Can I Use My PS4 External Hard Drive on a PS5?

Can I Use My PS4 External Hard Drive on PS5?

If you’re jumping from a PS4 to a PS5 and wondering about reusing your PS4 external hard drive, you’re in luck. Yes, you can use it with your PS5, though there are a few things you should know first.

Background

When the PS5 hit the scene, a lot of folks were curious about whether their PS4 gear, especially external hard drives, would still be useful. Thankfully, Sony thought ahead. They designed the PS5 to play nice with external hard drives used with the PS4, so you don’t have to ditch your trusty old drive.

Compatibility Requirements

Before you go plugging in your PS4 hard drive, make sure it’s up to speed—literally. The PS5 needs external hard drives to have SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0 or later) and hold at least 250GB but no more than 8TB. Also, your hard drive must be formatted as exFAT. If your PS4 drive is already set up like that, you’re good to go. If not, you’ll need to reformat, which means backing up your data first because the process wipes the drive clean.

How to Use Your PS4 External Hard Drive on PS5

Ready to hook it up? Here’s how you do it:

1. Connect the Drive: Plug your external hard drive into one of the USB ports on the back of your PS5. Avoid the front port; it doesn’t work for this.
2. Format the Drive (If Necessary): If your PS5 doesn’t recognize the drive, or it needs reformatting, head over to “Settings > Storage > Extended Storage” and pick “Format as USB Extended Storage.” Remember, this erases all data on the drive.
3. Set the Install Location (Optional): Want your PS4 games to automatically install on the external drive? Navigate to “Settings > Storage > Installation Location” and choose “Extended Storage.”

Differences in Usage Between PS4 and PS5

Now, while you can use the same drive, there are some differences. On the PS4, you could store and play games directly from the external hard drive. With the PS5, you can still store and play PS4 games from it. But when it comes to PS5 games, you can only store them on the external drive. To play them, you’ll have to transfer them back to the internal SSD. Why? Because PS5 games are optimized for the super-fast internal SSD, and no external drive can match those speeds.

Potential Issues and Solutions

Ran into some trouble? Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide:

• Drive Not Recognized: Double-check the drive’s format (exFAT), that it supports SuperSpeed USB, and that it’s plugged in correctly. Also, ensure the USB cable isn’t the culprit.
• Performance Issues: Experiencing slow loading times with PS4 games? Your external hard drive might be too slow. Consider switching to an external SSD for faster performance.

The Takeaway

So, yes, you can reuse your PS4 external hard drive with your PS5, as long as it meets the requirements. While there are some quirks, like needing to transfer PS5 games back to the internal SSD to play, it’s still a handy way to boost your storage. Follow the steps above, keep an eye out for any hiccups, and you’ll be enjoying your expanded game library in no time.

Sure thing, you can totally hook up your PS4 external hard drive to your PS5. It’s a handy way to bring all your PS4 games along for the ride without going through the hassle of reinstalling them all.

When it comes to setting it up, it’s pretty much plug-and-play. Just connect the external hard drive to one of your PS5’s USB ports, and boom—the console should recognize it right off the bat. This means you can jump into your PS4 games straight from the drive, no need to fiddle with reinstalling. That’s a win for convenience!

Now, here’s the kicker. While your external hard drive is great for PS4 games, PS5 titles are a different beast. They need to live on the internal SSD—PS5 games are designed for those speedier load times, which the external drives just can’t keep up with. You can store your PS5 games on the external drive when they’re not in use, kind of like putting them in hibernation, but you’ll need to move them back to the SSD if you want to play them.

Long story short, plugging your PS4 external hard drive into your PS5 is a breeze, and it makes managing your game library super straightforward. Just remember, new PS5 games require that extra oomph from the internal storage. Happy gaming!

Can I Use My PS4 External Hard Drive on PS5?
Definitely. You can hook up your PS4 external hard drive to the PS5, but the way it works changes a bit. It’s worth noting a few things so you’re not caught off guard!

Things You Should Definitely Know

1. What You Can Do with the External Drives on PS5

   • Playing PS4 Games: You can just dive into your PS4 games and keep them backed up on the external drive. Easy peasy!
   • Storing PS5 Games: Here’s the kicker: you can only store PS5 games on the external drive, but to actually play them, you gotta move them to the PS5’s internal SSD or a suitable NVMe expansion SSD. Bummer, right?

2. Setting Up the Drive

   • If your external drive was already keeping your PS4 secrets safe, your PS5 won’t make you reformat it, as long as it’s using exFAT or FAT32.
   • Just a heads-up: if it’s a new drive or wasn’t used for PS4 stuff, the PS5 might ask you to reformat it, which means saying goodbye to all your data.

How to Get It Going

1. Plug It Into the PS5

   • Use the USB port on the back—keeps things steady. USB 3.0 or faster is your best bet.
   • The PS5 is cool with USB drives up to 8TB. Yeah, you read that right!

2. Get the Drive Ready (If Needed)

   • If it’s acting shy and not showing up, head over to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage, then hit Format as USB Extended Storage.
   • ⚠️ Warning: Any formatting wipes the slate clean, so save anything important first!

3. Move Your PS4 Games

   • Pop into Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games & Apps, pick your PS4 games, and choose Move to USB Extended Storage.

4. Launch Your PS4 Games

   • Your gems on the external drive will show up in the PS5 library. Just fire them up straight from there—simple as that!

Got Problems? Let’s Fix Them

Problem 1: PS5 Doesn’t Recognize the Drive

• Why It Might Happen:
  • Could be using an NTFS file system that the PS5 doesn’t dig.
  • Perhaps the USB port or cable is acting up.
  • It might need more juice if it’s a hefty HDD without its own power source.
• Here’s What You Can Try:
  1. Switch to another USB port or cable. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.
  2. Reformat it to exFAT/FAT32 on a PC, then hook it back up to the PS5.
  3. If all else fails, a powered USB hub can help give it the boost it needs.

Problem 2: PS5 Games Not Playable from the External Drive

• Why It Happens: PS5 games are picky and need the fast SSD to perform.
• Workaround: Just stick to using the external drive for PS4 games. For PS5, play them from the internal SSD or get a compatible NVMe SSD (like the Samsung 980 Pro with heatsink).

Problem 3: Transfers Are Too Slow

• Why It Might Snag: Using a USB 2.0 drive or an old HDD could be the culprits.
• How to Fix:
  • Consider upgrading to a USB 3.0+ drive for some zest!
  • Run a defrag on your HDD via a PC (not for SSDs, though).

A Few Final Thoughts

• Backing Up: Do your future self a favor—save your data before any formatting or tinkering around.
• PS5’s Limitations: Keep in mind, external drives can’t hold PS5 game saves, screenshots, or system backups—that’s an internal SSD exclusive club.
• Drive Recommendations: If speed’s your game, go for an SSD, like the Samsung T7 or WD Black P10, rather than a traditional HDD.

Here’s Why It All Works

The PS5 is all about backward compatibility with PS4 games, which includes external drives. But since PS5 games need the high-octane speed of an SSD, they can’t run from the slower externals. It all boils down to keeping load times and performance snappy. Get the hang of these ins and outs, and you’ll be all set with your PS4 drive on your PS5, minus any headaches!

Absolutely, you can hook up your PS4 external hard drive to your PS5 and use it for games and storage. The PS5 plays nice with USB 3.0 drives, so your gaming setup should transfer over pretty smoothly. When you plug that drive into your PS5, all your PS4 games and goodies are right there waiting for you.

Here’s the scoop on getting it going:

• Just plug the external hard drive into any USB port on your PS5.
• Usually, the PS5 recognizes the drive almost instantly, and you’re off to the races with your PS4 library.
• If for some reason it doesn’t play ball, you might need to reformat the drive, but be careful, because formatting wipes it clean. Make sure you back up any data first.

Now, about playing games: You can run your PS4 games directly from your external drive, but PS5 games need to hang out on the internal SSD or an M.2 NVMe SSD that you stick in the expansion slot.

For handling your games and space? You can shuffle games between the external drive and the PS5’s internal storage to keep things organized just the way you like it.

Making the leap from PS4 to PS5 doesn’t have to mean leaving your library behind. You’ve got all your favorite stuff right there, and you can always head to the PlayStation’s official support if you hit a snag or need more info on USB storage.