With the recent release of the 4.xx PS5 Kernel exploit, some people are quickly discovering that there are buttons you should not press once you have direct read/write control for some sensitive data on your console.

What’s IDU mode and why do people click that button?

IDU (Individual Display Unit) is used to represent a “Demo” PS5, one of the devices you sometimes see in stores that are here to display a bunch of videos showcasing the features of the console, and let you play limited versions of some games.

It’s a mode of the console that’s designed to be extremely limited, but more importantly, it’s pretty hard to get out of.

When you run the PS5 exploit, the first thing it currently does is enabling the “Debug Settings” on the console. A series of additional options that are usually reserved for Sony’s internal use. One of these options allows you to change your PS5 into an IDU.

Here’s the rub: once this happens, switching it back to a “normal” retail unit is particularly difficult, and the console will now aggressively try to update itself to the latest firmware by all means necessary.

If, by mistake, you end up on IDU mode AND the console updates itself to the latest firmware (6.00 at the time of this writing), you. are. sc***!!! The exploit, required to switch back, won’t run on firmwares 5.xx and above, so if your console got updated after going into IDU, you’ll have to wait months (more likely years) for a future exploit to help you back. Or, contact Sony for a costly repair.

So, repeat after me: the first rule of IDU mode is you do not enable IDU mode.

I played with the PS5 Kernel exploit and now my console is in IDU, what do I do?

The following requires you to run a PS5 exploit in order to flip back the IDU setting. If your console cannot run the exploit (e.g. if it has been updated to a firmware that is not exploitable yet), step 3 below will not work.

0. Shame!

Go sit in a corner and think about your life choices for a few minutes. Why did you click that button when everybody told you not to?

1.”Secure” your Network

If you’ve read the above, the first thing you want to do is unplug your console from its internet access, until you figure things out and create a “safe” Network environment that will prevent it from updating. Ideally, use our local network tutorial to set up your local computer as the host for the exploit, and unplug your router. This means your local computer will only be able to serve the exploit, with no risk that the console will access anything else online.

Use the technique you want, but make sure your console doesn’t attempt to update itself.

2. On the console, enter “Staff” mode

The console in IDU can enter “Staff” mode to be able to access most options (in this case, we want to access the user guide again, in order to launch the exploit again)

press L1 + L2 together and hold. While holding those two, In order, press and release, circle, cross, square, triangle, right D-Pad, then release L1 + L2.

This will enter Staff mode, and from there you should be able to access regular settings

3. While in Staff mode, run the exploit again and deactivate IDU

With your Network set up to run the exploit, open the user’s guide to run the exploit again. Then go to Debug Settings, and deactivate IDU mode.

You should be good.

Go home IDU, you’re drunk!