You can expand your PS5 storage by installing a compatible M.2 SSD or connecting a USB extended storage drive. An M.2 SSD lets you install and play PS5 and PS4 games, while USB storage plays PS4 games and stores PS5 games until you copy them back. Both options work with original PS5 consoles, slim models and PS5 Pro.
The short version
- Play more PS5 games: Install a compatible PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD with cooling.
- Use an external drive: Connect a compatible USB HDD or SSD to play PS4 games and store PS5 games.
- Check capacity: Both expansion options support compatible drives from 250 GB to 8 TB.
- Watch for formatting: Formatting either drive erases its existing data.
| Option | What it does | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Internal M.2 SSD | Adds space to install and play PS5 and PS4 games | Requires a compatible drive with cooling and installation inside the console |
| USB HDD or SSD | Runs PS4 games and stores PS5 games | PS5 games must be copied back before playing |
| Delete unwanted installations | Reclaims space used by games and apps | Removes the selected installed content |
| Remove optional game portions | Reclaims space while retaining the rest of a game | Requires a title displaying Customize |
| Export and delete captures | Reclaims space used by screenshots and videos | Copies belong on ordinary USB storage, not game extended storage |
| Reduce automatic trophy captures | Reduces future capture storage use | Existing captures need separate deletion |
Choose the storage that fits your games
Open Settings > Storage to inspect your current storage usage. Choose an M.2 SSD when you want more room for PS5 games that stay ready to play. Choose USB extended storage when you want to run PS4 games externally or keep PS5 games stored for later.
An external SSD has the same PS5 game restriction as an external hard drive: you must copy a PS5 game back to console storage or M.2 storage before playing it. You can use M.2 storage and USB extended storage together. Only one USB extended storage drive can be used at a time.
Check the drive requirements before buying
For the internal expansion slot, choose a 250 GB to 8 TB PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 NVMe SSD with a cooling structure, such as a heatsink. Sony recommends a sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. M.2 SATA drives are unsupported, so check the interface as well as the capacity.
Supported M.2 sizes are 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110. Including its cooling structure, the drive must be no wider than 25 mm and no thicker than 11.25 mm, with no more than 8.0 mm above the board and no more than 2.45 mm below it. Check the complete dimensions of the SSD and cooling assembly before installing it.
For USB extended storage, use a 250 GB to 8 TB HDD or SSD with SuperSpeed USB rated at least 5 Gbps. Connect it directly to the console because USB hubs are unsupported. A drive already formatted as extended storage on a PS4 or another PS5 can be connected without formatting it again.
Update the console before installing an M.2 SSD
Before opening the console, go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings > Update System Software. Complete the update before installing the drive. Updating prepares the system for supported expansion features; it does not add capacity itself.
If the console cannot connect over WiFi, fix the PS5 WiFi connection before attempting the online update again. If a USB update is necessary, get the update file from Sony's PS5 system software download page and follow its PC or Mac instructions.
Install the M.2 SSD inside your PS5
Open the control center and select Power > Turn Off PS5. Unplug the console and let it cool before opening it. Work on a soft, flat surface, and use the cover removal procedure for your model.
On an original PS5 in the CFI-1000 model group, remove the base and position the console with the logo facing down and the power button toward you. Lift the bottom cover from its upper-left corner upward and toward the right.
For a slim PS5 or PS5 Pro in the CFI-2000 or CFI-7000 model groups, remove the feet. Lift the triangle-marked cover to release its clips.
Remove the expansion-bay cover, then position the spacer to match the length of your SSD. Insert the SSD diagonally into the connector, lower it onto the spacer and secure its screw. Replace the expansion-bay cover and reassemble the console before powering it on.
Turn on the reassembled console. If this is the first time you are using the M.2 SSD with a PS5, follow the onscreen formatting instructions; formatting erases all existing data on the drive. Formatting isn't required when you move an M.2 SSD from another PS5. Once setup is complete, open Settings > Storage > M.2 SSD Storage to manage the drive.
Move games and set the installation destination
Open Game Library, highlight a game and press the options button. Select Move Games and Apps. When both M.2 and USB storage are installed, choose the Movable to M.2 SSD Storage tab. Select the games you want to move, then select Move. You can move PS5 and PS4 games and apps to the installed compatible SSD.
To send future installations to the new drive, open Settings > Storage > Installation Location and choose M.2 storage as the destination. This sets where new games install; move games already on the console using the steps above. Games installed on the M.2 SSD can run directly from that drive.
Connect and format USB extended storage
Connect your compatible USB drive to either rear USB-A SuperSpeed port or the front USB-C SuperSpeed port. On slim and Pro consoles, distinguish the front SuperSpeed USB-C port from the other front USB-C port, which is Hi-Speed. The original PS5's front USB-A port is unsuitable for extended storage.
Formatting erases the drive's existing data. For a drive that needs setup, open Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage and select Format as USB Extended Storage. Skip formatting when the drive is already formatted as extended storage for a PS4 or another PS5.
If the drive does not work as expected, check its capacity and SuperSpeed rating, then make sure it connects directly to a supported port. Remove any USB hub from the connection and check that you are using only one extended storage drive at a time. Using a rear SuperSpeed port avoids confusion between the two front USB-C ports on slim and Pro models.
Move games to USB and copy PS5 games back
In Game Library, highlight a game, press the options button and select Move Games and Apps. When both M.2 and USB storage are installed, choose the Movable to USB Extended Storage tab. Select the games you want to move, then select Move.
You can play PS4 games directly from USB extended storage. You can also set USB extended storage as the installation location for future PS4 games through the Installation Location option in Settings. Keep PS5 installations on console storage or M.2 storage when you want them ready to play.
To bring a stored PS5 game back, open Game Library > Installed and highlight the game. Press the options button, then select Copy. Copy it back before trying to play it, even when your external drive is an SSD.
Before disconnecting or swapping a USB extended storage drive while the console is powered on, open Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage. Select Safely Remove from PS5, then disconnect the drive. You can rotate external drives this way while using one at a time.
Free up space by removing unwanted installations
Deleting a game or app removes its installed content from the selected storage; move it to your expansion drive first if you want to keep that installation. To remove unwanted console installations, open Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps, choose the titles and select Delete. You can also remove an unwanted installed PS4 or PS5 edition here.
Removing an optional portion of a game deletes that portion while retaining the rest. In the same Games and Apps menu, select Customize beside a supported title and remove the portions you do not need. If a title does not display Customize, move the complete game or delete its installation using the steps above.
Free up space used by screenshots and videos
Deleting captures removes the console copies, so copy any screenshots or videos you want to keep to an ordinary USB drive first. Open Media Gallery from games home, choose the captures and select ... More > Copy to USB Drive.
Use ordinary USB storage for these copies, not a drive formatted as game extended storage, then select unwanted console captures and choose Delete. For a batch, use Select Multiple.
To reduce future trophy captures, open Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Auto-Captures > Trophies. Adjust Save Trophy Screenshots, Save Trophy Videos and Trophy Video Duration to reduce what gets saved. Existing captures still require separate deletion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PlayStation Plus cloud storage give you more room for installed games?
PlayStation Plus cloud storage holds saved data, not installed games, with 100 GB for PS5 saves and another 100 GB for PS4 saves. To upload saves, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings, choose Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4), then open Upload or Delete from Console Storage > Upload to Cloud Storage, choose saves and select Upload. Uploading alone does not reclaim console space. Deleting local saves removes local progress, so verify the cloud backup before separately deleting unwanted saves.
Can you copy individual PS5 saves to a USB drive?
Individual PS5 saves cannot use the USB export route available for PS4 saves, but a full console backup can include PS5 saves, games, captures and settings. Connect a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive and open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5. Choose the data categories, select Next, select Back Up, then select OK after completion. The backup is an archive that does not itself free space, and restoring it erases the console's current data.
Can downloads started in PlayStation App go to the M.2 SSD?
Yes, first choose M.2 storage as the installation destination on the console. With the same account signed in on the console and app, open the app's Settings > Pair Console to App and complete pairing. In PlayStation App, open Game Library > Purchased, choose a game and select Download. For remote downloads, leave the paired PS5 in rest mode with Stay Connected to the Internet enabled.
Can cloud streaming help you avoid installing games?
With PlayStation Plus Premium, you can select Stream for eligible games on PS5 instead of installing them. Streaming requires broadband and is limited to eligible titles, accounts and countries. On a supported PlayStation Portal, open Cloud Streaming and choose an eligible title. Streaming does not remove an existing installation, so reclaiming that space requires separately deleting the installed game.
Can you save PS5 captures to your phone instead of a USB drive?
Yes, a linked PlayStation App supports screenshots and short non-4K clips in supported regions without PlayStation Plus, with cloud availability lasting 14 days. On PS5, open Media Gallery, highlight supported captures, press the options button and select Upload to PlayStation App. In the app, open Library > Captures, open a capture and select Download. Deleting the console original removes that local copy, so verify the downloaded phone copy first.