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Are you running tight on free space for your PS4? If so, then you might be bored with deleting games on your PS4 library so that you can fit in with new games in it. In case most of the time, your PS4 hard disk stays completely occupied with loads of data, then it could also slow down the performance of the machine. It could also put excessive load on your hard disk, which can result in an unexpected breakdown of your hard drive. Even if that doesn’t happen at all, but you won’t be able to install heavy-duty games like Red Dead Redemption 2, which requires more than 100 GB of free space. The standard PS4 comes up with only 500 GB of the hard drive. So it is not a surprise that a user soon runs out of storage.     

In order to keep the performance of your gaming machine excellent, you need to upgrade the hard drive on it so that you will be able to install more games, and the performance will also improve. Do you know that if you install an SSD in your PS4, then it can significantly boost the performance of your device? So it can be a wise decision to go for the SSD upgrade instead of HDD. However, it can cost you twice, so mind that before planning.

Some users think that changing the internal hard drive on a ps4 can void its warranty, but that’s not true. The company has no such policy at all, so you can freely upgrade it. You can upgrade your machine’s storage with two primary methods:

1. Upgrading the internal hard drive 

2. Buying an external hard drive.  

External hard drives are much affordable than the internal one, and also they can be easily installed. On the other hand, internal 2.5 inch hard drives can be a bit costly and tricky to install. However, an internal storage upgrade can improve your device performance, and once it is installed, it will be much better than the external one. Also, keep in mind that portable or external drives also require one dedicated USB port for it.

Step by Step Guide to Upgrade Hard Drive on PS4

Step 1: Get the Right Replacement

The very first step is to find a perfect hard drive for your device that is also compatible. Most PS4 supports 2.5 inches SATA, so you need to consider it while buying. Also, make sure that the hard drive you are purchasing should be 9.5 mm tall.  

Step 2: Backing Up Your PS4

Now once you have the hard drive, our next step is backing up the data of your current hard drive, especially the data that you don’t want to lose. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to back up your installed games. You will need a powerful internet to reinstall all of your favorite games. So you will also need Wi-Fi with loads of data.  

  1. First and foremost, sync your Trophies as they will not be backed up in the backup files.
  2. Head to OPTIONS key on your gaming controller and then choose Sync Trophies with PSN.
  3. Now once that done, your trophies will be kept safe on the server.  
  4. You can also back up the saved games files on a USB drive.  
  5. After that is complete, it’s time to backup the essential files.  
  6. Get to the Settings from the menu on your PS4.
  7. Then head to application saved data management.
  8. After that, go to saved data in system storage.  
  9. There is a button to transfer your saves to a USB drive.  
  10. So use that to back up your saved games files to external storage.  
  11. Only backup the save game files of the video game that you want to play in the future and leave others.

Step 3: Open the Hard Drive Cover

  1. Turn off your PS4 system and then remove all connected cables and devices from your PS4, including wired controllers, HDMI cable, and power cord.
  2. Now put the PS4 on a steady and plane surface if possible, place a soft cloth beneath the PS4, so it doesn’t get any scratches.  
  3. Now put your one hand on the shiny top plate.
  4. Then slightly drag it to the side.  
  5. Now it will be free from the moorings.   
  6. Raise the cover off, and then the metal part of the PS4 will appear.  
  7. There are no other parts visible rather than the hard drive itself.
  8. In case you have the PS4 Slim, then the process of removing the hard drive covering is a bit different. 
  9. Unclip its plastic cover gently with your bare hands. The clip is located on the left-side corner of the device at the backside.
  10. Now you will see the hard drive caddy on your PS4 Slim that is connected with a screw.  
  11. If you have PS4 Pro, then put the console upturned on a plain and steady surface.  
  12. Then locate the little plastic cover on its back.  
  13. There is a small tab next to the Ethernet cable point to remove the covering.
  14. Use that tab to popup the pane and reveal the hard drive.  
  15. There is a screw on the caddy to keep the hard drive on the place.  

Step 4: Emptying the Caddy

On standard PS4, there is a screw that you need to open in order to popup the cover that is holding your hard drive. Then pull out the caddy drive horizontally from the system.

On PS4 Pro and Slim models, you have to open the screw that is holding your caddy. Then pull out the caddy from the system.

Step 5: Removing the Hard Drive

Once the caddy is removed, you will see four more screws that keep the hard drive firmly connected to your caddy. These screws are located on the sides and can be opened via a compatible screwdriver that you used to open the first screw. There are also rubber bits, so no need to remove them.

Step 6: Install the New Hard Drive

Put your new hard drive to the caddy, just like the default hard drive was placed. Then make sure to place those four screws on the side of caddy and then fasten them.

Then insert the caddy back to the system and then also fasten the single screw to keep the caddy on the place. Now put the hard disk covering back to its place on your PS4—plug in all of the necessary cables back in and power on the system.

Step 7: Downloading PS4 Operating System

The operating system was installed on the older hard drive, not on this one. In the new hard drive, you have to install the PS4 OS in order to play your games.

Use your computer to download the OS as you will find it easily on PlayStation official site. Once the OS is downloaded, use the provided instruction on the official site to install it on your gaming machine. Once that done, you are all set!

Source: https://emilyjohnso731.wordpress.com/2020/04/17/how-to-upgrade-hard-drive-on-ps4-ps4-pro-and-ps4-slim/

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