Requirements)

Please refer to the Known Issues regarding Importing ROMs, and read Issues Usage before posting a new one.

💢 If you run into any problems, check out Troubleshooting.

⬆️ Uploading (Web Server)

For iOS & tvOS · Supports mass-uploading

1. Make sure your device's WiFi is turned on and connected to the same network as your computer.

2. In Provenance: Turn on the Web Server:

   • Select the + button in the Game Library, or…

   • In Settings, select the Import/Export option.

3. Web Server Active. Make note of the [device-ip]:

   • Web UI: http://[device-ip]

   • WebDAV: http://[device-ip]:81

Web Server UI:

1. On computer, go to http://[device-ip] in your browser.

2. Open the Imports folder.

3. Upload ROMs — Upload Files… button supports multiple file selections, and Drag & Drop works too.

WebDAV Clients:

1. macOS Finder: Menu Bar → Go → Connect to Server...

2. Enter http://[device-ip]:81 → Connect as Guest → Provenance mounts as a new drive.

3. Drag & Drop or Copy/Paste ROMs into the Imports folder.

↩️ Restoring files (ROMs, BIOS, Saves, Cover Art) is also supported via both methods.

⬇️ Downloading (Browser)

For iOS only

1. Open a Mobile Browser (Safari, Chrome, etc).

2. Navigate to your preferred ROM host site, find your ROM and download it.

3. Once downloaded, tap the ROM file and choose:

   • Open in "Provenance" → Done. or…

   • More… → Copy to Provenance → Done.

➡️ Copying (Files/AirDrop)

For iOS only

From Mobile Apps:

1. Open app where ROMs are stored or accessible (Apple Files, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Nextcloud, FileBrowser, etc.)

2. Navigate to your ROM and tap Share or Export.

3. Tap Copy to Provenance. Done.

Via AirDrop:

1. Open AirDrop window via macOS Finder.

2. Drag & Drop file(s) onto yourself/your device.

3. Tap Copy to Provenance. Done.

👤 If you don't see yourself in AirDrop, try setting to Contacts Only or Everyone on both devices. ⏬ Mass-copying is supported — drag & drop multiple files.

⤵️ Injecting (Desktop)

For iOS and Apple TV 4 only

⚠️ iTunes was discontinued with macOS Catalina (2019). Use Finder on macOS Catalina+ (connect device via USB, open Finder, select device, go to the Files tab), or use a third-party tool:

Third-party tools:

1. Connect device to computer and open DiskAid, iExplorer, iPhone Explorer, or similar app.

2. Locate Provenance App.

3. Navigate to Documents/Imports. Create the folder if it doesn't exist.

4. Drag your ROMs into the folder. Done.

↩️ Restoring files (ROMs, saves, cover art) is usually supported in these apps.

Troubleshooting & Known Issues

Multiple ROMs from one archive?

You may be using a Region Pack ROM, meaning more than one version of the same ROM is in your archive. Unarchive the set, isolate single region ROM file(s), re-archive, and re-import the single region ROM individually.

Loose .bin files detected as wrong system

Sometimes loose .bin files for CD-based games are picked up as Sega Genesis/MegaDrive ROMs. Use .cue + .bin pairs or .chd format instead. See Multi-file ROMs and Multi-disc Games.

CD-based / multi-disc ROMs breaking on import

CD-based, multi-file ROMs and especially multi-disc games need to be uploaded and processed one at a time. If yours are broken, delete the game(s) from the app UI, delete any file remnants in the file system (ROMs and Imports folders) using the WebUI, WebDAV, or a file manager, and re-upload.

ROM metadata not matching

• Failed checksum ROMs (translations, hacks, etc.) will not be matched automatically.

• Exhaustive metadata web-scraping fallbacks are not currently implemented.

• Uploading ROMs + Custom Cover Art in one archive may not yield a replacement until Provenance is quit and relaunched.

🗯 If you are still stuck ask for help on our Discord.