Searches like “apollo save tool 12.02” and “apollo save tool 12.52” are everywhere — and they mix up two different things. This page separates them, because the confusion leads people to download junk.
12.02 and 12.52 Are Jailbreak Milestones, Not Apollo Versions
Apollo’s own version numbers look like v2.4.0. The numbers 12.02 and 12.52 are PlayStation 4 system-software (firmware) versions, famous in the homebrew scene because of jailbreak progress:
- 12.02 — the ceiling of the Lapse kernel exploit chain, which made jailbreaking possible up to firmware 12.02.
- 12.50–12.52 — the range covered by the Poops / NetCtrl-based jailbreak that followed.
Guides titled “Apollo 12.52” really mean “Apollo, on a PS4 jailbroken at firmware 12.52.” The jailbreak is the prerequisite; Apollo is an app you install afterwards.
Does Apollo Care Which Firmware You’re On?
No — within reason. Since v2.0.0 (December 2024), Apollo PS4 is firmware-agnostic: it mounts saves with its own patch and encrypted-save handling, requires no GoldHEN/ps4debug payload to run, and the developer publishes no firmware compatibility list for Apollo, because Apollo doesn’t need one. Any claim of the form “Apollo supports firmware X through Y” is describing jailbreaks, not Apollo.
So What Do You Actually Need?
- A PS4 you can jailbreak — which firmware that requires is a jailbreak question, and the practical ceiling moves over time as new exploits appear.
- Apollo installed on it: install guide.
That’s the whole relationship. If a page offers an “Apollo Save Tool 12.52 download,” it’s repackaging — the genuine v2.4.0 package and its checksum are on our download page.
Buying a Console for This?
If you’re shopping for a jailbreakable PS4, the firmware on the specific unit is what matters — our jailbreakable PS4 buying guide shows how to verify it before you pay.
Related Guides
Download Apollo · Install Apollo on PS4 · Buy a jailbreakable PS4 · PS4 hub