Do you have a jailbroken PS5 and want to install your games? This guide covers just that: how to install games on a modded PS5, i.e. how to get backups of your PS4 and PS5 titles onto the console and launch them, using the methods that work in 2026 both on low firmware (etaHEN) and on firmware up to 13.60.
Legal note: this guide covers backups of games you own (your own discs and digital licences) and homebrew apps. We neither provide nor link to game files: downloading or distributing copies you don't own is illegal.
If your PS5 isn't modded yet, start with our PS5 firmware 13.60 jailbreak guide or order our PS5 jailbreak service.
What you need to install games on a jailbroken PS5
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Active jailbreak | With etaHEN + kstuff (firmware up to 10.01) or with LapyJB + kstuff lite + ftpsrv + ShadowMount Plus + PS5 Xplorer (firmware 10.20 to 13.60). |
| USB stick | Formatted as exFAT: FAT32 doesn't accept files over 4 GB. Use the rear USB ports, which are more stable. |
| PC on the same network | Needed for the network methods (DPI and FTP). |
| Your files | PS4 backups in .pkg format; PS5 backups as .pkg (low firmware) or as a dump folder (firmware 12.x). |
| Free space | Check the internal SSD or an additional M.2: PS5 games take up 50–150 GB. |
Which jailbreak do you have? Open Settings: if you see the Debug Settings entry and the etaHEN notification at startup, follow Part 1. If instead you use PS5 Xplorer and the FTP server on port 2121, follow Part 2.
Part 1 – Installing games on PS5 with firmware up to 10.01 (etaHEN)
With etaHEN you have three methods. The installed game appears on the Home screen like any purchased title.
Method A – Installing PKGs from a USB stick
- Copy the
.pkgfile to the root of the exFAT USB stick (not into subfolders). - Plug the stick into the PS5.
- Go to Settings → Debug Settings → Game → Package Installer.
- Select the PKG and confirm: progress appears in the notifications.
- When it's finished the game is on the Home screen and you can remove the stick.
Method B – Installing over the network with Direct Package Installer (DPI)
Ideal for files of tens of GB: no copying to a USB stick.
- Put the PKG in a folder on your PC and start an HTTP server: from a terminal, in that folder,
python -m http.server 8000. - On the PS5 open the etaHEN DPI (from the etaHEN menu or from the PC browser at
http://PS5-IP:12800). - Paste the file URL:
http://PC-IP:8000/gamename.pkg. - Start it: the console downloads and installs in the background while you keep using it.
Method C – Transferring via FTP (patches, DLC and large files)
- Enable the etaHEN FTP server (port 1337).
- From your PC connect with FileZilla or WinSCP to the PS5's IP, port 1337.
- Transfer the PKGs to a folder on the internal SSD (e.g.
/data/pkg/). - Install from Debug Settings → Package Installer by selecting the internal folder.
Launching a native PS5 backup
PS4 PKGs launch straight away. For native PS5 PKGs, kstuff must be loaded before launching the game: without kstuff the title freezes on launch or doesn't appear. Remember to reload it every time the console restarts.
Part 2 – Installing games on PS5 with firmware 10.20–13.60
On higher firmware etaHEN and Itemzflow don't work: PKGs are installed with PS5 Xplorer and native PS5 games run as folder-format dumps mounted with ShadowMount Plus.
Method A – PS4 backups (PKG) from USB with PS5 Xplorer
- Copy the
.pkgto the exFAT USB stick. - Launch PS5 Xplorer from the Home screen.
- Browse to the stick (
/mnt/usb0/), select the PKG and choose Install. - Wait for it to finish: the game appears on the Home screen.
If installation fails with large files: first copy the PKG to the internal SSD via FTP and install it from there with Xplorer. Copying very large files from USB should be done in stages.
Method B – Transfer via FTP (port 2121)
- With the jailbreak active, the ftpsrv server answers on the PS5's IP, port 2121, with no password.
- Connect from your PC with FileZilla or WinSCP.
- Transfer PKGs or dump folders to the internal folder you'll use for installing (PKG) or mounting (dumps).
- Continue with Xplorer (PKG) or ShadowMount Plus (dumps).
Method C – Native PS5 backups in folder format (ShadowMount Plus)
- The backup of your PS5 game must be in dump folder format (not PKG), or converted into an exFAT/ffpkg image with the project's tools.
- Copy the folder to an exFAT USB stick or via FTP to the games directory specified by ShadowMount Plus.
- Make sure kstuff lite and ShadowMount Plus are loaded (they must be sent every time the jailbreak starts).
- In ShadowMount Plus select the folder and mount the game: its icon appears on the Home screen.
- Launch the game. If it won't start from the internal SSD, try from USB: some PS5 titles on 12.x only run that way.
Patches, updates and DLC: the rules
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Order: base game → patch → DLC | Installing the patch before the game makes the installation fail |
| Same region and same title ID (CUSA/PPSA) across base game, patch and DLC | Otherwise the patch isn't recognised |
| Native PS5 patches on 12.x | They're applied as extra folders of the dump, not as PKGs |
| Update requested at startup | Always decline: it's the system update, not the game update, and it would make you lose the jailbreak |
Game won't start? Problems and solutions
| Symptom | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| "Cannot start" or immediate crash (PS5 PKG) | kstuff not loaded | Reload kstuff / kstuff lite and try again |
| The PKG doesn't appear in Package Installer | File in a subfolder or USB in FAT32 | Move it to the root, format as exFAT |
| Installation stuck at 0% | Corrupted file or HTTP server closed | Check the file's size/hash, restart the server |
| Icon present but black screen | Missing patch or different region | Install the correct patch for that ID |
| PS5 game won't start from internal SSD (12.x) | Known limitation of folder dumps | Launch it from USB or convert it to an exFAT image |
| "Not enough space" error despite free space | Installer cache | Restart the console and relaunch the jailbreak |
How to create backups of your games
To dump your discs or the digital titles you own, you use the community's dump tools (via etaHEN on low firmware, via dedicated tools on 12.x), which save the game to USB or via FTP. The result is a "fake signed" PKG or a dump folder, ready for the methods described above. We don't supply or provide games: if you like, we'll explain the procedure on your console.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install PS4 games on a jailbroken PS5?
Yes. PS4 backups in PKG format install from USB, over the network or via FTP and run in backward compatibility, often with faster loading than on PS4.
Do I need kstuff to launch PS5 games?
Yes. Native PS5 backups only launch with kstuff (or kstuff lite on 12.x firmware) loaded before starting the game.
Why isn't my PKG seen by Package Installer?
Almost always the stick is FAT32 or the file is inside a subfolder. Format as exFAT and put the PKG in the root.
Can I install games on a PS5 with firmware 13.60?
Yes, but with different tools: PS5 Xplorer for PS4 PKGs and ShadowMount Plus for PS5 folder dumps, since etaHEN doesn't work on 12.x firmware.
Do installed games stay after a restart?
Yes, they stay installed. To launch them, though, you need to re-enable the jailbreak and reload kstuff, because the PS5 mod isn't permanent.
Prefer a PS5 that's ready to go?
At ConsoleModding.it, in Rome and by courier across Italy, we set up your PS5 with the jailbreak, kstuff, FTP and the tools to install your backups, with a 12-month warranty and support on how to use them.
- 🎮 PS5 jailbreak service (Homebrew Enabler / Jailbreak)
- 🎮 Ready-to-use modded PS5 consoles (Fat, Slim, Pro)
- 💿 BD-JB Auto Jailbreak disc for PS5
👉 Message us on WhatsApp (messages only) with your console model and firmware, or visit our contact page.
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