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Updating a jailbroken PS5 can remove access to the exploit that made homebrew possible, but an ordinary update is not automatically a permanent hardware brick and does not necessarily erase every save. The outcome depends on the exact exploit, the firmware installed, whether the update completes, and which recovery option you choose afterward. Sony separately warns that modified consoles may reject update data, lose functionality, suffer data loss during reinstallation, or face warranty and service consequences.
As checked on October 30, 2026, the Relapse exploit README lists firmware 7.00 through 13.60, while Sony’s US release history listed 26.07-14.20.00 as the newest first-listed version. That range applies only to Relapse; it is not a universal jailbreak compatibility chart.
What happens to a jailbreak when you install a PS5 update?
An official update can close or bypass the vulnerability used by a particular jailbreak. If the console moves to firmware outside that exploit’s supported range, the exploit may stop loading even though the PS5 itself still boots and plays normally. The update may also change settings, remove functionality, or add security measures; Sony’s system-software license explicitly allows those changes.
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Three different failures are often called a “brick”
- Exploit failure: the jailbreak page, payload or homebrew environment hangs, crashes or no longer gains the required access. The console can still start normally.
- Update failure: the download or installation stops, loops or sends the PS5 to Safe Mode. This can result from altered system software or a damaged update process.
- Reinstallation: you deliberately install Sony’s separate system-software package. This is a destructive recovery action that deletes user data.
Only the last two situations necessarily involve the official recovery menus, and none of these descriptions by itself proves permanent hardware damage. No published source in the available evidence gives a jailbreak-specific hardware-brick rate.
Should you update a jailbroken PS5?
The decision is a trade-off between preserving a known exploit-supported firmware and gaining Sony’s current security, application compatibility and online-service support. Before selecting Update, identify exactly what you would lose and what you need to keep.
Reasons to delay an update
- Your exploit maintainer confirms that the installed version is supported but has not confirmed the newer version.
- You rely on homebrew, payloads or other tools whose compatibility has not been updated.
- The console still has local saves or captures that have never been backed up.
Reasons an update may still be necessary
- Sony or a game requires a newer system version for an application or content.
- You prioritize current security fixes and normal compatibility over retaining a particular exploit.
- The console is already malfunctioning and Sony’s documented recovery path requires current system software.
Keeping an old firmware is not a recommendation to bypass Sony’s terms. Sony’s license also prohibits installing earlier system-software versions and obtaining firmware outside authorized distribution methods.
What should you do before pressing Update?
Preparation is possible only while the PS5 still reaches its home screen and Settings. Record the exact installed system-software version, then read the current compatibility notes for the specific exploit and payloads you use. A range printed in one exploit README does not certify other tools.
Make a console backup
On the PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5. Sony says the backup drive may be formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. A drive configured as PS5 USB extended storage is different and cannot be used for this backup workflow.
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A console backup can include saved data, games and apps, captures and settings. Installations that live on extended USB storage or an M.2 SSD are excluded from the backup, and trophies are excluded as well. The backup must be made before the console becomes inaccessible; it cannot be promised after a failure when no earlier backup exists.
Check cloud saves separately
PlayStation Plus cloud storage is not a substitute for a full console backup. It covers eligible saved data, so verify that the particular game’s save has synchronized instead of assuming that an active membership proves it. Sony says automatic cloud synchronization requires automatic updates to be enabled, which can conflict with a deliberate decision to avoid system updates. Sony’s published limits are 100 GB for PS5 saved data and 100 GB for PS4 saved data; the publication year for those figures is not specified.
Account restrictions matter: do not assume that a suspended account can use cloud storage normally.
Record what cannot be restored automatically
- Note the current firmware and the exploit or payload version that works on it.
- Copy important captures or other files that are not covered by your chosen backup.
- Keep the controller and a USB cable available in case Safe Mode is required.
What are the least destructive Safe Mode choices?
If the PS5 enters Safe Mode or the update fails, begin with options that do not erase user data. Turn the console off, then hold the power button until the second beep to enter Safe Mode; connect the controller with a USB cable.
| Safe Mode choice | What it does | Data impact |
|---|---|---|
| Restart PS5 | Leaves Safe Mode and attempts a normal boot. | Does not intentionally erase data. |
| Repair Console Storage | Checks and repairs storage problems. | Sony describes this as non-erasing. |
| Clear Cache and Rebuild Database | Clears temporary data or rebuilds the content database. | Not listed as a user-data reset. |
| Update System Software | Installs an official update through the network or USB. | Not the same as a reinstallation; exploit compatibility may change. |
| Restore Default Settings | Returns settings to defaults. | Sony says stored games, apps, captures and saves remain. |
| Reset PS5 | Resets the console. | Deletes user data. |
| Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) | Removes the system software and installs it again. | Deletes user data and removes the installed system software. |
Back up anything accessible before choosing either reset option. Do not treat Restore Default Settings, Reset PS5 and Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) as interchangeable.
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How do you retry a failed update?
If the home screen still loads, open Downloads/Uploads, inspect the failed item and retry it. If the console remains in Safe Mode, use Sony’s official update file rather than an unofficial mirror.
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- Create the folders
PS5/UPDATEin that exact order. - Download Sony’s update file and save it as
PS5UPDATE.PUPinside theUPDATEfolder. Use the exact uppercase folder and filename. - Insert the drive into the PS5, enter Safe Mode by holding the power button until the second beep, and connect the controller by USB.
- Select Update System Software > Update from USB Storage Device.
Sony gives approximately 1.1 GB of free space as the requirement for this manual update procedure. If the PS5 does not recognize the file, check the drive format, folder names, filename and download integrity. Do not substitute a third-party firmware file.
When should you use a system-software reinstallation?
Reinstallation is a last resort for a system that cannot recover through Restart, storage repair, database rebuilding or a normal update. It is not a method for safely returning to the firmware that hosted your jailbreak.
- Format a USB drive as FAT32 or exFAT and create
PS5/UPDATE. - Download Sony’s separate reinstallation file, not the ordinary update file.
- Save it as
PS5UPDATE.PUPin theUPDATEfolder. - Start Safe Mode by holding the power button until the second beep, connect the controller by USB and select Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software).
Sony gives approximately 1.2 GB of free space for this procedure and states: “Reinstalling the system software on your PS5 console will delete all of the data on your PS5 console.” If reinstallation fails, Sony advises contacting repair support. The procedure must not be described as an ordinary update or as a guaranteed way to preserve saves.
Can a USB reinstall restore the previous jailbreak?
There is no Sony-supported, reliable downgrade path in the documented recovery instructions. Sony’s US license forbids reinstalling earlier system-software versions and obtaining firmware outside authorized distribution methods. An independent tool author claims an older-version installation method using a third-party firmware mirror, but that is the author’s claim, not an endorsed Sony recovery procedure or a tested guarantee.
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Use only Sony’s official update or reinstallation download for recovery. A successful reinstall may leave the console bootable, but it does not establish that the former exploit will work, that every modification trace is removed, or that the previous firmware can be restored.
Will your saves survive an update or recovery?
An ordinary system update is not documented as automatically deleting all user data, but Sony warns that updates can change settings, remove functionality or cause data loss. The safest assumption is that anything not backed up is at risk if the update fails and recovery escalates to a reset.
Restore Default Settings is the non-erasing settings reset identified by Sony. Reset PS5 and Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) delete user data. Restoring a USB console backup later requires the installed system software to be the same as or newer than the version used to create that backup. Restoration itself erases data currently on the console, and Console Sharing and Offline Play must be enabled again afterward.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can Sony ban or refuse service after an update?
Sony says modified consoles may operate improperly, refuse official update data, or affect warranty and repair eligibility. Its support material says violations can result in account suspension, with serious breaches potentially leading to console suspension. Account and console suspensions restrict different PlayStation features.
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Sony does not state that every jailbroken console is automatically suspended. The available sources provide no jailbreak-specific ban percentage, no update-recovery success rate and no guarantee that a reset or reinstall ends an existing suspension or erases past account activity. Do not promise a clean service record or immunity from enforcement.
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What is the safest decision path?
- Identify the exact firmware and exploit. Compare the installed version with the maintainer’s current compatibility documentation; Relapse’s published range is 7.00–13.60 only.
- Decide whether homebrew access or current Sony compatibility matters more. Treat an unconfirmed newer version as a potential loss of that exploit.
- Back up while the home screen works. Use the console-backup workflow, verify individual cloud saves and remember the exclusions for extended storage, M.2 installations and trophies.
- Retry without erasing. Check Downloads/Uploads, then try Restart PS5, Repair Console Storage or database rebuilding in Safe Mode.
- Use the official USB update only when needed. Follow Sony’s FAT32/exFAT, folder, filename and free-space requirements.
- Reserve reinstallation for last resort. It deletes all console data and uses a separate file.
- After recovery, verify services and data. Check saves, applications, account status and Console Sharing and Offline Play instead of assuming that a successful boot restored the previous environment.
What evidence does not establish?
The documented material does not establish a universal firmware cutoff for all PS5 jailbreaks, a guaranteed hardware-brick rate, a guaranteed reinstall success rate, a jailbreak-specific suspension probability or proof that reinstalling removes every trace of modification. Those unknowns are why exploit-specific compatibility notes and Sony’s own recovery instructions should control the decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update only a game without updating PS5 system software?
Game and system updates are separate packages, but a game may require a minimum PS5 system version before it runs. Check the game’s stated requirement on the console and avoid assuming that declining a system update preserves access to every application.
Does Safe Mode work if my controller will not connect wirelessly?
Safe Mode requires the controller to be connected with a USB cable. A cable that supports data communication is needed; a charge-only cable may not be detected by the console.
What happens if my backup drive is smaller than the installed games?
The console-backup process needs enough space for the data it is copying. Games and apps stored on extended USB storage or an M.2 SSD are excluded from the PS5 backup, so removing those installations is not a substitute for having adequate space for included data.
Can I restore a backup made on one PS5 to another PS5?
A console backup is tied to Sony’s restoration requirements and the destination’s system software must be the same version or newer than the backup’s source version. Restoring erases data already on the destination and does not guarantee that exploit-related software or settings return.
Will a successful reinstall let me sign in normally?
Booting after reinstallation does not determine account status. Sign-in and online features remain subject to any account or console suspension and to Sony’s current service requirements; a reinstall is not documented as an automatic suspension reversal.
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