How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation

Game enthusiasts worldwide are ecstatic about the new features that landed on our PS4 consoles this week as part of Sony’s latest significant system software update, version 4.50. 

New personalized backgrounds based on in-game imagery and slicker, faster user interface features include the ability to watch 3D Blu-ray movies directly on your PlayStation VR headset in stereoscopic 3D and the ability to post your best gaming moments now to the PlayStation Activity Feed.

However, the most significant buzz and the best news is PS4’s new support for external hard drives, which allows you to expand your game and app storage greatly! Therefore, clear your schedule and carve out some spare time – you’re going to have a lot more games to conquer! That is an excellent feature, and you should learn How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation?

Is It Possible to Add an External Hard Drive to Playstation?

How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation

While we are aware that it is possible to expand the hard drive inside your PS4 to increase its capacity and performance, many desire additional storage on the system, and PlayStation has our backs.

With the addition of this PS4 version 4.50 update, you can now store material on an external hard drive by connecting a USB 3.0 hard drive to your PS4. Bingo, you can quintuple the capacity on your system with a Seagate Game Drive for PS4 with 2TB, or use one of our portable variants with up to 5TB of space for easy travel to friends’ houses. 

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Alternatively, you can septendecuple your space by adding an 8TB desktop external drive. You can download and install different applications instantly to your external drive. Even you can manage all your saved content via the PlayStation settings menu — and all your protected applications will appear in the Content Launcher on the Home Screen, allowing you to access any applications you recently launched quickly. 

Things Required to Add an External Hard Drive

When a storage device is formatted for usage as extended storage, you can use it to install applications. Additionally, you can migrate apps from the PS4TM system storage to expanded storage.

  • PS4 machine running version 4.50 or later.
  • Hard disc drive (HDD) external*.
  • USB SuperSpeed 5Gbps or higher.
  • The minimum capacity of 250 GB.
  • Maximum capacity of 8 TB.

How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation?

Choose Correct External Drive

If you don’t already own an external drive for your PS4, you’ll need to purchase one. Fortunately, there aren’t many criteria.

To link an external drive to a PlayStation 4, it must meet the following requirements:

  • It must be a SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps port or later. It effectively means that any USB 3.0 or above disc will function (including USB 3.1 and USB 3.2). 
  • USB 2 is not supported at this time.
  • Have a minimum of 250GB of storage and a maximum of 8TB.

If you opt for a hard disc drive, we recommend one with a minimum capacity of 2TB. It is the lowest capacity at which major manufacturers now sell external hard drives on Amazon and should provide plenty of space. 

Additionally, you can opt for an external SSD to improve loading times. However, they are somewhat more expensive.

Additionally, ensure that you get a drive that connects via a USB-A socket. Specific external drives feature dual USB-C ports, which are incompatible with the PS4 without an adapter.

Setting Up An External Drive

Once you’ve obtained your PS4 external hard drive, it’s simple to configure it. Your PS4 must have system software version 4.50 (published in early 2017) or higher to use an external drive unless you haven’t updated in an eternity (to verify, navigate to Settings > System Software Update).

To begin, connect your external drive to the PS4 through the USB cable included with the console. According to Sony, you must connect it directly to the machine; therefore, avoid utilizing USB hubs. Once clicked, it must be formatted (unless you bought a pre-formatted drive for the PS4).

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Turn on your system and navigate Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices to format your external disc for the PS4. Select your device and then select Extended Storage Format. If this option does not appear automatically, press the Options button on your controller.

Once the process is complete, you will add your PS4’s external storage successfully. You can store games, apps, downloadable content (DLC), and game updates on the outer disc.

On the other hand, you will permanently save saved data, themes, and screenshots/video clips to the internal disc. While the system will utilize your additional storage automatically, you can make a few customizations to suit your preferences.

Safely Disconnecting Your PS4’s External Drive

When you’re ready to remove your PS4’s external drive, it’s critical to detach it correctly. Disconnecting while the device is in operation, even in Rest Mode, may cause data loss. Even when the PS4 is turned off, the system assumes the drive is connected until you tell it to unplug, following the procedures below.

To open the Quick Menu, press the PlayStation button on your controller and select Sound/Devices. Here, select Disable Extended Storage and click OK to confirm. It is now safe to unplug your external drive.

If you cannot disconnect the drive via the Quick Menu, you may alternatively do so by selecting Stop Using This Extended Storage in Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices.

Select the Installation Location for Installed Games

You can specify the default location for PS4 games if you wish. You cannot modify this setting while games are downloading. Therefore it’s a good idea to do it immediately after connecting your drive.

To open a new menu, navigate Settings > Storage and press the Options button on your controller. Select Extended Storage as the Application Install Location here. It will set your external disc as the default destination for saving files.

Transferring Games Among Storage Locations

To relocate a game across storage drives, navigate to Settings > Storage and pick the device that holds the game. Select Applications from the data types drop-down menu.

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On your controller, select Options and then Move to Extended Storage (or Move to System Storage). Select the games you wish to relocate, then click Move and confirm.

You can install add-ons to a game on an external drive even if the primary game is stored on your system storage.

Important Tips

How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation

Although we’ve covered most of what you need to know about PS4 external drives, there are a few factors to remember when utilizing one.

  • First, you can connect external drives to your PS4 without being formatted for game storage as described previously. It is an option for devices that do not meet the preceding specifications, such as USB 2 drives and tiny flash drives.
  • When this type of drive is connected, your PS4 can play videos and music stored on it. Additionally, you can backup replay clips and store game data on these discs.
  • Even if your external drive is disconnected, any games stored on it will continue to appear on your PS4. However, if you attempt to select one without the external drive connected, you will see a message stating that it is not playable until the disc is connected.
  • Bear in mind that you can only connect one external disc for gaming at a time. Even if you combine two suitable drives, you must select one to utilize as expanded storage. 
  • If you require even more capacity, you may also upgrade your PS4’s internal hard drive. It is a bit more complicated procedure, but it is still relatively simple.
  • Finally, if you encounter an error with your external PS4 drive, refer to Sony’s PS4 external complex drive support page’s section on PS4 extended storage error codes. 
  • The majority of error codes can be resolved by re-formatting your disc or by disconnecting and reconnecting it. Additionally, restart your PS4 if you have any issues.

FAQs – How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation?

Can I Use a Used External Hard Drive on Ps4?

You can utilize any external hard drive with a USB 3.0 port. The PS4 and PS4 Pro will support storage capacities of up to 8 TB. When a drive formatted for external storage on the console is attached, it will not format a second drive and will not identify a previously formatted second drive.

Why Can’t I Use My External Hard Drive on My Ps4?

If your PS4 cannot recognize an external hard drive, the following may be the cause: The external hard drive is not connected through a cable. External hard drives are not compatible with the PlayStation 4 platform. Another external storage device is connected to your PlayStation 4.

Does an Xbox Hard Drive Work on Ps4?

External hard drives are supported by both the PS4 and Xbox One, and installation is straightforward. You have to format them properly and then connect them via USB cable to the consoles.

Conclusion

That is all you need to know about  How to Add an External Hard Drive to PlayStation? After attaching the formatted external drive to your PlayStation, you can change the settings to make it easier to download new applications or copy old PS4 games from the console’s internal storage.

You now understand how to acquire, connect, and use an external drive for your PlayStation 4. With extra capacity, you may keep your favorite PS4 games installed for an extended period without having to delete anything.

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