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How to patch a ROM on iPhone with iGBA, then play the hack

Since version 2.17.0, iGBA applies patches itself. Tap Import ROMs and pick the .ips, .ups or .bps file, or open it with iGBA from Files; choose your own copy of the base game in the list and tap Apply Patch. iGBA writes a new game next to it and never touches the original.

4 min read · Updated 2026-09-26

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A ROM hack is not a separate game file. It is a small patch that holds only the differences from the original, and a patcher merges the two into a new file. iGBA has that patcher built in, and it leaves the original game as it was.

Which patch files iGBA opens

Import ROMs takes .gba, .gbc and .gb games, the archives .zip, .7z and .gz, and the patch formats .ips, .ups and .bps. A game goes straight into the library. A patch opens the patch screen instead, because a patch is not a game until it meets one.

The three patch formats you will meet
ExtensionChecks the base file?What a wrong base does
.ipsNoiGBA writes the copy anyway; you only notice when the game fails
.upsYes, with a stored checksumiGBA refuses it and writes nothing
.bpsYes, with a stored checksumiGBA refuses it and writes nothing

The extension of the file the author publishes tells you which kind you have. IPS is the one to be careful with, because nothing tells you the result is wrong until the screen stays blank.

Patch it in iGBA

  1. Read the hack author's own page and write down the exact base game and revision it was built on. The patch fits that one file and no other.
  2. Import your own backup of that game with Import ROMs, if it is not in the library yet.
  3. Tap Import ROMs again and pick the patch file. You can also open the patch with iGBA from Files or another app.
  4. iGBA lists the games in your library and preselects the one whose name is closest to the patch's name. Check it is the right base and tap Apply Patch.
  5. ROM Patch Applied confirms it. The new game sits in the list under the original name with the patch name in brackets; open that one to play.
  6. If you see Patch Failed, read the reason. A UPS or BPS patch made for another revision is refused, and nothing is written.

The original stays in the library untouched, so you can patch it again later, for example when the author releases a new version. iGBA for Android does not apply patches; patch the file on iPhone or a computer before you copy it there.

Name the file once and leave it

iGBA stores everything for a game under the file's name without the extension: the battery save, the save states, the cheats. The patched copy has its own name, so it starts with no save. Do not rename it in Files later: a renamed game opens with no save, because the save is still sitting under the old name.

Color hacks work the same way

iGBA patches .gbc and .gb games as well, so a hack built on a color game follows the same route, and the patched copy keeps the base game's extension. The system is chosen from the extension, so a mislabeled base file will not behave.

Mistakes that waste an evening

  • Patching a copy that was already patched. Pick the clean original in the list, not the patched copy.
  • Using a different revision of the base game than the one the author lists. UPS and BPS stop you; IPS accepts it silently.
  • Importing the .zip that holds the patch and nothing else. iGBA only looks for games inside archives, so unzip it in Files and pick the patch itself.
  • Leaving two files with the same name and different extensions, such as a .gba and a .gbc. iGBA refuses the second one.

Applying a patch and playing the result need nothing from Pro. Pro changes save state, cheat, rewind and speed limits, not what you can open. iGBA is free to download and shows ads in the free version.

Questions and answers

Can iGBA apply an IPS, UPS or BPS patch itself?
Yes, since version 2.17.0 on iPhone and iPad. Pick the patch with Import ROMs, choose the base game from your library and tap Apply Patch. iGBA writes a patched copy and keeps the original.
Is there a ROM patcher for iPhone that needs no computer?
Yes, iGBA itself. It applies IPS, UPS and BPS files to a game already in its library, with no computer and no other app.
Are ROM hacks legal?
We cannot give legal advice, and it depends on where you live. A patch holds only the author's changes, but the patched file still contains the original game, so you need the right to use that game. Use a backup you made from a cartridge you own and the patch from the author.
Can I play Iberia on iGBA?
No. Iberia is a Windows fan game made with RPG Maker, not a GBA hack, so no GBA emulator can open it.
Why does my patched file not work?
Most often the base file was the wrong revision or was already patched. iGBA catches that with UPS and BPS, not with IPS. See our guide on white screens in patched games for the full list.

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