PS4 Stuck In Safe Mode Loop | Fixed by Expert
When you have serious issues with your PS4 console, the Safe Mode immensely helps you troubleshoot your problems, and most times you don’t need more than just picking the right option to overcome the situation you’re facing. But the PS4 Safe Mode screen can itself be a problem that needs to be fixed when the PS4 system is stuck in an infinite Safe Mode loop and getting out of it seems to be difficult.
If this happens to you, you can try a few things to resolve the issue that makes your PS4 stuck in Safe Mode loop and get the PS4 system to load the home screen normally. Most of these things you want to try to involve the Safe Mode menu, which shows up when you first boot the PS4 into Safe Mode.
Why Is the PS4 Stuck in Safe Mode Loop?
The PS4 system gets stuck in a Safe Mode loop due to several major reasons:
- One of the PS4 cables is broken/damaged.
- The PS4 database is badly corrupted to the extent that the operating system can no longer start.
- The PS4 operating system itself has serious file conflict or corruption that it can no longer function at all.
- Serious issues with the PS4 internal hard drive that prevents it from operating properly as it should be.
- Major power issues that the PS4 system doesn’t receive the relevant amount of power to operate flawlessly.
- A constant electrical short within the PS4 hardware pieces tat prevents the operating system from loading.
- A damaged/malfunctioning area in the motherboard that needs an extensive testing to discover.
- Corrupted data in the CMOS memory chip.
These are the major reasons for this issue. You’ll be fortunate enough if the reason is simple and easy to fix, especially if it’s not related to power issues. Otherwise, you may want to take your console to a repair shop to
How to Fix PS4 Stuck in Safe Mode Loop
When your PS4 boots up in Safe Mode, a black screen with seven options will appear to you. A few of these seven options are related to your PS4’s overall settings, such as resolution, but several of them can help resolve the PS4 stuck in safe mode loop issue.
We have gathered several troubleshooting methods that may help you get your PS4 system out of the Safe Mode loop and enter the home screen again.
1. Check the Cables
Electrocution, faulty operation, fire hazards and building or operation code violations are but some of the dangers involved when cables become frayed or pinched and exposed.
A damaged and exposed PS4 power cable can cause serious electrical problems. These include incorrect power flow or intermittent power delivery. Incorrect power flow can create spikes of power that possess the potential to cause extensive heat damage to sensitive internal components in the PS4 console, such as internal chips or drives. The device may also experience a lack of adequate power. Game consoles that receive only a portion of the required power may run sluggishly and incur damage due to inadequate power. Electrical spikes and a lack of adequate power can both cause severe damage over time.
Therefore, the first thing you have to do is to check to make sure all of the cables, including your USB and HDMI connections, are working properly. If one of the cables or connections is broken or failing, try replacing it.
The most important one you must start with is the PS4 power cord, as many of the operating issues are caused by that cord only.
2. Restart the PS4
For the record, the act of restarting your PS4, isn’t a cure-all. It is also not a task you want to be constantly performing. However, it is often a quick solution to connectivity issues and minor errors.
So, just select option #1 in the Safe Mode menu and press “X” and proceed with the instructions.
If this method fails, try power cycling your PS4, as explained in our articles: PS4 Won’t turn on, PS4 Won’t Turn Off and PS4 Turns Off Randomly By Itself.
3. Rebuild PS4 Database
If you have no luck with the methods above and the PS4 is still stuck in Safe Mode loop, the problem might be a corrupted PS4 database that needs to be rebuilt.
Rebuilding the PS4 database is an essential process that every PS4 owner has to carry out regularly. It allows you to spring clean the PS4 internal hard drive, re-organize the structure of those files and folders (which the system will do for you), and ensure your PS4 is running as smoothly as possible. Additionally, this function allows you to free up space on your hard drive which can aid performance by clearing unneeded files and memory.
To learn more on the benefits of rebuilding the PS4 database, please check our article: The Importance of Rebuilding the PS4 Database.
To rebuild the PS4 database, just select option 5 on the Safe Mode menu, “Rebuild Database,” and press X. This will build a new database for your PS4 without affecting any save data.
4. Update System Software
If none has worked for you, yet the PS4 is still stuck in Safe Mode loop, try then to update the PS4 system software.
Updating the PS4 system software may fix any file issue within the operating system. Therefore, if what makes the PS4 stuck in Safe Mode loop is a corrupted file system, this process can resolve it.
5. Initialize the PS4
Initialization of your PS4 system restores system settings to default values. It deletes data saved on system storage and deletes all users and their data from the system. Data is not deleted from USB storage devices that are connected to your PS4™ system.
To get started, you have two options for initializing the PS4, 6, and 7. These two options are the last resort if you can’t fix your PS4 stuck in Safe Mode loop.
- 6. Initialize PS4 – These last two options will pretty much reset your PS4 back to a clean slate. This option will delete everything except the system firmware. This means you can turn it back on and it’ll start up brand new.
- 7. Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software) – This option is the same as 6, but will delete the system software too. You’re basically starting with a blank hard disk. This option is really useful if you want to replace the PS4 hard drive with a faster or bigger one.
Other problems with your PS4 might indicate problems with the actual hardware. For example, the blinking blue light of death and blinking red light issues seen by many PS4 users. These two are also the major culprits behind the PS4 shutting down or turning off unexpectedly and PS4 turning on then off.
Notices
- When you initialize the system software, all settings and information saved on your PS4™ system are deleted. This cannot be undone, so make sure you do not delete any important data by mistake. Deleted data cannot be restored.
- Do not turn off your PS4™ system during initialization. Doing this might damage your system.
6. Format the PS4 Hard Drive
There might be serious defects within the PS4 internal hard drive that prevents the PS4 operating system from loading properly. As a result, the PS4 is stuck in Safe Mode loop and you can’t get out of it unless you fix the hard drive.
You have two options here—Either full-format the PS4 hard drive, or just get a new hard drive replacement for PS4.
7. Clear the CMOS Memory
We don’t recommend going with this option unless you’ve tried everything above and none worked.
The CMOS, also known as the Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor, is a small chunk of memory used to store your PS4’s BIOS configuration. This configuration controls what your PS4 does on boot. If your machine won’t boot properly or it behaves weirdly without an obvious reason, clearing the CMOS memory can often set things right.
Clearing the CMOS memory is easy, but you need a special screwdriver to fulfill this process.
Learn more about how to clear the PS4 CMOS memory from our guide.
8. Seek the Help of a Professional
If everything fails with you and nothing works, yet the PS4 is still stuck in Safe Mode loop, at this point you need to seek help from a professional. The problem then might be critical that the PS4 power supply or the PS4 motherboard is defective.
Conclusion
When the PS4 is stuck in Safe Mode loop, there are a few suggested solutions you can try to fix it. You’ll be lucky enough if the problem is software-related, otherwise you’ll be in trouble if it’s hardware-related.
PS4 Stuck In Safe Mode Loop FAQs
Why Is My PS4 Stuck in Safe Mode?
There are many factors that make your PS4 stuck in safe mode, such as a failing hard drive, a malfunctioning power supply, a seriously-corrupted system software, a hardware component failure and so on. To learn more about why your PS4 is stuck in safe mode and how to fix it, please read our guide.
How do you force PS4 out of safe mode?
When your PS4 is stuck in safe mode loop, there are a few things you can do in order to force the PS4 out of safe mode, such as: turning off the PS4 then turning it on again a few a few minutes, reseating the PS4 internal hard drive, changing the power strip, disconnecting any USB peripherals, using another PS4 controller and a few other solutions you can find in our guide.
How do I get my PS4 out of safe mode without USB?
The use of USB connection in order to get the PS4 out of safe mode is critical. But if you want to get your PS4 out of safe mode without USB, you'll need to remove the PS4 hard drive and replace it with a new one. This might work and might not. You must have a working USB connectivity in this situation.
I was in the middle of a game of battlefield when the system went into safe mode. This isn’t the first time this has occurred, and I was able to update and return to the main menu. However, I am unable to exit the safe mode loop this time. I tried every available option with no success.
– Make sure you’re PS4 is off.
– Press and hold the power button until it beeps a second time (the second beep will be maybe 10 seconds after the initial power-on beep)
– Connect your controller using a usb cable and press the ps button.
– Select “3. …
– It should then load for a little bit and then pop up with the latest update.
I was in the middle of a battlefield game when the system rebooted into safe mode. This isn’t the first time this has occurred, and I was able to update and return to the main menu. However, I am unable to exit the safe mode loop this time. I tried every available option with no success. Is there anything else I can do to resurrect my PS4? Thanks
Restarting the PS4 can help clear minor or temporary glitches or connectivity issues, allowing you to resolve the PS4 stuck in Safe Mode loop issue. To do so, press the Power button on your console or select the Menu option from the menu. You can also exit Safe Mode by pressing the Restart PS4 button.
So I recently encountered the Safe Mode Death Loop on my PS4. For those who are unfamiliar, it is a situation in which the PS4 randomly restarts itself in Safe Mode and, regardless of which option you select, the system keeps turning itself back on in Safe Mode.
As for my recent experience, I had just finished playing it for the night, so I closed the application (not sure if doing so instead of simply turning it off) and then turned off my PS4. I started hearing beeping about 5 minutes later, thinking it was my stove resetting after a brief power outage, but it was actually my PS4 turning itself on and off.
– Make sure your PS4 is off.
– Press and hold the power button until it beeps a second time (the second beep will be maybe 10 seconds after the initial power-on beep)
– Connect your controller using a USB cable and press the ps button.
– Select “3. …
It should then load for a little bit and then pop up with the latest update.
The notice “checking system storage status” appears, the machine restarts, and the same problem happens once more. PLEASE HELP!
– Make sure the PS4 is not on.
– Hold down the power button while pressing it until it beeps again (the second beep will be maybe 10 seconds after the initial power on beep)
– Use a USB cord to connect your controller, then hit the PS button.
Choose “3….
– After a brief loading period, the most recent update should appear.
PS4 stuck in the safe mode loop won’t start. So yesterday I was playing some Fortnite and then I decided to play r6, I tried opening up the app but it wouldn’t.
Try restarting your console if Safe Mode still won’t launch: By holding down the power button, you can turn the console off entirely. Remove the power cable and leave the console for 20 minutes after the power light stops flashing. Reconnect, then try to start Safe Mode.
Hi there, I would like you to help me in my problem and suggest me a workaround for my PS4 safe mode loop.
My PS4 became locked in safe mode yesterday and wouldn’t come out of it. So I did what any normal person would do and went to YouTube to watch some tutorials and other things like that. I also tried every single option in safe mode, but the problem still persists. Do you guys have any suggestions for what I should do? Should I send it in for warranty instead.
Restarting the PS4 can help resolve connectivity issues, small bugs, and minor malfunctions, which can help resolve the PS4 stuck in Safe Mode loop issue. You can restart PS4 by pressing the Power button on the device or by selecting the Menu option. You can also exit Safe Mode by selecting the Restart PS4 option.
After working on this problem last night and four hours this morning I was finally able to set my system back like I just purchased my PS4. All of my games and information was erased,but that was no problem. I was just happy that I was able to fix the problem by following the directions that were given to me above. On how to get rid of the death light and stuck in safe mode.. Thank you
You’re very welcome. I am glad that you have found our content useful for you.