Can You Use an External Hard Drive with PS5 for Games and Storage?

Can you use an external hard drive with PS5 for storing and playing games?

Absolutely, you can hook up an external hard drive to your PS5, but there are a few quirks you need to know about:

Kicking Off with PS4 Games:

• If you’re looking at PS4 games, you’re in luck. Plug in a USB 3.0 hard drive, and you can store and play your PS4 titles straight from there. Easy peasy!
• Once you’ve connected the drive, your PS5 will ask to format it – a quick setup step.
• Post-formatting, you can move your PS4 games over to free up room on your internal storage. Dive right into gameplay from the external drive.

The Deal with PS5 Games:

• Now, this is where it gets interesting. You can store PS5 games on an external drive too, but don’t expect to play them directly from there. You’ll need to transfer them back to the PS5’s SSD.
• Swapping games between drives is pretty straightforward in the storage settings, helping you manage that tight internal space.

Some Handy Tips:

• When you’re shopping for an external drive, go for one with a fast transfer rate. It makes life easier!
• Make sure it has enough room, especially if you’ve got a big collection of PS4 games.

If you want more nitty-gritty details on setting up your storage or finding the right drive, just check out the PlayStation support site. It’s packed with useful info!

Sure thing! Let’s dive into whether you can use an external hard drive with your PS5. Spoiler alert: You can! But there are a few things to keep in mind depending on how you want to use it.

Alright, so the PS5 plays nice with two types of storage extras. You’ve got your external USB drives, which are perfect for stashing away or backing up PS5 and PS4 games. Then there are internal M.2 NVMe SSDs, which are your go-to for actually running PS5 games. This is really because that 667GB of internal storage goes fast, leaving a lot of us scrambling to delete stuff to make room. Classic juggling act, right?

Let’s break down how they each work:

1. External USB Drives (HDD/SSD): You can definitely use them to save games. For PS5 games, though, you\’ll need to transfer them back to the internal storage to play. PS4 games? No problem—play directly from the drive.
   • Compatibility check: Look for USB 3.0+ drives that cover between 250GB and 8TB, formatted to either exFAT or FAT32. They don’t need to be lightning-fast, unlike the internal SSDs.
2. Internal M.2 NVMe SSDs: These babies let you expand your playable storage. You’ll install them right into a slot in your PS5, and bam! You’re set to run PS5 games straight from them.
   • Here’s what you need: A PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD with a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s (although 7,000MB/s is even better). It should feature a heatsink to keep things cool, with a capacity ranging from 250GB to 4TB.

Setting these up isn’t rocket science, but let\’s go through the steps anyway:

For External USB Drives:

1. Plug it into your PS5’s USB port.
2. Head to Settings, then Storage, then USB Extended Storage, and select Format as USB Extended Storage.
3. Shift games over under Settings > Storage > Games/Apps > Move to USB Drive.

Just note: You can’t play PS5 games directly from these drives or download games directly onto them. You’ll have to move them back to the internal or M.2 SSD storage first. Yeah, a bit of a hassle, but it’s how it works.

For Internal M.2 SSDs:

1. Make sure your PS5 is updated to version 21.02-04.00.00 or later.
2. Crack open your console, pop the SSD into the right slot, tighten it up, and close it back up.
3. Your PS5 will spot the new drive and guide you through formatting it.

Now, I know you might hit a few snags. Like, if you’re wondering, \”Why can\’t I run PS5 games from my USB drive?\” It’s just because the PS5 games need faster data streaming than USB drives offer. If your M.2 SSD seems sluggish or overheats, it might be time to check if it’s got the right heatsink or if it’s meeting those speed requirements. Before buying, you’ll want to double-check those specs.

If you’re browsing for good drives, maybe stick with a Crucial X6/X8 for external storage, or a Corsair MP600 Pro LPX if you’re going for an internal SSD that’s reliable and speedy. The Crucial P5 Plus is also worth considering if you’re on a budget.

In the end, while external USB drives are great for backups, M.2 SSDs are the real game-changers for PS5 gaming. Just make sure whatever you pick is gonna mesh well with your system, heat-wise and all. Good luck with sorting out your storage, and happy gaming!

Hey there!

So you\’re wondering if you can use an external hard drive with your PS5, right? The short answer is absolutely yes, but there are a few things you\’ve got to keep in mind. The PS5 works with external USB drives, both HDDs and SSDs, as long as they meet the USB 3.0 standard or later. Now, here\’s the catch: even though you can store both PS5 and PS4 games on an external drive, you can only play PS4 games directly from it. For PS5 games, you\’ll need to move them back to the console\’s internal NVMe SSD to actually play them. It\’s all about keeping things running smoothly because the PS5 is built to perform best with its internal storage.

Alright, moving on. When you\’re setting up, you want a compatible drive, something between 250GB and 8TB should do the trick, and it needs to meet the SuperSpeed USB standards. Plug it into one of the rear USB ports on your PS5 (not the front ones—they\’re not as fast), and you\’ll need to format it as \”USB Extended Storage\” through the Settings menu. This makes sure it\’s ready to store your games that aren’t in active play on the internal SSD.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting for storage. If you\’re all about playing PS4 games, you\’re in luck. The external drive isn\’t just for storing them; you can play straight from it, which is super handy if you\’re into revisiting all those classics. But PS5 games? They need to be transferred back to the internal SSD when it\’s game time—a bit of a hassle but necessary for that high-speed performance the PS5 demands.

Now, let\’s talk practical stuff. Make sure your drive supports the needed USB speeds (3.0 or higher), and always plug it directly into the right USB ports on your PS5. Keeping your PS5\’s firmware up to date also helps in making sure everything works smoothly with various external drives. Trust me, using an external drive can really help with storage headaches, especially because the PS5\’s internal storage isn\’t all usable thanks to the system files taking up space.

Hope that clears things up!