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How to Upgrade PS4 Hard Drive

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How to Upgrade PS4 hard Drive

One best solution to handle the memory space issues on your PS4 is to upgrade its hard drive. A common problem that we all face on PS4 is its low storage capacity. And the second major issue has to be the loading time. PS4 has only 500 GB of storage and the PS4 Pro model possesses 1 TB. However, unfortunately, all popular video games these days consume a lot of space on your gaming console. All we need to do is delete and remove games from PS4 which is not in current usage. With this being a problem, there are two possible solutions to overcome the storage problem on PS4. The first solution is to replace the internal drive and the other one is to attach an external hard drive. Now, let’s see how to upgrade your PS4 internal hard drive.

Upgrade PS4 hard drive

Things to Consider Before you Upgrade PS4 Hard Drive

[1] Back up your games and tools on PS4

When your PS4 internal hard drive is replaced, all the data from your drive will also be gone. Therefore, before you upgrade the internal hard drive, back up those data. You will need a USB drive for the backup. After inserting the USB drive into your PS4, follow the steps below.

Quick Guide: Settings > System > Back Up and Restore

Back up game saves before PS4 hard drive upgrade

Choose the game saves and applications which you need. However, you cannot back up your Trophies using this method. To restore your Trophies, go to the Trophies section and then select the Options button on your PS4 controller. Here choose Sync Trophies with PSN.

Alternatively, if you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can back up data without using a USB drive. The method is:

Quick Guide: Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage

Upload back up to PlayStation Plus

The upload takes some time, and after that, you need to Turn off your PS4 completely and unplug it from the power outlet to complete the backup process.

[2] Know your PS4 model

You need to know your PS4 model to upgrade it with a suitable internal hard drive. The PS4 models and their serial numbers are available on the PlayStation support page to help you identify your device model.

Related: How to Delete Users on PS4

Upgrade PS4 internal hard drive

To replace and upgrade your internal hard drive, first choose the best hard drive like Samsung, Seagate, etc. Let us check the steps to upgrade the hard drive based on each PS4 model separately.

PS4

[1] Turn off your PS4 and unplug it from the power outlet.

[2] Place your console on a flat surface and gently remove the top-left panel. The PS4 hard drive is under the left panel enclosed by brackets.

Upgrade PS4 hard drive

[3] Now using a screwdriver, remove all the screws which hold your hard drive into the bracket.

[4] Replace the old hard drive with the new one on your PS4.

[5] Finally, fix all the screws and close the left panel.

PS4 Slim

[1] You need to Turn off your PS4 Slim console and unplug it from the power source.

[2] Here the hard drive is on the right side of the console, under an L-shaped panel.

Upgrade PS4 Slim hard drive

[3] Remove the panel and then unscrew all screws to take your internal hard drive out of the console.

[4] Now you can replace the new hard drive to upgrade your PS4 Slim console’s storage.

PS4 Pro

[1] Again, you need to Turn off the PS4 Pro and unplug it from the power outlet to upgrade the hard drive.

[2] In this model, the hard drive is at the back end of the right side. Remove the panel.

Upgrade PS4 Pro hard drive

[3] Remove the screws and pull out the bracket holding the hard drive.

[4] Unscrew the bracket and replace the new hard drive.

[5] Mount it back in and then cover the panel.

After replacing the new hard drive you can plug it into the power outlet. But before turning it on, you need to reinstall the system software.

Related: How to Charge PlayStation 4 Controller

Reinstall PS4 software

To reinstall the PS4 software again you need a USB drive and a PC. Make sure the USB drive you use is not the one used for backup.

[1] Insert the USB drive into your PC and then format it with FAT32.

[2] On the USB drive create a new folder with PS4 as its name. In the PS4 folder, create a subfolder called Update.

[3] From Sony’s official website, select PS4 Complete System Software File.

[4] Save this file as PS4UPDATE.PUP in the Update folder.

[5] Remove the USB drive from the PC.

[6] Press and hold the Power button on PS4 until you hear two beeps. This takes about 7 seconds.

[7] As a result, your PS4 will turn on in Safe Mode.

Initialize PS4 in Safe mode

[8] Under the safe mode menu, choose Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software) option.

[9] It is time to insert the USB drive into your PS4. You will need to provide a confirmation to update the system software. Therefore, click OK.

[10] After the process, your PS4 will reboot.

When is PS4 is up and running, you need to log in to your PlayStation account on your console. Then you can proceed to restore the backup data. Otherwise, you may have nothing on your console. It will be like a new one. To restore the backup data, insert the USB drive, on which the data is available into your PS4. Now from the Settings menu, select System and then Back Up and Restore. Finally, tap Restore PS4. As a result, you will get back your game saves. Reinstall the games/apps as per your need and then start using your PS4. The hard drive upgrade on PS4 will not affect the user’s convenience.

Related: How to Upgrade PS4 Games to PS5

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I replace the PS4 hard drive?

Yes. PS4 comes with a hard drive having a low memory space when compared to the size of the games. Therefore users can replace the internal hard drive to boost the memory and speed. This will not affect your console. However, you need to back up your game saves and other important data.

Will PS4 hard drive work on PS5?

You cannot use PS4’s internal hard drive on PS5. It is quite difficult to find a compatible internal hard drive for PS5. And the process to replace it is also not as easy as that of PS4. Anyhow, the PS4’s external hard drive can be used on PS5. They are both compatible.

What is the maximum size of the PS4 hard drive upgrade?

PS4 can be upgraded up to 16 TB of storage, which means one can use 8 TB of internal storage and 8 TB of external storage. In PS4 Slim and Pro models, the maximum size is 10 TB.

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