Download and Install US Installation Files (get all files). Follow instructions until finished. These files include updates until April 2019.

Once the whole installation is complete, execute PlayOnline Viewer. If an update is available, click on “Next”, then:

• Select “Update” ; once this is done, click on “OK” then “Next”. PlayOnline Viewer should restart automatically.
• Select “For PlayOnline Members!”.
• On the next screen, enter id like 1234ABCD or ABCD1234 (4 letters 4 numbers it doesn’t care about the order, doesn’t matter if they’re accurate or not) in the “Member Name” and “PlayOnline ID” fields. If you wish to use your retail or trial account, you can input that.
• Click on “Register” > “Yes” > “OK” > “Exit” and finally “Yes”.

• To enable DirectPlay, first press the Windpws key + R keyboard shortcut to open Run.
• Then enter “Control Panel” in Run, and click the OK button.
• Click “Programs and Features”.
• Click “Turn Windows features on or off”.
• Double-click “Legacy Components” to expand it.
• Check the DirectPlay check box (if it is not already marked).

• Start Menu > PlayOnline > FINAL FANTASY XI Config; or
• (Root FFXI Install Directory)/PlayOnline/SquareEnix/FINAL FANTASY XI/Tools/FINAL FANTASY XI Config

To be capable of connecting to a private server, you must be able to update your local install of Final Fantasy XI. To do this, you must connect – or have connected – to SquareEnix’s retail servers at least once. You may connect to the official retail servers in the following ways:

1. Connect to retail with your existing retail subscription.
2. Purchase a copy of Final Fantasy XI, which comes with a 30-day subscription.
3. For users who have previously purchased Final Fantasy XI and have since reinstalled the software, connect to retail during a Return Home to Vana’diel campaign when SquareEnix allows former subscribers to play on retail servers for free.
4. Activate a trial account provided by SquareEnix. When you do so, you will be emailed an activation key. This key may be used like a normal activation key.

After having connected to retail at least once since installing Final Fantasy XI, you may then update it at any time by deleting a file on your local installation and using “Check Files” from the PlayOnline Viewer. You may use this method even if your previous subscription to retail is inactive.

1. Inside the \PlayOnline\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XI\ROM\0 folder > delete the 0.dat file.

2. Execute PlayOnline Viewer. Click on “Check Files” from the list on the left.

3. Select “FINAL FANTASY XI” in the drop-down menu (“PlayOnline Viewer” is selected by default) then click on “Check Files”. Be sure that you are checking Final Fantasy XI and not the PlayOnline Viewer.

4. If Final Fantasy XI is not an option available in the drop-down menu from the “Check Files” menu, you have not connected to retail since installing the client.

5. PlayOnline Viewer will find errors, click on “File Repair” then “Yes”.

6. Once everything is done, click on “OK” then “Exit Viewer” and “Yes”.

Install your choice of either Ashita or Windower

To connect to a private server you need to point your client at that private server. This is done through bootloaders like xiloader. 

• Download pre-built latest xiloader
• For Ashita Users: Place xiloader.exe directly into the \Ashita\bootloader\ folder.
• For Windower Users: Place xiloader.exe in the official PlayOnline Viewer folder, typically found at:
  C:\Program Files (x86)\PlayOnline\SquareEnix\PlayOnlineViewer

1. Go to Ashita-v4beta\config\boot and make a copy of example-privateserver.ini, renaming it to auraviaxi.ini

Alter the [ashita.boot] section in auraviaxi.ini to look like this:

[ashita.boot]
; Private Server Usage, using xiloader.exe instead of pol.exe
; This path can also be relative (starting with .\\)
file        = C:\\some path\\xiloader.exe
command     = --server play.auraviaxi.com
gamemodule  = ffximain.dll
script      = default.txt
args        =

2. Create a Windows Shortcut

Target:
C:\ffxi\Ashita-v4beta\Ashita-cli.exe localhost.ini

Starts In:
C:\ffxi\Ashita-v4beta\

3. Double-click your new shortcut then select the “Create New Account” option by hitting “2” then:

Username: Username
Password: Password (then repeat)

After that, with each launch, select the “Login” option by hitting “1” then:

Username: Username
Password: Password

See you ingame!