spruceOS v4.5.0 Changelog

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A message from SundownerSport

This release cycle has certainly been a very busy one! a lot of behind the scenes changes, theme engine edits, a few updated cores and a TON of new devices!

I want to give a big shout out to @christianhaitian for all the amazing work he has done on dArkOS! Without it our adding so many new devices in one go would never have been possible. Our Fork of dArkOS called dArkMoss is just the underlying OS layer and it allows us to run spruce on top from the second SD card (like we do with BaseOS for the Anbernic devices). Another big thank you to @misantronic for your work on RAOfflineProxy! it has been fully integrated into spruceOS allowing you to earn Cheevos on the go without WiFi.

@CatalyticArkun did an amazing job not only on building OakMoss for the MagicX units but also just an overwhelming amount of stabilization, debugging and other not as front facing work. He added support for WiFi dongles on some of the devices that have historically poor reception (looking at you Miyoo Flip and TrimUI Brick!) and I believe this will really help out a ton of people unfortunate enough to lose the hardware lottery on those units.

In addition, thanks to @ryanmsartor, users can now download the official Grout app from the spruce Game Nursery! Grout is a RomM client that allows you to sync and manage your ROMs and saves across your fleet of devices. Stay tuned for more apps to show up in the Nursery!

Changes since v4.4.2.

New Devices

• Powkiddy RGB30, RGB20SX and Miniloong Pocket 1 are now stable on spruce with dArkMoss TF1 (@Sundownersport)
• MagicX XU20, Zero28 and Zero 40 are still in active development, testers wanted! (@CatalyticArkun @ryanmsartor)

New Features

• Offline RetroAchievements: play cached games without WiFi and sync later, cached games are marked in the game list and managed in RetroAchievements settings (@Sundownersport)
• RetroAchievements Softcore mode renamed to Casual (@Sundownersport)
• Themeable in-game menu (@Sundownersport)
• RGB LED settings on the Anbernic XX, including breathing and rainbow effects (@Sundownersport)
• RGB LEDs On/Off setting replaces the old disable option (@Sundownersport)
• Miniloong stick ring follows the RGB LED settings (@Sundownersport)
• USB Storage Mode on the Anbernic XX and dArkMoss devices (@Sundownersport)
• Bug reports upload over WiFi and show a code to share; logins and network names are removed first (@Sundownersport)
• Navigate menus with either stick (@Sundownersport)
• Menu sounds on the Anbernic XX, RGB30, RGB20SX and Miniloong (@Sundownersport)
• Brightness, contrast, saturation and hue settings on dArkMoss devices (@Sundownersport)
• Firmware Update app supports dArkMoss and always checks for the latest BaseOS and dArkMoss release (@Sundownersport)
• Boot To: DSi firmware option (@ryanmsartor)
• Anbernic XX: d-pad can act as an analog stick (@Sundownersport, @chrisj951)
• RGB30: volume buttons can be swapped (@Sundownersport)
• dArkMoss devices get 32-bit RetroArch, the Flip's apps, core pickers, ScummVM, GVU, E-Reader, Gallery and PortMaster (@Sundownersport)
• Bluetooth rework: pair, connect, disconnect and forget devices, audio switches to a connected headset, reconnects at boot, and a Bluetooth icon shows in the top bar when connected (@Sundownersport, @CatalyticArkun)
• Bluetooth on the Flip, Smart Pro S, TrimUI A133P devices, Anbernic XX, RGB20SX and Miniloong (@Sundownersport, @CatalyticArkun)
• Gallery and Boot Logo apps on the Brick Pro (@ryanmsartor), Boot Logo on the Miniloong (@Sundownersport)
• Anyone can pick the OTA release channel (@Sundownersport, @ryanmsartor)
• French translations for About, tasks and the screensaver date (@NiCo-dev123)

Improvements

• DSperate updated to v3.0, with a user cheat database at BIOS/nds/usrcheat.dat and DSi BIOS checks (@beebono, @ryanmsartor)
• gpSP updated to v1.1.0 (@ryanmsartor)
• Arduboy: Ardens and Arduous cores offered on every device under one entry (@Sundownersport)
• PortMaster bundle 2026.10.01 (beta) (@Sundownersport)
• GBA Health and Safety boot logos by crystaloyde (@ryanmsartor)
• SPRUCE theme: new and higher resolution system, home screen and app icons (@tenlevels, @ryanmsartor, @Sundownersport)
• Themes: text-only game list, images left, right, above or below text, scrolling long descriptions, line height set by font (@chrisj951)
• RetroArch mutes during fast-forward by default (@Sundownersport)
• Quick power-off is more responsive; user can set button hold duration for quick poweroff (@ryanmsartor)
• About shows SD card usage as space used of total (@BackwardsCire)
• Firmware Update shows the Volume Down instructions on the Brick Pro (@BackwardsCire)
• ScummVM shows on the Brick Pro (@BackwardsCire)
• Gamelist Generator skips NAOMI and Atomiswave (@BackwardsCire)

Bug Fixes

• Anbernic XX: screenshot shortcut saved nothing (@Sundownersport)
• A30: OpenBOR failed to find its libraries (@ryanmsartor)
• Miyoo Mini: no sound during fast-forward (@Sundownersport)
• Brick: LED brightness only applied to the top bar (@ryanmsartor)
• Brick Pro: LED settings didn't affect the back LEDs (@ryanmsartor)
• TrimUI A133P: RGB LED switch didn't restore the right colour and effect (@ryanmsartor)
• TrimUI: boot froze with a USB DAC plugged in, because the controller was assumed to be event3 (@duyquang6)
• TrimUI A133P: WiFi conflicts with the stock wpa_supplicant (@CatalyticArkun, @Sundownersport)
• WiFi: typing a password could drop keys (@CatalyticArkun)
• WiFi: invalid password message shown when backing out with B (@chrisj951)
• dArkMoss: power-off could turn into a reboot (@Sundownersport)
• mupen64plus: save state previews weren't saved (@Sundownersport)
• USB Storage Mode: controls stopped working on some TrimUI devices (@Sundownersport)
• Activity log crashed when one entry couldn't load (@chrisj951)
• Master System listed twice (@chrisj951)
• Updater failed on devices without ifconfig (@Sundownersport)
• Update app kept saying an update was available after installing (@ryanmsartor)
• Miniloong: wrong charging status (@Sundownersport)

Supported Devices

Devices marked TF1 image required need a base system on their first card before spruce will boot. The TF1 Image tab in the spruce installer writes it for you; pick your device from the list. spruceOS itself then goes on the second card as a normal install, and that card stays freely swappable between supported devices.

Anbernic RGXX+ series: These devices require a BaseOS TF1 image, which you can grab here. TF2 takes a standard spruceOS installation, so your spruceOS card stays freely swappable between supported devices.

Powkiddy RGB30, RGB20SX and Miniloong Pocket 1: these devices need dArkMoss on TF1, which you can grab here. TF2 takes a standard spruceOS installation, so your spruceOS card stays freely swappable between supported devices.

BaseOS and DarkMoss images can be downloaded and installed automatically using their corresponding tabs on the Spruce Installer application for Windows, Mac and Linux!

Installation

Installer App

• Try the all-in-one installer app for a super easy installation!
• No need to download a release or format your card manually!
• Compatible versions for Windows, Mac and Linux!
• Lets you install Stable, Nightlies and Twig (GKD Pixel 2 only) all in one click!
• The TF1 tab allows you to choose a device that requires 2 SD cards and automatically download and flash the img for it.

These always grab the newest installer — see all installer releases here

Manual Installation

• Download spruceV4.5.0.7z
• Extract onto your PC using 7zip
• Copy the entire contents to a blank FAT32 formatted SD card.
• Seriously, use 7zip to extract onto your PC THEN copy the files. IDK why but Windows breaks stuff if you use its built in extraction tool.

OTA Update

• spruceOTA-v4.4.2-to-v4.5.0.7z contains only the files changed since the previous stable release.
• It also contains a deletion manifest for files removed since the previous stable release.
• This package is intended for OTA updates from v4.4.2 to v4.5.0.