To manage a PS5 download, press the PS button, open Downloads/Uploads, and select the active or queued item. You can pause and resume a transfer, but PlayStation’s current support guidance does not document a universal control for moving any queued download to the front. Check the options shown for your item rather than expecting a “Prioritize” command.
Manage the download queue
- Press the PS button to open Control Center.
- Select Downloads/Uploads and review the active and queued transfers.
- Select the desired item to view the controls available for it. Pause and Resume are documented options; the menu may vary by item or software version.
If another transfer is active, pausing it and resuming the desired download may help you manage which transfer is running. However, the reviewed PlayStation download troubleshooting guidance does not guarantee that this changes queue order or makes the desired item download first.
Check for a game or system update
Game or app update
On the home screen, highlight the game or app, press Options, choose Check for Update, and follow the prompts. PlayStation says, “When you start a game or app, it automatically updates to the newest version available.” See PlayStation’s instructions for automatic downloads and updates.
PS5 system software update
Open Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings. System software updates have their own download and installation controls; they are separate from checking an individual game or app. PlayStation’s update instructions for PS5 and PS4 describe the relevant paths.
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Let downloads run in Rest Mode
For game and app downloads to continue while the console is in Rest Mode, enable the setting that keeps the PS5 connected to the internet. Then open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Updates and choose Auto-Download. You can also enable Auto-Install in Rest Mode.
These are separate choices. If you want to leave a suspended game open, enable Auto-Download but leave automatic installation off; you can decide whether to install the update when you resume the game. See PlayStation’s Rest Mode and power-saving settings. System software has separate automatic update settings under Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings.
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Troubleshoot a download that will not start
- In Control Center, open Downloads/Uploads, select the stalled item, and choose Pause, then Resume.
- If it still will not start, select Cancel and Delete. Find the game in your Game Library and start the download again.
- Check PlayStation service status for an outage.
- Check free space at Settings > Storage. The Game Library product information shows the title’s minimum free-space requirement.
- Check whether the PS5 system software needs an update. For a system software download that repeatedly fails, follow Sony’s official update and recovery instructions.
USB recovery is for system software—not game queue order
If Sony’s recovery instructions call for a manual system software update, use a USB flash drive formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. Create the folders PS5/UPDATE, save Sony’s official update file there as PS5UPDATE.PUP, connect the drive to the console, start Safe Mode, and select Update System Software > Update from USB Storage Device. Use only the official update file. This procedure is for system software recovery; it does not speed up ordinary game downloads or reorder the queue.
When a game lets you install a mode first
Some games offer Preferred Install, letting you choose a mode or feature—such as single-player or multiplayer—to install first. Whether the option exists and what it covers depend on the game and its developer, as Sony notes in its PS5 FAQ. Look for it in that game’s store or installation flow. It controls which supported game content is installed first, not the position of a title in the console’s Downloads/Uploads queue.
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Storage expansion solves a different problem
If a download cannot proceed because the console lacks space, an M.2 SSD can add storage for games. It does not prioritize downloads. PS5 games stored on USB extended storage must be copied back to console storage or M.2 SSD storage to play. Check Sony’s current compatibility and installation requirements before choosing an SSD; see PlayStation’s M.2 SSD guide.
Quick Recap
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