Frequently Asked Questions about the PS3 Jailbreak

This is an attempt to compile the information about the PS3 Jailbreak that is currently know to the public.

What is the PS3 Jailbreak?
The PS3 Jailbreak is an USB device that makes the PS3 able to save complete games from an original Blu-ray Disc to it's hard drive and then play these games without the original game disc in the drive. This is the only current known function.

How does it work?
Currently most people seems to believe that the device is a clone of the "PS3 Service USB Jig" that is used in service centers to enter service mode to fix certain problems. How this has been cloned is not known. The original USB Jig supposedly shows a service menu, which this cloned device does not show. After booting with the jailbreak dongle, it's possible to load a backup manager that is available on the manufacturers site. This backup manager seems to be a homebrew application built with the PS3 SDK, so it's most likely illegal to distribute it in most countries.
The USB device needs to be connected at all times when running games.

Does it work on all PS3 games?
NO, but most of the games tested so far. See this post for more info.

Can Sony block the jailbreak with a software update?
Currently unknown, if it works like the pandora battery in the PSP, it might not be possible for them to block the device without a hardware upgrade. But it could also be the other way around, that it's very easy for them to block the device.

Is it possible to back up movies and PS1/PS2 games with the device?
No, not according to the official site.

Is it possible to run other homebrew applications?
According to the official site, it is possible. However, the only application available so far is the backup manager.

Can't someone just copy the USB drive so anyone could create their own?
No, the device is not a simple USB memory, it contains some kind of micro controller with custom code. It is not recognized by a normal computer.


It is possible to take the games on a USB drive to another PS3 and run them from there when using the device? Is it possible to download backups from the internet and use on another machine?
Yes, this is confirmed. Read more here.

Can I play online with PS Jailbreak? 
Many games require updates to be installed for them to work on PSN, but on many games this does not work when running from the Backup Manager. Read more here.

Will Sony ban jailbreak users from PSN?
No, not yet. But it seems that Sony easily can detect the users and might ban them later on. Read more here.


To be continued. Please add more questions in the comments if you have any!