Popular gaming console PS5 was unveiled a few months back. It’s great, however there isn’t much storage. In this article, WE offer instructions on how to increase storage on a PS5 by using an external hard drive. Let’s look at it.
Why do You Need a PS5 Externa Hard Drive
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console that Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled in November 2020. A Standard Edition and a Digital Edition are the two versions that were designed for it. The latter lacks an optical disc drive that is Blu-ray compatible.
The PS5’s performance as the PlayStation 4’s (PS4) replacement has significantly increased. It is very well-liked by gamers because it features a whole new architecture, faster storage, and better resolution support. Since its release, it has won the praise of many users.
However, the PS5 doesn’t have any additional storage than the PS4 has. While the PS4 has an HDD with up to 1TB of space, the PS5 is built with an SSD that only gives 825GB of capacity. Only roughly 667GB of storage remains for customers on the PS5 once the system’s storage is subtracted. Users who intend to instal numerous games on the system may find this to be bad news.
Tip: You can go to Settings > Storage to check the free storage space on the PS5 console.
Not to worry. An external hard disc can assist in finding a solution. Also, it might be applied to:
- Keep PS5 and PS4 games in your library, including Days Gone and Watch Dogs: Legion.
- Play PS4 games on your PS5 directly from an external hard drive.
- Make a copy of your game files.
- Avoid replacing the internal hard drive because the PS5’s internal hard disc cannot yet be upgraded. This feature might be activated by Sony this summer. Only external storage is an option if you require greater storage capacity.
PS5 External Hard Drive Requirements
The PS5 console is not guaranteed to work with all external storage devices. The following conditions must be followed if you choose to utilise an external hard drive for PS5.
- A PS5 external hard drive must have a transfer rate of SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps (USB 3.0/USB 3.1 Gen1/USB 3.2 Gen1) or above.
- The capacity of the external hard disc should be a minimum of 250GB and a maximum of 8TB.
- A USB hub cannot be used to connect an external hard drive to PS5. You can only utilise one USB drive at a time because you can’t have more than one connected to your PS5.
Consider the following options if you’re seeking for the best external hard drive for the PlayStation 5:
- T5 portable SSD from Samsung
- Hard Drive My Passport from WD
- Extreme Portable SSD from SanDisk
- Advance Toshiba Canvio
- Black Western Digital WD-P50
- Game Drive, Black, P10, 1-5TB, WD
To learn more or to purchase the top PS5 external hard drive, go to Amazon or the official website. When purchasing such an external drive, don’t forget to take the above specifications into account. Please refer to the following contents for information on how to utilise the finest external hard drive for the PS5.
Format Your External Hard Drive for PS5 Before Using It
If you have previously used your external hard drive with a PS4 or PS4 Pro console, you can immediately use it with a PS5. To make the external hard drive compatible with your PlayStation console, you must first format it if you use it for the first time with the console.
Please be aware that during the formatting process, all stored data on the drive will be lost. Therefore, you should use a hard disc that does not hold any vital data or that regularly backs up your files.
There are two ways to format an external hard disc for the PlayStation 5: either on the PlayStation 5 or on a computer. Let’s examine each one in turn.
Method1: Format an External Hard Drive for PS5 on the Console
The specific steps to format your external hard disc on the PS5 are listed below.
First, attach your external hard drive to the PS5 console’s back USB port. External PS5 storage cannot be used with the USB port on the front because it is only USB 2.0 rated.
Step 2: Navigate to Settings > Storage using your controller.
Step 3: Choose Format as USB Extended Storage from the USB Extended Storage menu.
You must be patient while you wait because the process could take some time. During the process, avoid turning off your PS5 console or unplugging your external hard drive to prevent data loss, file corruption, or harm to your hard drive or console.
You can erase the data on the external hard drive for your PS5 console when you no longer want to use it by formatting it once more. You only need to select… (More) > Format as exFAT after going to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage.
Method 2: Format an External Hard Drive for PS5 on a Computer
To make your external hard drive compatible with PS5, you can also format it on a computer.
The PlayStation website states that the PS5 is compatible with external hard drives formatted in exFAT and FAT32.
How to Use PS5 External Hard Drive
You can utilise the external hard drive as a PS5 extended storage device after formatting it to exFAT. What is it useful for? For additional details, continue reading.
Install PS4 Games to PS5 External Storage automatically
The majority of PS4 games can be played on PS5, and PS5 is backwards compatible with PS4 games. Downloading and installing PS4 games on your external hard drive will allow you to play them directly from the drive while conserving space on your PS5’s SSD.
You may also set your external hard drive to be the default location on the PS5 console for storing newly downloaded PS4 games. All you have to do is
Keep your PS5 console and external hard drive attached in step 1. then select Extended Storage under Settings > Storage.
Turn on the “Install PS4 Games to USB Extended Storage” feature in step two.
Your new PS4 games will then instantly download to your external hard drive.
Move Games Between an External Drive and PS5 Console
Playing PS5 games from external storage is not possible. If you have PS5 games on an external hard drive, you must first copy the game you wish to play to the internal storage by going to your game library.
Usually, duplicating a game is quicker than redownloading it. Additionally, you should:
Go to your game library after connecting your external hard disc to your PS5.
The second step is to choose the game you wish to copy and then click the Options option. then choose Copy.
Tip: You can also use this feature to move your PS4 games to the console, as long as you select a PS4 game, press the Options button and select Move to Console Storage.
Delete Unwanted Data on PS5 External Storage
On your PS5 external hard drive, you can delete any games or apps you no longer want to use. As you proceed, keep the drive plugged into the console.
Step 1: On your PS5 console, go to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage > Games and Apps.
Select the Delete Content tab in step 2.
Step 3: Choose Delete after choosing the game or software you want to remove.
Safely Remove Your External Hard Drive for PS5
You should carefully unplug your external hard drive from your PS5 console after using it. If you don’t, you risk losing data or damaging the console or external hard drive.
You can adhere to the instructions listed below to remove an external hard drive safely:
Step 1: Select USB Extended Storage under Settings > Storage.
Choose Safely Remove from PS5 in step two.
Step 3: Disconnect your external hard drive from the console’s port.
Additionally, you can mute your PS5 system. You can safely disconnect it once the power indicator is fully off.
PS5 External Hard Drive FAQ
Can the PS5 take an external hard drive?
Yes, an external hard drive can be used on the PS5 as long as it meets the USB extended storage requirements on the PS5 console. The best external hard drive for PS5needs to be SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps or better.
Can you play PS3 games on PS5?
No, you can’t play PS3 games. But the PS5 console is backward compatible with PS4 games and you can play most PS4 games on your PS5 console.
What’s better PS5 disc or digital?
Usually, people who have a fluent internet connection and who prefer symmetrical designs would love PS5 Digital Edition. For people who don’t expect to rely on the internet or who own a lot of popular game discs, the PS5 disk console might be a better choice.
