Everything You Need to Know About PS4 Jailbreak – Step-by-Step Guide

Can you jailbreak a PS4? What are the benefits of jailbreaking your PS4? Is it legal to jailbreak your PS4? What are the dangers of PS4 jailbreaking? If you have ever asked yourself any of these questions then this article is for you.

And to answer the first question, Yes, you can jailbreak a PS4. But, it will depend on the firmware currently installed on your console. If you have already updated your PS4 firmware to the most current firmware, I’m sorry the boat has already sailed for you.

The jailbreak only works for PS4 firmware 9.00 and below. And no, it’s not possible to downgrade your PS4 once it’s updated.

Well, technically you can. But it’s a complicated process that requires you to have backed up your hardware and software information prior. Definitely not something you want to try unless you are Matt from DIY Perks.

If your PS4 is running firmware 9.00 or below, Jackpot!

Follow along as I tell you everything you need to know about PS4 jailbreak including a step-by-step guide on how to execute the jailbreak. Don’t worry, you don’t need any technical skills, you just need to know how to follow instructions.

What is PS4 jailbreak?

In case the concept is new to you, PS4 jailbreak is the process of unlocking your PS4 and lifting restrictions enforced by Sony. This allows you to install custom apps including free games, media apps, emulators, and even Linux OS.

Here is everything we’re going to cover in this guide.

The benefits of PS4 jailbreak

• Unlimited free games – Gaming can be an expensive hobby and you won’t always afford to buy the latest games. With a jailbroken PS4 you can download any game and install it freely on your console.
• Download FPS patches and cheats – Jailbreaking your PS4 enables you to unlock developer mode and God mode which comes with a whole bunch of customizations. For instance, you can unlock a game like Bloodborne that is limited to 30FPS to play at 60FPS. You can also fly around in the game and see how the developers designed each level in the game. Better yet, you can unlock the use of cheat codes in any game allowing you to have infinite skill points (XP) or coins.
• Transfer modded saves to PS5 – Once you have loaded the cheats on your jailbroken PS4, you can save the file and transfer it to your legit game on an unbroken PS4 or PS5.
• Supports PS2 and PS3 emulators – With a jailbroken PS4 you can play any PS2 or PS3 games by installing the appropriate emulator.
• Supports PC gaming – Even with its great game catalog, there are some games like League of Legends that are only exclusive to PC meaning you can’t play them on your PS4. That’s unless it’s jailbroken in which case you can install Linux on it and run any Steam game.
• Access to Homebrew applications – Jailbreaking your PS4 allows you access to an entire library of custom apps known in the Homebrew app store. These include modified media apps like Netflix, Plex, Spotify, and Prime video that don’t require you to be signed in to PSN to download.

The disadvantages of jailbreaking PS4

Unfortunately, once you jailbreak your PS4, there are some compromises you will have to make.

• You can’t play online games – You can access the internet on your jailbroken PS4, but you can’t log in to your PSN account. Not unless you want your account to be blocked and your PS4 blacklisted. Consequently, it means you can’t play online modes in any game.
• Some games may be incompatible with older firmware – The good news is firmware version 9.00 is quite recent and almost all games are compatible. However, if Sony continues releasing new firmware versions and there is no jailbreak for any of the newer versions, it may reach a point where certain games can’t play on your PS4. However, this is a case of ‘if’ and if it happens you can always unbreak your PS4 by installing newer firmware.
• Warranty gets void – Once you jailbreak your PS4, you can’t take it to Sony if it develops any problems.

PS4 Jailbreak – Is it worth it?

So, with what we know, is jailbreaking your PS4 worth it? Well, if you want access to unlimited free games and unlimited customization to your PS4 then definitely go for it. And if your PS4 has already crossed the warranty period, even better for you. However, if playing games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and online multiplayer modes is important to you, jailbreaking your PS4 is not worth it.

How to run the PS4 9.00 Jailbreak (Complete guide using GoldHEN payload)

Now to the fun part. How to jailbreak your PS4. For this guide, we will be exploring how to Jailbreak PS4 firmware version 9.00 because it’s the latest exploit.

Requirements

1. A PS4 with firmware 9.00 or below (Obviously)
2. A computer with internet access
3. Rufus or any other software that can burn image files to USB on your computer
4. A USB flash drive. Doesn’t have to be big, 1GB is enough.

Jailbreaking your PS4 – Step-by-step guide

Follow the next steps as described to easily jailbreak your PS4.

Step 1: Disable Automatic Downloads

The last thing you want is for your PS4 to update to the latest firmware before you have had a chance to execute the jailbreak.

To disable automatic downloads;

• Open PS4 Settings click on System and then Automatic Downloads.
• Go on and uncheck all the options, but especially the System Software Update Files. Also, check your notifications to ensure that a system update is not already downloading on your PS4.
• Next, head over to Network Settings and click on Set Up Internet Connection so that we can reconnect the PS4 to the internet with new configurations that prevent it from connecting to Sony Servers.
• You can choose whichever method you usually use, either WiFi or Lan. But instead of using Easy connection, click on Custom.
• For IP Settings Settings, choose Automatic. For DHCP Host Name, choose Do Not Specify. But, when you get to DNS Settings choose Manual and use the following DNS settings. Primary DNS: 192.241.221.79, Secondary DNS: 165.227.83.145. On top of blocking access to Sony servers, these DNS settings will also redirect your PS4’s user guide to an exploit page that we can use to execute the jailbreak. But, more on that later.
• To finish setting up your internet connection, choose Automatic for MTU settings and Do Not Use for Proxy Server.
• Done. With these settings, you can use the internet on your jailbroken PS4 without worrying that it unbreak or that Sony will ban your PSN account.

Step 2: Updating the ps4 (If you have firmware version below 9.0)

If your PS4 is already running on version 9.0 you can skip to the next step.

• To update your PS4, first Download Firmware 9.00 and copy it to your USB flash drive. Make sure your USB flash drive is formatted in exFAT or FAT32 if exFAT is unavailable.
• Next, create a folder in your USB and name it PS4.
• Inside the PS4 folder create another folder and name it UPDATE, then copy your downloaded firmware file to this folder. Make sure that the downloaded file’s name is PS4UPDATE.PUP
• Plug the USB drive into your PS4.
• Go to Settings and click on System Software Update.

• If you followed the above steps correctly, you will get a notification that Firmware version 9.00 is available. Click Next and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. In case you get an error message open System Software Update again to finish installing the firmware.

• Once your firmware is finished updating, check your Network Settings to make sure that the internet configurations we set up in Step 1 are still active. Again, the last thing you want is for your PS4 to update to a new firmware that cannot be jailbroken.

Step 3: Setting up the jailbreak

The Jailbreak on PS4 firmware version 9.00 takes advantage of a vulnerability in the file system and you will need a USB flash drive with the exfathax image file to execute the jailbreak.

• On your PC, go to the jailbreak release page for PS4 firmware version 9.0. and click on the file labeled exfathax.img to download it.
• Download Rufus if you don’t already have it installed on your computer. You can use any other software that allows you to burn an image file to USB.
• Open Rufus to transfer the exfathax file you downloaded to your USB storage drive. To do this, select your USB flash drive from the drop-down on the Device section and then down where you have Boot selection, select the exfathax file you downloaded as shown in the image below. No need to change any other settings. Click START to begin the copying process.

After a few seconds, your drive will be formatted, and the xfathax.img file will be loaded on your USB drive.

• Eject the USB from your computer and plug it into your PS4.

Step 4: Loading the jailbreak

This is the final step.

• Open the browser on your PS4 and launch any of the popular exploit hosts. Clicking the User Guide on your PS4 will also redirect you to an exploit page, but I recommend using the browser since it has fewer steps. Here are a few exploit pages that you can use.

1. Karo218.ir (We will use this one but the steps are basically the same for all exploit pages)
2. ​​kmeps4.site/
3. Nightkinghost.com

• When the page opens up, click on the button labeled 9.00 Gold. The first thing that will happen is the exploit page will be cached on your browser allowing you to load the jailbreak even when you are offline.

• Once the cache process is complete, exit your browser and reopen the exploit page again. Remove your USB flash drive from your PS4 before proceeding to the next step. The exploit will tell you when it’s time to insert the USB.
• Click on the button labeled GoldHenV2b.

• Insert your USB drive when prompted.

• Wait until a pop-up notification appears on the top left of your screen telling you that the drive’s file system is not supported and then click OK. You should then get a new notification that GoldHEN V2.0b is loaded.

• Done. Your PS4 is now jailbroken and you can go ahead and do amazing things like installing free games, Linux OS, emulators, and homebrew apps.

FAQ

Can you jailbreak a PS4

Yes. You can jailbreak your PS4 but only if it’s running firmware version 9.00 or below. Unfortunately, if your PS4 is running on version 9.03 it cannot currently be jailbroken and it can’t be downgraded. If a new exploit is released for newer firmware we will update this post to reflect it.

Can you unbreak a jailbroken PS4

Yes. If for some reason you no longer want your PS4 jailbroken, you can unbreak it simply by updating the firmware. However, if you plan on jailbreaking it again later, don’t update it with a firmware version that’s above 9.0. If you use the Sony Update feature, the PS4 will be updated to the latest firmware after which you can’t jailbreak it again.

Can PS4 version 9.03 be jailbreak?

No. Any PS4 firmware version that is above 9.00 cannot be jailbroken. At least not currently. However, if a new exploit is released for newer firmware, we will keep you updated through this post.

What are the risks of jailbreaking a PS4

Jailbreaking your PS4 does not carry any risk. It’s a relatively straightforward process that can be undone at any moment. However, it does have some downsides to it such as the inability to play online and a voided warranty.

Can I play all games on jailbroken PS4?

Yes. You can play any game you want on your PS4 for free. This includes PS2 and PS3 games as well as steam games such as Dota 2 and Age of Empires. 

What happens if you connect jailbroken PS4 to the Internet?

If you have taken the right measures you can connect your jailbroken PS4 to the internet without worrying that your PSN account will be banned or that your PS4 will be banned. Just make sure automatic downloads are disabled on the PS4 and use custom DNS settings to prevent the PS4 from connecting to Sony servers.