This has been bugging me for a while, so I'm throwing this out there as a technical challenge to the PS4 homebrew community.
We already know how to extract PS4 themes, modify the files, change the background, music, theme.xml, make them dynamic, etc.
So why, after all these years, can we still not build a proper persistent custom theme?
The problem seems to be what happens at the final step:
Retail Theme
↓
Extract
↓
Modify files
↓
Build PKG
↓
fPKG
↓
Works until reboot
↓
Theme disappears (default theme will appear instead)
The actual theme files aren't the problem. The PS4 can clearly load them.
The problem is that once we rebuild the package with the tools available to us, we end up with an fPKG, and the PS4 doesn't treat it like a persistent retail theme after reboot.
I've tested this myself with an actual installed retail theme.
The original:
/user/addcont/I000002/EP-CUSA-.../ac.pkg
is a genuine retail package and survives a reboot.
Replacing that ac.pkg with my custom fPKG makes the modified theme work while the jailbreak is active, but after reboot it no longer persists.
Put the original retail ac.pkg back → reboot → everything works again.
So the PS4 clearly knows the difference.
PS4 theme creator - by Modded Warefare
clearly NO this tool has the reboot issue.
and imo, that's might explain why the tool has become so difficult to find and why all download links are dead or removed.
And no, I don't think PKGToolset really solves this
PKGToolset takes another approach by modifying system files directly.
That's interesting, but IMO it isn't really a theme creation tool.
You can modify things like the default background/music, but:
So here's the challenge:
Can we figure out how to get a modified theme to remain a valid Retail Theme?
I see two-three possible directions.
1. Figure out how Retail PKGs actually differ from fPKGs
If we could understand exactly what makes a Retail Theme PKG different from an fPKG — signing, encryption, metadata, content information, licenses, etc. — maybe we could understand what is actually preventing persistence.
Of course, if the answer ultimately requires reproducing Sony's retail signing process without their keys, that's basically CFW-level territory and probably a dead end.
But maybe there is something we're missing.
2. Modify a Retail PKG without rebuilding it
This is the direction I personally find much more interesting.
Instead of:
Retail PKG
↓
Extract
↓
Modify
↓
Rebuild
↓
fPKG
what if there is a way to modify the existing Retail package while preserving whatever makes the PS4 recognize it as Retail?
Something like:
Original Retail ac.pkg
↓
Modify theme data
↓
Still a Retail-valid ac.pkg
↓
Permanent custom theme
I don't know if this is actually possible. That's exactly why I'm asking?
3. Sub-Solution (A payload?):
Since the custom theme already works after HEN is activated, perhaps a payload could automatically trigger whatever process is needed to refresh/reload the PS4 UI and make the installed fPKG theme appear again.
Right now, if the theme disappears after reboot, you can get it working again by manually doing something like logging out and logging back in / refreshing the relevant UI state.
So instead of doing that manually:
Boot PS4
↓
Activate HEN
↓
Run payload automatically
↓
Refresh/reload the relevant UI
↓
Custom theme appears
The idea would basically be to automate the "refresh" part after HEN.
I'm not sure what the exact process/function responsible for this is, so this would need someone familiar with the PS4 shell/UI processes to investigate.
Honestly i think this is probably the most realistic solution we can achieve with the current limitations.
So, challenge to anyone who knows PS4 internals:
Has anyone actually investigated this?
What is the specific reason a modified/rebuilt theme becomes an fPKG that disappears after reboot?
What exactly does the PS4 verify when loading a Retail Theme?
Is there something special about ac.pkg?
Can an existing Retail Theme PKG be modified without completely rebuilding/re-signing it?
Or is the only possible solution genuinely to figure out how to produce Retail-signed packages?
I'm not looking for another "here's how to make an fPKG theme" tutorial.
We already know how to do that.
I'm trying to figure out why we're still stuck at the last 10% — getting a custom theme that actually survives a reboot.
If someone with deeper knowledge of the PS4 PKG/content/license system has an explanation, I'd genuinely love to hear it.
We already know how to extract PS4 themes, modify the files, change the background, music, theme.xml, make them dynamic, etc.
So why, after all these years, can we still not build a proper persistent custom theme?
The problem seems to be what happens at the final step:
Retail Theme
↓
Extract
↓
Modify files
↓
Build PKG
↓
fPKG
↓
Works until reboot
↓
Theme disappears (default theme will appear instead)
The actual theme files aren't the problem. The PS4 can clearly load them.
The problem is that once we rebuild the package with the tools available to us, we end up with an fPKG, and the PS4 doesn't treat it like a persistent retail theme after reboot.
I've tested this myself with an actual installed retail theme.
The original:
/user/addcont/I000002/EP-CUSA-.../ac.pkg
is a genuine retail package and survives a reboot.
Replacing that ac.pkg with my custom fPKG makes the modified theme work while the jailbreak is active, but after reboot it no longer persists.
Put the original retail ac.pkg back → reboot → everything works again.
So the PS4 clearly knows the difference.
PS4 theme creator - by Modded Warefare
clearly NO this tool has the reboot issue.
and imo, that's might explain why the tool has become so difficult to find and why all download links are dead or removed.
And no, I don't think PKGToolset really solves this
PKGToolset takes another approach by modifying system files directly.
That's interesting, but IMO it isn't really a theme creation tool.
You can modify things like the default background/music, but:
- You can't properly create multiple themes and switch between them.
- You can't make a proper dynamic theme.
- You have to modify the system files again every time you want to change something.
- You're modifying the PS4 system itself rather than creating an actual installable theme. so you simply can't share your work with others
So here's the challenge:
Can we figure out how to get a modified theme to remain a valid Retail Theme?
I see two-three possible directions.
1. Figure out how Retail PKGs actually differ from fPKGs
If we could understand exactly what makes a Retail Theme PKG different from an fPKG — signing, encryption, metadata, content information, licenses, etc. — maybe we could understand what is actually preventing persistence.
Of course, if the answer ultimately requires reproducing Sony's retail signing process without their keys, that's basically CFW-level territory and probably a dead end.
But maybe there is something we're missing.
2. Modify a Retail PKG without rebuilding it
This is the direction I personally find much more interesting.
Instead of:
Retail PKG
↓
Extract
↓
Modify
↓
Rebuild
↓
fPKG
what if there is a way to modify the existing Retail package while preserving whatever makes the PS4 recognize it as Retail?
Something like:
Original Retail ac.pkg
↓
Modify theme data
↓
Still a Retail-valid ac.pkg
↓
Permanent custom theme
I don't know if this is actually possible. That's exactly why I'm asking?
3. Sub-Solution (A payload?):
Since the custom theme already works after HEN is activated, perhaps a payload could automatically trigger whatever process is needed to refresh/reload the PS4 UI and make the installed fPKG theme appear again.
Right now, if the theme disappears after reboot, you can get it working again by manually doing something like logging out and logging back in / refreshing the relevant UI state.
So instead of doing that manually:
Boot PS4
↓
Activate HEN
↓
Run payload automatically
↓
Refresh/reload the relevant UI
↓
Custom theme appears
The idea would basically be to automate the "refresh" part after HEN.
I'm not sure what the exact process/function responsible for this is, so this would need someone familiar with the PS4 shell/UI processes to investigate.
Honestly i think this is probably the most realistic solution we can achieve with the current limitations.
So, challenge to anyone who knows PS4 internals:
Has anyone actually investigated this?
What is the specific reason a modified/rebuilt theme becomes an fPKG that disappears after reboot?
What exactly does the PS4 verify when loading a Retail Theme?
Is there something special about ac.pkg?
Can an existing Retail Theme PKG be modified without completely rebuilding/re-signing it?
Or is the only possible solution genuinely to figure out how to produce Retail-signed packages?
I'm not looking for another "here's how to make an fPKG theme" tutorial.
We already know how to do that.
I'm trying to figure out why we're still stuck at the last 10% — getting a custom theme that actually survives a reboot.
If someone with deeper knowledge of the PS4 PKG/content/license system has an explanation, I'd genuinely love to hear it.
