PS4 Jailbreak: Current Status & Everything to Know

The PS4 has had a great run. It’s been 10 years since its initial launch back in November 2013, and it continues to hold its own, even today. However, it’s clear that the PS4 era is starting to wind down, as the PS5 has now taken the lead.

Over the past year, it has become obvious that the PS4’s hardware just doesn’t have enough power to run the newest generation of games—like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2—at their best performance. Because of this, many game studios, including Sony‘s own first-party teams, are not releasing their newest exclusives on the PS4.

Since not everyone is able to upgrade to a PS5, what options do you have? One popular way to extend your PS4’s life and unlock more features is to jailbreak it. But what is jailbreaking? Read on to find out!

Jailbreaking is the process of installing third-party software, or firmware, by taking advantage of vulnerabilities found in a device’s operating system (or hardware). By jailbreaking, you remove the restrictions put in place by the system, and can use your device to its full potential.

Jailbreaking has been around for a long time, and it’s not just for the PS4. The most well-known form is the iOS jailbreak. Other devices can be jailbroken as well, but the name can change: for example, jailbreaking an Android device is called rooting, and jailbreaking the Nintendo Switch is often called modding or hacking.

In most cases, jailbreaking is legal, as many companies recognize the desire for users to extend the life of their devices and generally don’t pursue legal action against users. However, a large number of people jailbreak their devices to run pirated content, which is definitely illegal. In some special cases—in particular the Nintendo Switch—jailbreaking can even be illegal due to how aggressively Nintendo protects its software, even if you aren’t using it for piracy.

Regardless, jailbreaking any device always comes with risk, so you should only consider it if you’ve done your homework. That’s what this guide is for! As long as you use common sense (for example, avoid cheating in online games), you should be fine.

Reasons for Jailbreaking the PS4

Jailbreaking the PS4 is not a quick or easy task. However, there are plenty of reasons why many people are interested in doing it. Here are some of the top motivations for jailbreaking your PS4:

1. Play retro games using emulators
2. Play classic PS2 games
3. Install mods in your games
4. Install or dump PS4 games directly onto your hard drive at a reduced cost or for free
5. Create custom themes for your PS4
6. Run Linux on your PS4
7. Install Homebrew (third-party) apps and games

When considering jailbreaking your PS4, there are many things to keep in mind—like making sure your PS4 meets the requirements, understanding the pros and cons, knowing the types of jailbreaks available, and learning about what you can actually do after jailbreaking. We’ll go through and discuss each point below.

1. Requirements for Jailbreaking

To jailbreak your PS4, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

1. Your PS4 must be running on firmware version 9.00 or below
2. A PC or laptop
3. A USB drive with at least 2 GB of storage
4. Thorough research and plenty of patience

Any PS4 model—Slim, Standard (Fat), or Pro—can be jailbroken, and the general process is the same for all.

⤷ Why do I need such an old firmware?

Each PS4 system update is meant to improve the user experience and fix bugs, but they also patch up vulnerabilities that developers use for jailbreaking. The lower the firmware version, the higher the chance that you’ll be able to jailbreak, since newer versions are more likely to be secured by Sony.

Currently, the latest firmware you can jailbreak is version 9.00, though the most ideal versions are 5.05/5.07. All firmware versions below 9.00 have jailbreaks, but if your PS4 is on version 4.55 or below, it’s best to update to 5.05/5.07 for more stability. Despite some claims online, there is still no working jailbreak for any firmware above version 9.00.

⤷ Downgrading

Unfortunately, downgrading your PS4 from a newer firmware (such as 9.60 or 10.01) is not simple. Doing so requires complicated steps and often hardware modifications, such as soldering. For most users, it’s not recommended.

If you still want to use a jailbroken PS4, we recommend searching for a PS4 on eBay ↗ or similar sites that is running a compatible firmware version, or even purchasing one that’s already jailbroken.

2. Types of Jailbreaks

For each firmware version, several different jailbreaks may be available. These are called jailbreak hosts and are usually accessed through specific URLs online. The main goal is the same for all—getting around the PS4’s protections—but each host might offer different payloads (which provide various features). Some of the most popular hosts for firmware version 9.00 are:

• Karo
• Kameleon
• Echo Stretch

Remember, all jailbreaks for compatible firmware versions are temporary. After you restart your console, you’ll need to apply the jailbreak again. This is why most people use Rest Mode instead of turning off their PS4 completely.

3. Payloads

Payloads are files or programs sent through the jailbreak exploit that unlock new features for your PS4—usually allowing you to run third-party apps or access extra functions. Every payload can offer different options, so you’ll want to pick the ones that suit your needs best. The most popular payloads are Mira and GoldHEN.

Mira and GoldHEN are the closest thing to custom firmware (CFW) on the PS4. CFW refers to unofficial firmware that gives you more advanced features than the stock firmware, including support for homebrew and third-party apps. Other notable payloads include:

• FTP
• App2USB
• Ps4debug
• Orbis Toolbox
• Linux

There are plenty of payloads to choose from, and apart from the essentials, the ones you install are up to you. All payloads are loaded onto your console using programs like BinLoader or MiraLoader, which are available from most jailbreak hosts.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Jailbreaking Your PS4

There are several reasons why most PS4 owners choose NOT to jailbreak, and the biggest reason is the lack of online functionality. Jailbroken PS4s cannot access online PSN services or play any multiplayer games. In fact, even the web browser gets limited, as the jailbreak host page stores all loaded payloads for offline use.

Trying to use online services also puts your PS4 at risk of being banned, so it’s not worth the risk. Here’s a list of the main advantages and disadvantages of jailbreaking your PS4:

⤷ Piracy Concerns

When you jailbreak any device, the topic of piracy is hard to avoid. On a jailbroken PS4, you can install games as long as they’re compatible with your firmware version, but if those games are pirated, that’s illegal.

It’s pretty tempting for many people to simply download games for free, which is the heart of piracy. Downloading any copyrighted media without paying is against the law. Even if you know how to find these games online, it’s important to be aware of the risks and legal consequences.

The Future of PS4 Jailbreaking

As of January 2024, firmware version 9.00 remains the latest to reliably support jailbreaking. While most developers are now focusing on jailbreaking the PS5, there is still slow but steady progress for the PS4. For example, an exploit to run PS2 games on firmware versions 10.00 to 10.71 is now available, which could help with future jailbreaks.

For now, most of the activity remains on firmware version 9.00. There isn’t much news about brand new breakthroughs, so it’s best to keep your PS4’s firmware as low as possible if you care about jailbreaking in the future.