---
title: Basic Usage
slug: WGa--basic-usage
icon: {"faIcon":"fa-solid fa-circle-info"}
createdAt: 2025-10-29T19:07:59.128Z
---

# The VMUPro OS

## Familiarising yourself with the Operating System

The **VMUPro **is an advanced handheld that comes with its own operating system. This is called the **VMUPro OS.**

### The Home Screen

The home screen of the **VMUPro **displays some basic information about the current state of the device. It is comprised of the following elements:

- The toolbar (top row)
- The main view
- The VMC information

::Image[]{src="https://app.archbee.com/api/optimize/GjVHUwar2ANCw2SNu3OTh/NIOtMxfa4Omwe7u0DhbRD-20251029-191226.png" size="20" width="240" height="240" position="center" showCaption="false"}

### The Toolbar

The toolbar displays icons and information on the current state of the device. You can normally see here icons that show the state of the storage media (microSD card), the Wi-Fi status icons, the current time and finally the battery state and charge. Other icons may appear on the toolbar from time to time, depending on your use of the device.

Applications and Games can also choose to either keep the toolbar, or hide it completely in "full screen" mode.

### The Main View

The main view on the **Home Screen **displays either the 8BITMODS VMUPro logo, or the display graphics from the Dreamcast Console when in **"docked mode"** (connected to a controller with the console actively transmitting graphics to the device)

### The VMC Information

The bottom of the **Home Screen **displays information about the currently mounted Virtual Memory Card. It displays the name of the Virtual Memory Card, and the currently mounted channel number. In cases where the name is too long, the name of the game will show in a scrolling marquee.

## Docked and Undocked Modes

The device operates in two main "modes". The **Docked Mode **when the **VMUPro **is connected to a Dreamcast Controller that is powered on, and the **Undocked Mode **when it is either not connected at all, or when the Dreamcast Console is powered off.

In **Docked Mode** the VMUPro acts as a storage device for the Dreamcast exclusively. The device will flip to orient itself properly, since it is mounted into the controller upside-down. You can access the **Docked Menu **by pressing the top-left function button of the **VMUPro **when it is docked. You can then navigate through the options by repeatedly pressing the left function button, and confirm your choice by pressing the right function button.

In **Undocked Mode **you can access the Main Menu by pressing the **Mode **button once. In the **Main Menu **you can navigate through the available items with the directional pad, and confirm your selection with the **"A" **button.

The **Main Menu **consist of the following options:

- **VMU Browser**
- **Games**
- **Apps**
- **Settings**
- **Music**
- **Power Off**

You can find information and instructions on each of these items in their dedicated pages next.

## Using your VMUPro with your Dreamcast

The VMUPro will simply work as a save storage device when plugged in to a Dreamcast controller. Once plugged in and the Dreamcast is powered on, the display will automatically flip its orientation. If the game you're playing utilises VMU graphics, these will be shown on the VMUPro display.

Normally, the VMUPro will default to a virtual memory card called "MemoryCard1". If the system is compatible with **GameID** (supported by **MODE** and **GDemu** with OpenMenu\*) then it will automatically create a dedicated virtual memory card for that game (assuming that the game is mastered with a GameID and that it exists in the internal database. Games with an ID but not in the internal database will still create a dedicated VMC with the ID itself instead of the name).

:::hint{type="info"}
You can download a **VMUPro **compatible version of **OpenMenu **from the following link below
:::

::File{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/presign/GjVHUwar2ANCw2SNu3OTh/SxBWPRqhPzgfm339cHAGO-20251102-185019.bin" label="1ST_READ.BIN"}

The **VMUPro **can also automatically identify the game by its graphics alone through our DisplayID technology. This works with any method you launch your games, including original discs. However, this method is not as accurate as the **GameID **method, and will work correctly with about 80% of the available titles.

If you find that either of these two methods are causing issues with your games, you can disable them in the [Settings](docId:4G3X5T_toaMnRIwX3GUyu) **Menu**