How to Download and Store PS4 Games on External Hard Drive

Sony has added with its new system software update 4.50 for PS4, the long-awaited compatibility of the console with external hard drives. This new function can be used both to download games as well as applications, being quite easy to configure and use an external hard drive on PlayStation 4.

So that you have no doubts the first time you connect an external hard drive to your console and thus significantly increase its storage capacity, we have prepared a guide with everything you need to know about this spectacular function.

Table of Contents

Minimum requirements

In order to use your external hard drive with PS4, the device must be compatible with the console and therefore, it must meet a series of requirements that we leave you below:

o                                Connection : USB 3.0

o                                Storage : 250GB (minimum) to 8TB (maximum)

Formatting the external hard drive

Most storage devices are formatted with a specific standard (typically NTFS, ExFAT, NTFS, HFS). To prepare it for use with your PS4, you will need to format it to the correct standard to ensure that it is compatible:

o                                Go to the Settings menu on the PS4 home screen.

o                                Go to the Devices menu.

o                                Select ‘USB Storage Device’

o                                Select your external hard drive and then ‘Format as extended storage’.

You will see a series of warnings indicating that all the content of the disk will be deleted when formatting it, so before ‘OK’, make sure you have made a copy of all the important content stored on the disk.

It is also important to remember that once the external hard drive has been formatted to the specific PS4 format, you can only use it to store PS4 games and applications; You will not be able to store other types of documents, images or multimedia content without first reformatting it to its original state.

Once you have completed the formatting process, you will see a confirmation message and a small green light will appear next to the device name to indicate that it is enabled as the primary storage location.

Install games and apps on the external / internal disk

Once formatted, your external hard drive will be set as the default download location for as long as it remains connected.

If you want to go back to using the PS4’s internal storage for downloads (or go back to the external hard drive), it’s very easy:

o                                Go to the Settings menu on the PS4 home screen.

o                                Go to ‘Storage’.

o                                Select the default location for downloads: System storage or external hard drive.

o                                Press the OPTIONS button and select ‘Application install location’ to define the download location: ‘System storage’ or ‘Extended storage’.

Move games and applications to external hard drive

If you want to organize the games and applications installed on your PS4’s internal storage, you can easily move them to the external hard drive:

o                                Go to the Settings menu on the PS4 home screen.

o                                Go to the Storage menu.

o                                Select ‘System Storage’ then ‘Applications’.

o                                Press the OPTIONS button and select ‘Move to extended storage’.

o                                Select the games and applications you want to move by checking the boxes that appear next to their names. You can select as many as you want as long as there is enough space on the target external hard drive.

o                                Select ‘Move’ and ‘OK’ to start the transfer.

Eject external hard drive

Remember that you should never remove a USB storage device while the PS4 is on without properly disconnecting it first.

To remove the external hard drive, access the quick menu by holding down the PS button on the controller and select ‘Stop using extended storage’. You will see a confirmation message when it is safe to disconnect the device from its USB port.

Some notes of interest

o                                When you connect an external hard drive, the games and apps will appear on the PS4 home screen as usual, with the most recently used first.

o                                If you disconnect the external hard drive, the games stored on it that you have played will continue to appear on the home screen and in your Library. However, you will see an ‘!’ next to them indicating that it is necessary to connect the device again to play them.

o                                You need to connect the external hard drive directly to your PS4. You cannot use a USB Hub between both devices.

As you can see, it is very easy to use an external hard drive with PlayStation 4, regardless of the model you have. You will no longer have to delete games when an expected release occurs and you buy it digitally. You can have an extra storage capacity of up to 8TB, one pass.

by Abdullah Sam
I’m a teacher, researcher and writer. I write about study subjects to improve the learning of college and university students. I write top Quality study notes Mostly, Tech, Games, Education, And Solutions/Tips and Tricks. I am a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue.

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