Extract text from CRO files
To convert your CRO file to another format, you need Citra or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Relocatable Object File" file type, you need software like Citra or a similar tool.
A .CRO file is a CTR Relocatable Object, essentially a dynamic link library (DLL) specifically designed for the Nintendo 3DS handheld console. These files function like DLL files on Windows or SO files on Linux, allowing games to load executable code and data modules dynamically to conserve memory. A prominent example is Pokémon Sun and Moon, which uses hundreds of .CRO files to manage battle logic and creature data efficiently.
For most users, a .CRO file is a "black box" extracted from a game ROM. It cannot be opened by standard text editors or image viewers because it is a binary format containing compiled ARM machine code, often compressed or encrypted. To analyze or modify the contents (a process known as ROM hacking), you must convert the .CRO file into a standard ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) file. This allows it to be loaded into reverse-engineering tools like Ghidra or IDA Pro for disassembly and code analysis.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CRO file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted XPT, TEST, GEF and BTC files.
If you want to convert CRO file to BTC, you can use Citra or similar software from the "Nintendo 3DS Dynamic Library" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to CRO, try Citra or another comparable tool in the "Nintendo 3DS Dynamic Library" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CRO converter.