• Best External Hard Drive For Ps4
• Which Is The Best External Hard Drive For Ps4

Summary :

So, we are here with the best hard drive for PS4 both internal HDD and external HDD’s. Thus, the choice is all yours whether you want to upgrade your device with the best internal hard drive for PS4 or use a portable external hard drive to fulfill your needs. When PS4 was launched initially, now it feels like ages ago.

1. An external hard drive isn’t deemed compatible with PS4 unless it conforms to the PS4 external hard drive compatibility standards. These standards differ depending on the purpose you want the external hard drive for. Thus, determine your purposes first before picking your PS4 external hard drive. Quick Link PS4 System Software Update (Latest.
2. PS4 - CUH-1000 & 1110 remove HDD screw Remove the four screws holding the HDD in the caddy. Insert the replacement HDD into the caddy and replace the four screws.

With the support to offline (and online) games is increasing, PS4 and PS4 Pro appeal to more users. Yet, the capacity of PS4 becomes insufficient; people need more space to store games they are fond of. So, an external hard drive is required. But how can you add external hard drive to PS4 to get extra space? Please find answers here.

In the past, it’s impossible to add external drive to PS4 or PS4 Pro; but now, installing external hard drive becomes urgent for people who would like to enjoy more games on their PlayStation 4.

You’d better turn to the MiniTool Software when you need to do the following things:

• Solve a range of device problems.
• Improve the performance of a PC or removable device.
• Recover lost data from a hard drive or flash memory.
• Backup drives and files regularly.

Sony Now Allows You to Add External Drive to PS4

PlayStation 4.5 system software update:

Sony adds many new features to its PS4 consoles through the newest major system software update: version 4.50.

• Experience the slicker and faster user interface tools.
• Enjoy the 3D Blu-ray movies in stereoscopic 3D through PS VR headset.
• Set users’ screenshots in game as the custom wallpapers.
• Send users’ best gameplay moments to the PlayStation Activity Feed directly.

New Support for PS4 External Storage

What’s more exciting? It’s definitely the support for PS4 external storage. What does this mean? It means that you can use Seagate game drive for PS4 or the PS4 USB flash drive to greatly increase the storage of your PS4 for games and apps. It hands over the power to you for rearranging your schedule to make more free time for games. There’re a lot of games waiting for you to conquer!

After you have been playing for too long on PS4, you’ll easily find the speed of PS4 is slower than before. This is probably because it takes too much time to load the games and applications saved in the internal hard drive (system storage). That’s why an external hard drive (extended storage) is necessary.

Equipped with large capacity, the external hard drive also allows you to improve movie experience a lot. You can connect an external hard drive to PS4 to watch movies anytime you want.

It comes a long way to make this happen. Now, the days of storing games in and extracting it out of the meager 500 GB (Gigabyte) internal drive (or larger) in your PS4/PS4 Pro are finally over.

Add External Drive to A PS4 or PS4 Pro - Preparations

For users who have an earlier model PlayStation 4 system, they can save only about 12 to 15 games onto their PlayStation (which usually has a capacity of 500 GB to work with). Though users can upgrade the hard drive inside PS4 to improve capacity and speed, some of them still want more storage on external.

In this case, connecting an HDD to the PlayStation is a good choice. Please don’t worry; it’s not difficult, even easy, to install the external hard drive to your PS4 or PS4 Pro.

You need to know the following things before you start to install an external hard drive.

One: External HDD with USB 3.0 Port & Large Capacity

You need an external HDD that has a USB 3.0 connection and has a minimum capacity of 250 GB (PS4 external hard drive 2TB is the most popular choice). Actually, the PS4 and PS4 Pro both give support to an external hard disk with up to 8 TB of storage.

You can plug in a USB 3.0 external hard drive into your PS4 to get extra storage directly. This allows you to download and install applications to the external drive. In addition, you can make it easy to manage files through the PlayStation settings menu.

Please keep this in mind: you must make sure the USB port works well so that the external hard drive can show up as expected. If you fail to see the external hard drive after connecting it, please read this post to find out the possible reasons and corresponding fixes.

Two: System of PlayStation 4 Should Be Version 4.50 or Later

The system of your PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro must be updated to version 4.50 or later. That is simply because Sony added the external HDD support to PS4 when the 4.50 version was released early in 2017.

If you have an older system on your PS4, you’ll need to update it to the latest version before you can add a PS4 hard drive externally.

Three: Format the External Hard Drive to exFAT

Please pay attention to the PS4 external hard drive format: you’ll need to format the external drive which will be used to work with the PS4 or PS4 Pro to the exFAT file system.

Why do you need to format PS4 internal hard drive?

The PS4 internal hard drive format can only be conducted inside the PlayStation. Definitely, the format process must be completed before you can use a new PlayStation. In addition to this, you can also reformat the internal hard drive in the following situations:

• The speed of PS4 is decreasing quickly.
• The performance of the PS4 hard drive is degraded.
• The hard drive crashes due to certain errors.
• There’s a conflict between the applications and games.
• …

Formatting will clear any data on current drive, so you make sure you have backed up all the files you need in advance; otherwise, you’ll need to recover data from the formatted hard drive by following this:

The work to recover files from formatted hard drive is not as difficult as you thought; the key factor is whether you have got a helpful tool.

Four: External HDD Must Be Connected Directly

To work with the PS4 or PS4 Pro properly, the external hard disk must be connected directly to one of the USB ports on the PlayStation. In other words, you cannot connect the external drive to the console through a USB hub. Apart from this, the PlayStation will recognize only one external drive at a time.

Use External Hard Drive on PS4

In this part, I’ll help you understand mainly 4 things:

• How to connect an external hard drive to your PS4
• How to format the external hard disk
• How to copy PS4 games to external hard drive
• How to change the Application Installation Location

How to Connect External HDD to PS4

1. Update the system of PlayStation 4 to version 4.50 or later.
2. Find an external hard drive with a capacity of no less than 250GB and format it to exFAT.
3. Plug in the external HDD to PS4 or PS4 Pro directly (through the USB port on the console instead of a USB hub).
4. Set this external hard drive as the default location for all of your downloads and installs.

How to Format External Hard Drive for PS4

You can reformat PS4 external hard drive directly in the console or by using Partition Wizard/Disk Management on computer. Please remember to transfer all the files saved on the external hard drive to another place before disk formatting.

Method 1: format in PS4.

1. Connect the external hard drive properly to your PS4.
2. Open PS4 and go to Settings.
3. Select Devices.
4. Select USB Storage Devices.
5. Choose the external hard disk you’ve just connected.
6. Click on the Format as Extended Storage button.
7. Click on the Next button to continue.
8. The system prompt saying This device will be formatted as extended storage will appear. Now, click Format.
9. Wait a second and you’ll see This device will be formatted as extended storage. Are you sure you want to continue? Now, click Yes.
10. Wait for the formatting process to complete. You can’t remove the disk from PS4 during formatting.
11. When you see the prompt message: This device has been formatted as extended storage. You should click on the OK button to finish formatting.

Method 2: format using professional partition manager.

1. Get MiniTool Partition Wizard and install it properly on your PC.
2. Connect the external hard drive to your PC through a USB interface.
3. Launch partition manager.
4. Select the external drive for PS4.
5. Choose Format Partition feature from the left sidebar.
6. Select exFAT from the drop-down list of File System.
7. Click on the OK button in Format Partition window.
8. Click Apply in the upper left corner.
9. Choose Yes to allow changes.
10. Wait for the format to complete.

Please note that if the drive is new, you should select the unallocated space on it and select Create Partition from the left sidebar.

Method 3: format the disk with Disk Management.

The steps are simple and basically the same as in method 2.

How to Transfer PS4 Data to External Hard Drive

When the PS4 external hard drive format has been finished, you can finally start to move games and applications to PS4 external storage from system storage.

1. Go to PS4 Settings.
2. Select Storage from the list.
3. Select System Storage where the apps are located right now.
4. Choose Applications under System Storage.
5. Click on the Options Menu button.
6. Choose Move to Extended Storage option.
7. Add a checkmark to all the applications you want to move (there are also Select All button and Deselect All button to help you check apps easily).
8. Click on the Move button in the lower right corner.
9. Choose OK to confirm your selection.
10. Wait for the moving process to complete.

Sometimes, you will find the applications you need are lost during the transferring/deleted by mistake/disappeared after drive formatting. On this occasion, you must use a reliable data recovery tool to recover lost files immediately.

How to get the data back from the System Storage of PlayStation:

Step 1: get MiniTool Power Data Recovery and install it properly on your PC.

Step 2: connect your PS4 to PC properly, and then launch the data recovery software.

Step 3: select This PC or Hard Disk Drive from the left sidebar.

Step 4: choose the target drive from the right pane and click Scan in the lower right corner.

Step 5: browse and preview the scan result to pick out which files are needed. Then, check them all and click Save. (You’ll see a limit window after clicking Save if you’re using the Trial Edition.)

Step 6: choose another drive as the storage path for the recovered files. Then, click on the OK button to confirm and wait for the recovery to complete.

Please learn how to deal with the problem when you find need files are not showing in the external hard drive by looking at this:

This post tells why files are not showing in external hard drive from 5 aspects and it shows how to unhide files here safely.

How to Install Games on PS4 from USB

Can you install games on external hard drive PS4? Actually, you can set your PlayStation to store games and applications on external storage by changing Application Installation Location.

Best External Hard Drive For Ps4

1. Make sure the external hard drive is formatted to exFAT and connected to PS4.
2. Also, you need to go to the PlayStation Settings.
3. Select Storage under Settings list.
4. Click on the Options Menu button at the bottom.
5. Choose Extend Storage.
6. Select Application Install Location from the pop-up menu.
7. Choose Extended Storage from the submenu to confirm.

Since then, you can store the downloaded applications and add-ons to the external storage so as to speed up PS4 speed and improve its performance.

How to Remove Extended Hard Drive from PS4

You can also disconnect the external storage from PS4 when you don’t want it anymore.

Way 1:

1. Hold down the PS button to show Quick Menu.
2. Choose Sound/Devices from the left sidebar.
3. Select Stop Using Extended Storage from the right pane.
4. Click Yes to confirm your selection.

Way 2:

1. Navigate to PS4 Settings.
2. Select Devices.
3. Select USB Storage Devices.
4. Click on the Stop Using This Extended Storage button.
5. Click Yes to confirm.

FYI: PS4 extended storage repair when it becomes dead.

If you are stuck in finding ways to recover files from dead external hard drive efficiently, this passage will be very helpful.

Conclusion

That’s all you should notice and learn about how to add external drive to PS4 (or PS4 Pro). After connecting the formatted external drive to your PlayStation, you can make it easy to download new applications or copy old PS4 games from the internal storage of console by changing settings.

Even after more than five years since its release, the PS4 is still going strong. With a powerful processing unit, a thriving online community, and a library of excellent games that continue to grow year by year, there’s still no sign of the PS4 hype train slowing down.

As your collection of games grow, you’re likely to run out of storage space on your PS4 eventually, especially if you buy your games digitally. Fortunately, it’s possible to augment your game console’s storage space with an external drive. When should you consider getting an external drive for your PS4? What are the best options available today?

Why use an external drive for your PS4?

You’ve probably poured several hundred to more than a thousand dollars on your PS4 console and your collection of games, so why should you spend some more to get an external drive? There are several good reasons, and you’re bound to realize one of these eventually.

1. Store more games

Most of the premium PS4 games can occupy close to a hundred to several hundred GB of storage space. Even if your console has a built-in 1 TB hard disk, you will eventually find yourself running out of space to install new games. People without external drives end up having to uninstall some of their beloved games which can be heartbreaking, especially if it’s one of those games you’re looking forward to replaying in the far future. If you buy your games digitally, this means having to redownload the game from the PSN store all over again.

2. Transfer your games across consoles

If you’re upgrading from an original PS4 console to a PS4 Pro, using an external drive is the easiest and fastest way to transfer your games to your new console. You won’t be transferring just your games, of course, but also all your save files, screenshots, and downloaded apps.

An external drive even makes it possible to carry your games and your save files along with you when you visit your friend’s house and play on their console. Just plug in your drive and you can pick up right where you left off, even if you’re playing on a console that’s not your own.

3. Speeds up load times

You also have the option of using a solid state drive to store your games for the PS4, which can reduce load times to as little as a tenth of what they would have been if they were stored in a hard drive. This technology isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it’s only been in recent years when gaming consoles have started to take advantage of SSD technology. You don’t need to wait for the next generation of gaming consoles to enjoy it, though, as you can just hook up an SSD to your PS4.

The top 6 best external drives for your PS4

1. Best Value: Western Digital 4TB My Passport

Editor’s Rating: 4.7/5.0

Our top pick happens to be a line of external disk drives that don’t exactly have any standout features but happens to be so reliable and durable that it’s one of the most trusted and widely used brands worldwide. Western Digital’s My Passport is available in a wide range of colors and has been used over the years by students and professionals alike. It’s also available in a range of different capacities, but we’re featuring the 4TB variant here. After all, who doesn’t more space for games?

For an HDD with this capacity, the WD My Passport is exceptionally small and thin. Whether you intend to keep this external drive permanently plugged into your PS4 or you want to bring it along to your friend’s house for hours of coop gaming, the My Passport is remarkably reliable and portable. Its USB 3.0 port ensures that it’s compatible with a PS4 console, although it lacks any SATA port for internal use. Since it doesn’t require an external power source, you don’t have to endure the hassle of having extra wires in an already complicated gaming setup.

Settling for an old-fashioned HDD instead of an SSD doesn’t seem so bad when you consider the price of the WD My Passport. For around $100 to $150, you can have more storage space for your games that you could ever need. Of course, you need to be wary of the usual precautions of HDDs, such as avoiding dropping them or moving them around while they are running. You also don’t get any improvements in terms of loading times.

2. Top Pick: Samsung T5 1TB Portable SSD

Editor’s Rating: 4.8/5.0

If you’re already looking to expand your console’s storage with an external drive, why not improve its performance while you’re at it? This is the unique value of getting an SSD for your PS4. We highly recommend this 1TB portable SSD from Samsung, as it’s considered superior to SSDs from other brands. It’s incredibly light and thin, and the metallic finish looks great.

We’re massive fans of using an SSD for your PS4. The read-write speeds of an SSD is unparalleled, and your games stored in this SSD will have massively reduced loading times. It’s hard to appreciate the benefits of an SSD without experiencing it first-hand, but trust when we say that it’s a huge quality of life upgrade.

Aside from reduced loading times, the absence of an optical storage system means an SSD is much more durable. It should also last longer than the typical lifespan of an HDD. The biggest downside of the SSD is its price: for only 1TB of storage space of an SSD, you’ll have to spend more than half the cost of a standard PS4 console. Admittedly, it’s not for everyone, but we are eager for SSDs to become much more affordable in the coming years.

3. Best Budget: Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB Portable Hard Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5.0

Not everyone has the spare cash to blow on an external disk, especially considering that buying a PS4 console and a collection of games is expensive enough as it is. This 1TB external HDD from the Toshiba Canvio line can effectively double the storage capacity of a PS4 Pro for less than $60. That is just an amazing deal, no matter how you look at it.

Given the modest price of this Toshiba Canvio portable HDD, you’ll also have to manage your expectations for it. It does not come in other colors aside from standard black and isn’t quite as durable as the WD My Passport. Still, it’s reliable enough for everyday use as long as you take care of it in the same way that you take care of an old-fashioned HDD.

The Toshiba Canvio is best described as a no-frills portable HDD that is very simple to set up and use. It retains a light and compact design that is perfect for on-the-go gamers. The Toshiba Canvio Basics line comes with a 1-year limited warranty, which is another bonus deal considering how affordable it is.

4. Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB External Hard Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

If you’ve had your PS4 console since launch, then you’ve probably collected such a massive library of games. A library of that size deserves an external drive that is just as big. For massive storage needs, we recommend this huge 6TB external HDD from Seagate. Dubbed as an extended desktop storage, this external HDD is big enough so that you’ll never need to delete games or recorded videos from your console ever again.

An HDD of this size is also going to be very useful if you’re migrating your library of games from one console to another. With rumors of the PS5 having backwards compatibility, you might need the Seagate 6TB HDD sooner than you think.

The biggest downside of an HDD of this size is that it requires external power. It does come with its own 18W power adapter, but then there’s the matter of adding another cord into your PS4 setup that is probably already filled with power cables and charging cables for your controllers. It’s also pretty big, as you’d expect, so carrying it around won’t be as convenient.

5. Seagate 2TB Game Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.2/5.0

The Game Drive from Seagate certainly looks the part: its blue and black color scheme was deliberately chosen to match with the blue light and black casing of the PS4. This particular model offers 2TB of storage space at a great price and in a compact and travel-ready form. Since it’s been designed for the PS4, there should not be any compatibility issues.

Aside from its PS4-geared design, what makes the Game Drive an interesting choice is that Seagate cut out much of the fat that typically comes with portable HDDs that are made for all-around use. Since the Game Drive was made to be used for games, it does not come pre-loaded with unnecessary apps and features. It can, of course, still be used as a standard HDD since the hardware is still the same.

Again, the Seagate Game Drive is prone to the usual vulnerabilities of HDDs. Take care not to drop it, and refrain from moving it around while the disk is spinning. It also doesn’t offer much boost to loading times, contrary to its claims.

6. HGST Touro 1TB High-Performance Portable Drive

Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5.0

Sticking to old-fashioned HDDs doesn’t have to mean putting up with the long load times of graphic-intensive PS4 games. The Touro High-Performance Drive from HGST, a Western Digital company, offers the fastest performance possible from a traditional disk drive. This hard drive operates at 7200 rpm, more than 20% faster than the usual 5400 rpm drives. This speed isn’t quite close to SSD speeds, but you should still notice a reduction in loading times and faster retrieval of game saves.

The good thing about the Touro using the same old technology of HDDs is that it’s far from being as expensive as an SSD. You’ll have to pay a slight premium, but the price of the HGST Touro isn’t that far off from the WD My Passport. For a small additional fee, you can get a slight improvement in performance. Sometimes, even just a small improvement is good enough.

Despite the seeming complexity of the Touro and its sleek, futuristic design, it’s still pretty easy to use. It’s a plug and play device that will allow you to install games and transfer files with minimal setup. Again, it’s still an HDD, so you’ll need to take care not to damage it with falls.

Final thoughts

Many consider the current era as the golden age of gaming. This is truer with the PS4 than any other gaming console system. Excellent, award-winning games have been coming out for the PS4 for several years now, which makes it easy to understand why the 500GB and 1TB built into the consoles can easily get filled up.

Which Is The Best External Hard Drive For Ps4

We strongly recommend upgrading to an SSD alternative, but we understand that the high costs may not appeal to everyone. Fortunately, it’s still very easy to find budget options that can effectively double or triple your console’s storage capacity. More room for games is never a bad thing.