PS4 Jailbreak Guide: Vue-After-Free Exploit

A massive thank you to EarthOnion for developing and sharing Vue-after-Free for the PS4. Thanks to this ingenious tool, I was able to restore a system backup, launch PS Vue, and successfully run the jailbreak exploit on my console. Everything worked flawlessly — I genuinely appreciate the time, skill, and dedication that went into contributing this to the PS4 homebrew scene!

PS4 Jailbreak Guide: Vue-after-Free System Backup Method

How It Works

Vue-after-Free is a PS4 jailbreak exploit that takes advantage of the discontinued PS Vue streaming app. Because PS Vue is no longer available on the PlayStation Store, the exploit uses a pre-built system backup to sideload the app — along with specially crafted save data — directly onto your console, completely bypassing the need for a PSN download.

Once the backup is restored, your PS4 will have a fake-activated user account with PS Vue and all required exploit data already in place. Simply open PS Vue, press the Jailbreak button, and the exploit executes a payload — such as GoldHEN or HEN — that fully unlocks your console. After the first successful run, the payload is cached to the console’s internal storage (/data/), so your USB drive is no longer needed for future jailbreak sessions.

The only ongoing requirement is a network connection. No internet access is needed — a simple local network is sufficient.

Official Repository

Complete instructions, source files, and the latest system backup downloads are available on the official GitHub repository:

https://github.com/Vuemony/vue-after-free

What You Will Need

• A PS4 console (not already jailbroken)
• A USB drive (all existing data on it will be erased)
• A local network connection (internet access is not required)
• A payload file — either GoldHEN or HEN

Step 1 — Prepare Your USB Drive

1. Format your USB drive to exFAT.

⚠️ Warning: Formatting will permanently erase all data on the drive. Back up any important files before proceeding.

Step 2 — Download the System Backup

Download one of the following backup files from the official GitHub repository:

• VueSystemBackup.7z — Full version with manual exploit launch, giving you complete control over when the jailbreak runs.
• VueLiteSystemBackup.7z — Lite version that automatically launches the exploit after dismissing the initial PSN prompt, for a faster and more streamlined experience.

1. Extract the contents of the downloaded archive directly onto your formatted USB drive.
2. Safely eject the drive and plug it into your PS4.

Step 3 — Back Up Your Data (Optional but Strongly Recommended)

Restoring the Vue system backup will overwrite your existing user data. If you have a real PSN account on the console, back up the following before proceeding to avoid losing any progress.

Save Data:

1. Go to Settings → Application Saved Data Management → Saved Data in System Storage.
2. Copy your save data to the USB drive. Ensure the drive has enough free space.

If you cannot access your saved data, your console likely does not have a real PSN account or is not currently activated. In that case, saves cannot be backed up until after the console has been jailbroken.

Captures (Screenshots and Video Clips):

1. Go to Settings → Storage → System Storage → Capture Gallery → All.
2. Copy all captures to the USB drive.

Step 4 — Restore the System Backup

1. Go to Settings → System → Back Up and Restore → Restore PS4.
2. Select the Vue system backup from your USB drive.
3. Confirm your selection and wait for the restore process to complete. Your console will automatically reboot when finished.

After the reboot, your PS4 will have the following ready to go:

• A fake-activated user account
• PS Vue installed and configured
• All exploit data in place and ready to use

Step 5 — Prepare the Payload

1. Place your chosen payload file (GoldHEN or HEN) in the root directory of your USB drive.
2. Rename the file exactly as shown below:

payload.bin

After the first successful jailbreak, the payload is automatically cached to /data/ on the console’s internal storage. From that point on, you will not need the USB drive for future sessions.

Step 6 — Run the Exploit

1. Ensure your PS4 is connected to a network. A local connection is perfectly fine — no internet access is required.
2. Open PS Vue from the home screen.
3. A prompt will appear stating:

“This service requires you to sign in to PlayStation Network”

Press OK to dismiss the prompt and continue.

1. Press the Jailbreak button to execute the exploit. For a smoother experience on future boots, you can optionally configure the Auto Loader and Auto Close settings at this stage.

⚙️ Important Note for HEN Users

If you are using HEN (rather than GoldHEN) and wish to enable the Auto Close feature, you must first increase the close delay. Without this adjustment, the app may close before HEN has finished loading, interrupting the jailbreak process.

1. Open and edit the config.js file.
2. Set the close delay value to 20000 (equivalent to 20 seconds).
3. Back up the updated save file to your USB drive via the console’s settings to ensure the change is preserved after reboots.

Optional — Suppress the PSN Sign-In Pop-Up

After successfully jailbreaking, you can run the np-fake-signin payload to permanently suppress the PSN sign-in pop-up that appears on every boot. This step is entirely optional, but highly recommended if the repeated prompt becomes a nuisance during daily use.

User Account Information

The restored backup creates a default user account with the following Account ID:

1111111111111111

This Account ID is fixed and cannot be changed. However, you have the following options to customise your setup after jailbreaking:

1. Create a new user account on the console.
2. Fake-activate the new account using a homebrew tool.
3. While jailbroken, configure PS Vue to run under the newly activated account.
4. If the exploit save data ever becomes corrupted, you can resign an OnlineSave to fully restore it.

Whether you are new to the PS4 homebrew scene or a seasoned enthusiast, Vue-after-Free offers one of the most accessible and reliable jailbreak methods available today. Good luck, and enjoy everything the homebrew community has to offer!