How to install the ports

Install the APK, allow file access, and put your own game files where each port looks for them: three folder layouts side by side.

APK downloads & SHA-256 Install guide

No root
File access
Your own copy
Update over the top

A city street after rain, at night

All three ports are ordinary APKs: install, give file access, and point them at your own game files in a folder on the phone. What differs is which copy each one reads and where it looks. This guide follows each project’s README and release notes.

This site does not explain how to obtain, rip or extract game files. Use files from a copy you own; no APK contains game data.

Before you start

Android 10 or newer, a 64-bit phone (or a 32-bit one for the ARMv7 APKs) and a Vulkan 1.1 GPU. See requirements.
The right copy: the Xbox Black Edition (USA) for Most Wanted for Android; the PC game for Most Wanted Recompiled or Underground 2.
The APK from the download page, with its SHA-256 checked.

Most Wanted for Android (Xbox version)

Install MostWanted-1.3.0.apk.
Open Most Wanted and allow all files access (Android 10: the storage permission). It is required.
Copy the disc image (.iso), or default.xbe with the NFS folder, into /storage/emulated/0/MostWanted (or a MostWanted folder at the top of an SD card).
Play: the game starts as soon as it finds the files. The supported default.xbe is the USA Black Edition, SHA-1 f636a16af04171089f879a4bed646e185c734233.

Saves go in MostWanted/hdd, logs in MostWanted/logs, settings and the shader cache in Android/data/com.racas.mostwanted/files. More on the Most Wanted for Android page.

Most Wanted Recompiled (PC version)

Install NFSMWPC-AndroidEvolved-v0.1.13-arm64.apk (or the ARMv7 APK on 32-bit Android).
Copy your PC installation into Internal storage/nfsmw so that nfsmw/Speed.exe sits next to GLOBAL, TRACKS, CARS, FRONTEND, LANGUAGES, SOUND, MOVIES and NIS.
Add d3dx9_26.dll from your own Windows SysWOW64 folder and, to host LAN games, server.dll and server.cfg from the game.
Open the launcher, pick the language with the flags, grant file access, set resolution and FPS, and press PLAY.

Underground 2 Recompiled (PC version)

Install NFSU2-AndroidEvolved-v0.14.13-arm64.apk (or the ARMv7 APK on 32-bit Android).
Copy your PC installation (SPEED2.EXE, GLOBAL, TRACKS, CARS, FRONTEND, LANGUAGES, MOVIES, SOUND…) into Internal storage/nfsu2.
Open NFSU2 Android Evolved, grant file access, choose the language, resolution and FPS cap.
Play. If PLAY stays disabled, the launcher names the missing file, often a LANGUAGES/<language>.bin.

Folder layouts side by side

	Most Wanted for Android	Most Wanted Recompiled	Underground 2 Recompiled
Folder	`MostWanted/` (internal or SD card)	`nfsmw/` (internal)	`nfsu2/` (internal)
Main file	`default.xbe` + `NFS/`, or one `.iso`	`Speed.exe`	`SPEED2.EXE`
Also needed	—	`d3dx9_26.dll`; `server.dll` + `server.cfg` for LAN	`WidescreenFix.dat` optional
Saves	`MostWanted/hdd`, backups in `backups/saves`	Inside the app’s storage	Inside the app’s storage
Logs	`MostWanted/logs`	`files/game.log` + diagnostic ZIP	`files/game.log` + diagnostic ZIP in Downloads

Updating

Download the new APK, check its SHA-256 and install it over the old one. Same package, same signing key: saves and settings stay.
Most Wanted for Android v1.3.0 moves saves from Android/data/…/files/hdd to MostWanted/hdd on the first start and leaves the old copy alone.
The codepdbh launchers keep the game’s own video options in android_registry.dat inside the game folder since v0.1.7 / v0.14.9.

Linux and Windows

There are no desktop downloads. RanggaCasper’s Most Wanted builds natively on Linux x86-64 with ./build.sh (Clang, CMake, Ninja, Vulkan headers; first build 15–60 minutes); the codepdbh repositories build a Windows host from source with MSVC x86. Each needs your own game files in its assets or game folder. Details on the Most Wanted for Android, Most Wanted Recompiled and Underground 2 pages.

The BMW M3 GTR race car in white, blue and red livery at the BMW Museum in Munich — BMW M3 GTR, BMW Museum, Munich

A Bayside Blue Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 parked on a Tokyo street at night — Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, Tokyo

Red and white light trails from traffic on a curving highway at night — Traffic on a highway at night, long exposure

Frequently asked questions

Why will Android not install the APK?

Allow installs from the app you used to open it (browser or file manager) when Android asks. If it says the package conflicts, you have a version signed with a different key, for example one from another site: uninstall it after backing up saves, then install the GitHub APK. On a 32-bit-only phone, use the ARMv7 APK of the codepdbh ports.

Can I install Most Wanted for Android and Most Wanted Recompiled together?

Yes. They are different apps (different package names and folders: MostWanted and nfsmw) and read different game files: the Xbox Black Edition and the PC game.

The launcher says the game files are missing. What now?

Check the folder name and depth: nfsmw/Speed.exe or nfsu2/SPEED2.EXE must be directly inside the folder, not in a subfolder such as nfsmw/Need for Speed Most Wanted/. The codepdbh launchers say when files were copied one folder too deep. For the Xbox port, put the .iso or default.xbe with NFS directly in MostWanted.

Do I lose saves when I update?

No, if you install the new APK over the old one. Each project keeps its package name and signing key between releases.

Do I need root or a custom GPU driver?

No root. The system Vulkan driver is the default; the codepdbh launchers can load a custom Turnip driver ZIP for Adreno GPUs, and offer “Play anyway” if the driver test reports missing features.