Playstation 4 either PS4 It has three models, the standard model (the first to hit the market) and two other more current versions Slim and Pro, the first with a somewhat smaller size and the second with more powerful and advanced hardware. All three models are available with different hard drive capacities, from 500 GB to 1 TB. But with the current sizes of video game installations and the no less heavy update patches, it is very likely that these capacities I know we will fall short when we start accumulating dozens of video games. Thus, Sony offers the option to change the hard drive or HDD of our console for another with greater capacity and below we will tell you how.
First considerations before starting
In this tutorial we are going to explain, step by step, how to change the PS4 hard drive for another one with a higher capacity. It is a simple operation and does not affect the warranty of the console in any way, unlike Xbox One, in which we do lose the warranty if the original HDD is replaced. Of course, although Sony allows you to change the hard drive without problems, The company will not be responsible for any damage caused during the process, although if you follow our advice there should be no problem; You just have to be meticulous and careful.
What tools do I need?
Below we detail everything you need to change the hard drive of your PS4:
- A long Phillips screwdriver.
- A computer with internet access.
- A USB storage drive of at least 1 GB capacity.
- A compatible hard drive.
- The PS4 firmware installation file that you can download from the PlayStation official website.
What hard drives are compatible?
Not all hard drives on the market are compatible with PS4. And the unit that comes by default on PS4 is a 2.5" SATA II 500GB or 1TB 5400rpm 9.5mm thick, that is, a laptop hard drive. Thus, our new hard drive must follow certain minimums, so should never exceed 9.5 mm thick (otherwise it will not fit into the designated space on the console) and have at least 160 GB capacity. Now we can choose between HDD hard drives or the faster (and more expensive) SSD, which are also supported. Of course, 7200 rpm hard drives and hybrids are not officially supported by Sony. We can easily find several compatible models that meet these characteristics, whether 1 TB or 2 TB, through stores such as Amazon, as is the case with this drive. Western Digital.
Standard PS4 (CUH-1000, CUH-1110 and CUH-1200 Series)
- Unplug the power cord, HDMI cable, and any other cables from the back of the PlayStation 4 system.
- Place your PlayStation 4 on a clean, flat surface so that the front of the system is on the left.
- Place your palms on the top panel and rest your fingers on the far side of the system.
- Apply gentle, even pressure to the seam with your palms and, using your fingers, slide the top panel outward. You will hear a click and the panel will move about 7 mm. Lift the panel, starting from the left.
- Once the top panel is removed, you will see a screw with PlayStation symbols on it. Turn it counterclockwise to remove it and remove the hard drive.
- Pull the HDD toward the front of the system to remove it.
- Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove the four screws holding the hard drive to the bracket.
- Insert the new hard drive into the bracket and replace the four screws.
- Insert the stand into the PlayStation 4 bay and replace the screw.
- Replace the top panel. Place it over the exposed section of your PlayStation 4, about 7mm from the seam. Slide the panel toward the joint until it clicks into place.
- Reconnect the HDMI cable, power cable, and any other cables you disconnected in the first step.
- Turn on your PlayStation 4 to check that everything is working properly.
- Once you have replaced the hard drive, you must reinstall the system software. Using a computer, save the system software update file to a USB storage device for reinstallation.
PS4 Slim (CUH-2015 Series)
- Unplug the power cord, HDMI cable, and any other cables from the back of the PlayStation 4 system.
- Slide the hard drive bay cover in the direction of the arrow to remove it.
- Remove the hard drive.
- Remove the screw.
- Pull the hard drive with the mounting bracket to remove it.
- Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screws (four holes). Do not remove the rubber pieces from the screw holes.
- Place the hard drive into the mounting bracket.
- Insert the replacement hard drive into the mounting bracket, and then secure it with the screws. Do not overtighten the screws.
- Secure the hard drive to the system with the screw. Make sure you fully insert the hard drive into the hard drive bay.
- Reconnect the HDMI cable, power cable, and any other cables you disconnected in the first step.
- Turn on your PlayStation 4 to check that everything is working properly.
- Once you have replaced the hard drive, you must reinstall the system software. Using a computer, save the system software update file to a USB storage device for reinstallation.
PS4 Pro (CUH-7000 Series)
- Unplug the power cord, HDMI cable, and any other cables from the back of the PlayStation 4 system.
- Place the system face down on a flat surface and remove the hard drive bay cover. Remove it starting from the right.
- You may see a sticker covering the hard drive bay cover. You can remove it without problems since the warranty will not be affected.
- Remove the screw and pull the hard drive mounting bracket to remove it.
- Remove the four screws from the hard drive mounting bracket.
- Remove the hard drive from the mounting bracket and install the new one.
- Replace the screws; Try not to tighten them too much.
- Reinsert the hard drive mounting bracket. Take a look at the image above to make sure you enter it correctly.
- Replace the screw.
- Replace the hard drive bay cover.
- Reconnect the HDMI cable, power cable, and any other cables you disconnected in the first step.
- Turn on your PlayStation 4 to check that everything is working properly.
- Once you have replaced the hard drive, you must reinstall the system software. Using a computer, save the system software update file to a USB storage device for reinstallation.
Once we have installed the hard drive, all we need is start the console in Safe Mode to start installing the latest PS4 software or firmware. To do this, you just have to connect the USB drive mentioned above into a USB port on the console with the DualShock 4 controller connected. Now we must Press and hold the power button on the console for 7 seconds to enter Safe Mode; Then, through the menu, we select option 7: Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software). Once we have completed the steps shown on the screen, we will have finished the process of replacing the hard drive of our PS4, in order to enjoy greater storage capacity for our video games and their updates.