Add Artwork and Metadata

Frontend displays artwork and game information managed by Zaparoo Core. Use Update metadata to download libretro artwork or import local files from Update All, a metadata pack, or an external scraper.

How artwork reaches Frontend

1. Update the media database. Core finds your games and makes them available to Frontend.
2. Choose a source. Use libretro for downloaded artwork. For local imports, turn on Update All's artwork and manual databases, or prepare files with a metadata pack, ZapScraper, or Skraper.
3. Update metadata. Core downloads or imports the selected source and matches it to indexed games.
4. Browse the results. Frontend displays the imported covers, screenshots, descriptions, and other metadata.

Local artwork can be stored on the MiSTer SD card, USB storage, or a NAS that Core can read.

Understand the library actions

Both actions are under Settings > Library > Maintenance.

Action	What it does	When to use it
Update media database	Rescans your game folders to pick up added or removed files. You choose which systems to scan.	After changing your game library or launcher paths.
Update metadata	Downloads libretro artwork or imports local artwork and details, skipping entries already processed by that source.	To add artwork, or after adding a pack, gamelist.xml, or compatible media folders.
Update metadata with Replace existing	Processes entries again. Libretro downloads fresh images; local sources refresh metadata and remove stale artwork references.	To refresh a source you have already used.

Updating metadata cannot start while a media database update is running, and only one import can run at a time. Core pauses the import while media is running and resumes when playback stops.

Choose an artwork source

Source	Use it when
libretro thumbnails	You want Core to download box art, screenshots, and title screens.
MiSTer artwork and manuals from Update All	You want box art and manuals installed by Update All.
Metadata pack	You have a compatible ROM set and want prebuilt artwork.
ZapScraper	You want artwork generated for a specific MiSTer SD card, local folder, or network location.
Skraper	You want to choose the artwork and metadata generated for your library.
Existing EmulationStation files	You already have compatible gamelist.xml files or media folders from another frontend.

Metadata packs may not match custom naming, ROM hacks, or unusual library layouts. The Core media database and scraper guide documents compatible gamelist.xml files, media folders, custom bundle paths, and path resolution.

Download libretro artwork

This source requires Core v2.19.0 and an internet connection. It downloads box art, screenshots, and title screens without preparing a local pack:

1. Run Update media database if your games have not been indexed yet.
2. Open Settings > Library > Maintenance > Update metadata.
3. Set Source to libretro thumbnails, then choose the Systems to cover.
4. Leave Replace existing off for the first run, then select Start import.

Core saves the downloaded images on your device, so Frontend can display them offline afterward. It does not download game descriptions or manuals. Some games have no matching artwork; see libretro-thumbnails for matching and refresh behavior.

MiSTer artwork and manuals from Update All

Update All installs box art and game manuals for you. Turn on Game Artwork DBs and Game Manuals (EN) DBs in its settings, pick the systems you want, and run it. Each artwork database can be set to 2D boxes, 3D boxes, or box plus screenshot, and there is one for Arcade. With Core v2.20.0, the next Update media database imports them when it finishes, filling in games that have no artwork or details yet. Core imports the box art, the year, genre, developer, and player count, a description in your language when the pack has one, and the manual, without downloading anything itself. Screenshot and title-screen packs in the same format are imported too. To import sooner, or to replace artwork you already have, choose the mister-docs source in Update metadata. See mister-docs for what it reads.

Metadata packs

Metadata packs provide ready-made artwork and gamelist.xml files for compatible ROM sets.

Boss's Basic Batch

Boss's Basic Batch is a metadata and artwork pack from BossRighteous. It includes image dumps and gamelist.xml files mapped to Zaparoo title slugs for known ROM sets.

Download the ZIP and extract it into your MiSTer games directory. The release notes also explain that Arcade contents need to be moved to /media/fat/_Arcade, where MiSTer's .mra files live.

Big Blue's Big Bundle

Big Blue's Big Bundle is a metadata and artwork pack from BigBlue709. It includes Neo Geo, broad MiSTer Arcade coverage, and some console artwork.

Use it as a starting point rather than a complete current set because newer Arcade cores may not have artwork yet.

ZapScraper in MiSTer Companion

MiSTer Companion includes ZapScraper, which downloads game artwork through ScreenScraper for Recalbox-style setups or Frontend. It can write to a selected MiSTer SD card or a custom local or network location.

ZapScraper has two output formats:

• Recalbox Compatible creates a standard Recalbox-style gamelist.xml structure.
• Zaparoo Companion creates output for Frontend.

Supported folders include console and handheld systems, Arcade, and AmigaVision.

For Arcade output at games/mame/gamelist.xml, select the gamelist.xml source and the Arcade system in Update metadata. Core finds this layout automatically; keep its artwork under games/mame/. See MiSTer arcade gamelists for other layouts.

Skraper

You can use Skraper with a ScreenScraper account. Before running a scrape, set Skraper to RecalBox mode so it outputs the gamelist.xml files Core expects. Set the default image style to the artwork you want.

Skraper supports the game folder names MiSTer uses, so you can point it directly at your SD card or a NAS share.

Import artwork and metadata

After adding compatible files:

1. Open Settings > Library > Maintenance.
2. Run Update media database if you added games or have not indexed the library yet.
3. Select Update metadata. Choose the Source (Frontend remembers it for next time), pick the Systems to cover (all of them, or check as many as you want and go back), turn on Replace existing if you are refreshing artwork you imported before, then select Start import.

Frontend shows import progress by system when Core provides it. When the import finishes, artwork appears in the game browser.

To update or import one system, or one game, at a time, open its options menu, choose Manage system or Manage game, then Update media database or Update metadata.

Add Arcade artwork

MiSTer Arcade games use .mra files under /media/fat/_Arcade. Use a pack that explicitly includes _Arcade content or use ZapScraper's Arcade support. A general console pack does not necessarily cover Arcade games. Update All's Game Artwork DBs include an Arcade database. Import it with the mister-docs source. A gamelist written against MAME ROM sets, such as one from Skraper, also works through the gamelist.xml source; see MiSTer arcade gamelists.

Change the displayed artwork

Open Settings > Library > Browsing, then change Preferred artwork to choose which imported image type Frontend asks Core for first (box art, 3D box art, screenshot, title screen, wheel, marquee, and more). See Browse and Launch Games for the other library display settings.

For your own system artwork, Hub icons, and system names, see Customize Frontend.

Fix artwork problems

Follow Troubleshoot Frontend if games are missing, Update metadata is unavailable, new artwork does not replace old artwork, or files on USB storage or a NAS are not found.

For detailed scraper behavior, supported file layouts, custom bundles, and recovery options, see the Core media database and scraper guide.