PS4 Storage is Full? Learn How to Expand it the Right Way

Sony Play Station 4, more popularly known as PS4 is considered one of the best game console in the modern gaming world. The technology used in developing PS4 is similar to those found in many personal computers. Thus it allows game developers to create more affordable games for PS4 easily. The availability of many exciting games has now brought about a new dilemma for PS4 players. The PS4 Storage becomes full very quickly, especially if there are more than users. However, the issue of less storage space and PS4 Storage becoming full easily is no longer a problem. One advantage of PS4 is that the storage capacity is expandable. This feature allows users to have better and more enjoyable gaming experience.

How to expand the PS4 Storage?

There are three ways to expand the PS4 storage. One is by upgrading or replacing the PS4 Internal hard drive. Second is by connecting an external hard drive. Third is by taking advantage of the cloud-free storage space.

Additionally, we have published a comprehensive guide on PS4 storage upgrade that contains rich information and valuable tips for expanding the storage space of PS4 the way that suits your needs best.

If you own PS4 Pro, you may want to check our PS4 Pro hard drive upgrade guide. Or if you want an SSD for your PS4 Pro, you can check the PS4 Pro SSD upgrade guide instead.

1. Upgrading or replacing the PS4 internal hard drive

Users can replace the 500GB internal storage capacity, 2.5” SATA HDD to upgrade its storage capacity and also to enhance the performance of the system. There are many options in 1TB hard drives that are compatible with PS4. Although PS4 can be upgraded to the 2TB storage drive, there are not many options for 2TB. That’s because the 2tb options that are compatible with the specifications of PS4 are very few. The new drive must also have more than 168GB capacity; else the system will not accept it.

New Hard Drive

Once you find a new hard drive that is compatible to PS4, you need to back up your files. For the PlayStation Plus members, you can upload your saved files to the online cloud storage. However, for those who are not a PS Plus member; you can back your data on a flash drive. It has to be formatted with with either exFAT or FAT32 file systems.

The Right Screwdriver

Make sure you have the right screwdriver to open the PS4 case. You can also use the old internal drive as an external drive. You’ll need an external hard drive enclosure for that.

Take photos

As you remove the internal drive from the PS4 case, it is recommended that you take photos of each step so that you can refer to them when you install the new internal hard drive and ensure that the new drive is installed correctly.

Reinstall PS4 System Software

Once you have installed the new hard drive, you need to reinstall the new PS4 software. It can be downloaded from PlayStation support site. Download the latest version of the software, connect the USB drive and create a folder called “PS4”, and within it create another folder called “ UPDATE”. Drag the downloaded file into the ‘UPDATE’ folder. Now you need to plug back in your PS4 and plug in the USB drive and start the PS4 in a Safe Mode.

Start PS4 in Safe Mode

Starting the PS4 in a safe mode can be done by pressing the power button for Seven seconds. Next select “Initialise PS4” (Reinstall System Software)” option when the options are presented.

PS4 OS Initialization

Once the PS4 installs the new software from the flash drive, you will be guided through the initial setup for PS4. Just like you did when you first got your PS4.

Final Step

Eventually, you can enjoy your new PS4 internal drive with more capacity and not worry about the PS4 storage being full for a long time.

The upgrading of internal storage is recommended as it does not interfere with the performance of the system.

2. Connecting to an external hard drive

PS4 System allows users to connect to an external hard drive through the USB port. That has really improved the gaming experience.

There are specific standards the external hard drive must comply to before you can use it:

• The external hard drive option requires the software version 4.50 or latest version of PS4.
• PS4 supports USB 3.0 external hard drive and will not accept USB 2.0.
• The external hard drive must be more than 250GB, however, should not exceed more than 8TB capacity.

Games and apps can be directly downloaded and installed in the external hard drive. However, your saved files will be stored on your PS4 internal storage. The Content Launcher will display all the games and apps in your external drive. Using an external drive has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage is that your problem of PS4 Storage full will be solved. Unlike replacing the internal storage, you need not reinstall PS4 software or have a fear of losing your games and apps when disconnected from the PS4. It is also portable, and you can share with games and app with your friends.

Not being able to store game saves or trophies and losing the performance boost offered by an SSHD are the main disadvantages of a PS4 external hard drive. Your external drive will also be fully encrypted and formatted by the PS4 system and cannot be used in any other system. Another disadvantage is that PS4 does not support partitions of the storage, so for multi-users, it can be a big issue.

3. Cloud-free Storage space

When a player PS4 storage is full, he can also store his saved games on online cloud storage. However, to take advantage of the cloud storage space, a player must be a PlayStation Plus member. The online option storage is available only for PS Plus subscribers. The benefits of using the online storage space are:

1. That it offers up to free 10GB space.
2. A player can save his game progress from his system and can continue from the last save in another PS4 system however he must remember to save his progress in the other PS4 system manually.
3. The additional advantage is that if the saved games are compatible with both PS4 and PS Vita, players can retrieve the games saved from the PS4 system and continue playing in PS Vita system.
4. If a PS3 system player subscribes to PlayStation Now, he can also retrieve his saved games from PS3 to a PS4 system.

Conclusion

As PlayStation system games today comes with large sizes and the average game requires at least 70GB space, even 1TB seems less for avid PS4 players. Regardless of which method you choose to increase your PS4 Storage capacity, the trend of expanding storage space is likely to continue growing as more new games filed with better graphics and game experiences are being developed each day. To avoid PS4 Storage full notifications, players need to install larger internal or external drive.