The original Xbox One has reportedly been jailbroken — yes, the 2013 one

Ah yes, the original Xbox One console from 2013. You can read our original review of it for some memories. It launched weaker than the PS4, cost more money, and forced Kinect into the package whether you wanted it or not. That combination was always going to cause problems.

Now, despite my issues with the original Xbox One, Microsoft did eventually redeem itself with the much stronger Xbox One X mid-generation refresh, but the damage from that original launch stuck around.

Now, almost 13 years after release, the original Xbox One “VCR” model has finally been jailbroken. But how did it happen?

Let’s break down what actually happened, and what a jailbroken Xbox One can now do.

How the Xbox One was finally hacked

RE//verse 2026: Hacking the Xbox One - YouTube

Watch On

The original Xbox One (aka Durango, aka the one that looks like a VCR, hence the nickname) was long considered unhackable, largely thanks to a tiny piece of code called the boot ROM. This code is built directly into the console’s custom AMD chip and is the first thing that runs when the system powers on.

Its job is simple but important. The boot ROM checks and verifies every other part of the system before allowing the console to continue starting up.

To get around this, researchers used a hardware technique known as voltage glitching. This method briefly disrupts the console’s power at extremely precise moments during startup, causing the system to misread certain instructions while it is booting.

In this case, two carefully timed glitches were needed. When both worked together, they allowed the researchers to bypass the boot ROM protections and gain control of the console.

With that control, the original 2013 Xbox One can now run unofficial software. The exploit can also help with game preservation and allow researchers to study how the console works internally.

That said, hacking the Xbox One has often been seen as unnecessary by parts of the community. Xbox already offers a Developer Mode that allows users to run UWP apps, which many people use to run things like emulators on Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles.

🗨️ Do you care that the original Xbox One has been jailbroken?

Whether for the sake of game preservation or other uses, the original Xbox One has now been jailbroken. This opens the door for deeper research into the console and how it works.

That said, arriving almost 13 years after launch means the breakthrough comes fairly late in the console’s life cycle by today’s standards.

Let me know in the comments and make sure you take part in the poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.