[TUTORIAL] PS4 homebrew in 2026: GoldHEN, Itemzflow, Apollo and the essentials

Step-by-step PS5, PS4 and PS3 tutorials: exploits, GoldHEN, PS3 custom firmware, installing homebrews, backups and updates.
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[TUTORIAL] PS4 homebrew in 2026: GoldHEN, Itemzflow, Apollo and the essentials

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Automatically translated from French.

[TUTO] Homebrews PS4 en 2026 : GoldHEN, Itemzflow, Apollo et les indispensables

Saves, cheats, library, FTP: here are the essential PS4 homebrew apps in 2026 to make the most of a console running GoldHEN, with up-to-date versions.


The starting point: GoldHEN

Everything starts with GoldHEN, by SiSTRo: it is what enables homebrew after the exploit. The latest version, 2.4b18.12 (September 2026), covers firmwares 13.02 to 13.52, in addition to the versions already supported. Firmware 14.00 is not covered. New versions are distributed through the author's Ko-fi page, and no longer on GitHub, where the latest release is still 2.4b18. Choosing the exploit for your firmware is explained in our tutorial which exploit for GoldHEN depending on your firmware.

GoldHEN already includes a lot: an FTP server (port 2121), a payload loader (port 9090), a cheat menu with built-in downloading, a frames-per-second counter, remote package installation, support for plugins, and firmware update blocking. Enable that last one first.


The essentials
  • Apollo Save Tool (2.3.2, April 2026): backs up, restores and edits your game saves, exports them to a USB drive, and “re-signs” them for use on another account. Install it before doing anything else.
  • Itemzflow (1.08, May 2026): a library manager far more complete than the console's menu, with management of games on an external drive. Version 1.08 supports firmwares 12.50 to 13.02.
  • Homebrew Store by LightningMods: a homebrew store built into the console. It has not changed since 2023 but still works, through the pkg-zone.com site.
  • PS4 Cheats Manager (1.2.2): manages GoldHEN's cheat files.
  • PS4CheaterNeo (1.0.7.0, April 2026): on PC, the memory value search tool, for creating your own cheats. It is the maintained version; the old PS4 Cheater is abandoned.

Emulation on PS4

This is the console's weak point:
  • No official RetroArch on PS4. The best-known port is based on a 2020 version of RetroArch, designed for very old firmwares.
  • The PSP games go through Sony's official emulator, packaged with your own games by dedicated tools.
  • For everything else, the solution is Linux on PS4, reserved for tinkerers.
If emulation is your priority, a jailbroken PS5 or a PC will do much better: see our PS5 homebrew.


The rules to stay out of trouble
  • Block updates (GoldHEN option): an official update can make you lose the exploit for good.
  • Do not connect to the PlayStation Network with cheats or homebrew active.
  • Only download GoldHEN from SiSTRo's page (GitHub or Ko-fi). A fake version has already circulated on file-hosting sites and made consoles unusable.
  • LightningMods homebrew (Itemzflow, Store) is found on pkg-zone.com; bucanero's (Apollo, Cheats Manager) on his GitHub.

⚠ Warning: the “stores” offering PS4 game downloads are used for piracy: we do not cover them, and they are a frequent source of booby-trapped files.


Sources and official guides: GoldHEN · Apollo Save Tool · Itemzflow · Homebrew Store · PS4 Cheats Manager · PS4CheaterNeo

Tgames does not provide games, BIOS files or keys: only use backups of your own games and your own console. Have a question? Reply to this topic.

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