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How to Download a Free PS5 Game and Manage Storage Space

Download a free game from PlayStation Store, then use PS5 storage settings to make room. Learn what you can delete, move or play from USB and M.2 storage.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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On your PS5, open PlayStation Store, choose a free game, and follow the on-screen prompts to download it. The game installs automatically after the download. If there isn’t enough room, check Settings > Storage; you can delete a game and download it again later, or move game data to supported storage.

Download and install a free PS5 game

  1. On the PS5, open PlayStation Store and find the free game you want.

  2. Select the available download or get option and complete the on-screen prompts. Store wording can vary by game and account region.

  3. Once the download completes, the game installs automatically. Sony’s PS5 getting-started guide describes this automatic installation for selected digital games.

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Start a download from the PlayStation App

You can also initiate a remote download in the PlayStation App if your console is paired and signed in to the same account. Sony’s remote-download instructions require the console to have Stay Connected to the Internet enabled and be in Rest Mode. See PlayStation App features for the current steps.

Check how much storage is available

On the console, open Settings > Storage to review available space and what is using it. The PlayStation App can also show available console and USB storage, and lets you delete selected games to free room; it does not support moving or copying games.

Free space by deleting a game or app

  1. Go to Settings > Storage > Console Storage > Games and Apps.

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  2. Select the installed game or application you want to remove and choose the delete option shown on screen.

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Deleting an installed game or application does not remove your access to it. Sony says you can download it again from your game library. This is a straightforward way to make room without buying additional storage. Follow Sony’s PS5 storage management guide for storage locations and management options.

Choose the right place for game data

Console storage, a compatible M.2 SSD and USB extended storage are not interchangeable: their capabilities differ, especially for playing PS5 games.

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Storage location Can PS5 games be played from it? Can games be downloaded or stored there? What to know
PS5 console storage Yes Yes Built into the console; no extra hardware installation.
Compatible M.2 SSD Yes Yes Optional internal expansion. The drive must meet Sony’s compatibility and heat-dissipation requirements.
USB extended storage PS4 games: yes. PS5 games: no. PS4 and PS5 game data can be stored there. Copy a PS5 game back to console storage or M.2 SSD storage before playing it. USB is useful for playing PS4 games or keeping PS5 installations archived.

Sony’s storage guide distinguishes these locations and their uses. USB extended storage does not store PS5 saved data. Sony identifies cloud storage for saved data as subject to PlayStation Plus, and USB transfer as an option for PS4 saved data.

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Optional: expand storage with an M.2 SSD

A compatible M.2 SSD can hold and run PS5 games. Sony’s current compatibility guidance specifies a PCIe Gen4 x4 NVMe (Key M) drive with a capacity of 250 GB–8 TB. Supported drive lengths and widths vary, and the total thickness must be no more than 11.25 mm. Sony recommends a sequential read speed of 5,500 MB/s or faster; that recommendation does not guarantee identical performance to the built-in SSD.

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  • A heat-dissipation structure, such as a heatsink and heat transfer sheet, is required.

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    • Professional Performance for Working: Built-in high-quality 3D NAND flash memory that delivers incredibly high transfer speeds for short boot time, fast application loading, and fast file processing. M.2 SSD 1TB is designed for high performance, and enabling a extraordinary experience in productivity for professionals, and videomakers even under heavy workloads
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  • Check your PS5 model, the drive’s dimensions and the heatsink fit against Sony’s M.2 SSD compatibility and installation guide before buying. Sony says it cannot guarantee that every drive meeting the listed specifications will work, and game performance may differ from the internal SSD.

Installation and first use

Installing an M.2 drive is a separate hardware task, not part of downloading a game. Sony lists a well-lit work area and a #1 Phillips or cross-head screwdriver among the requirements. The cover-removal procedure depends on the console model group; follow the guide for your model and remove static electricity before handling the drive. The PS5 must format the drive before first use, and formatting erases data on it.

Keep saved data separate from game installations

Moving or deleting a game installation is different from managing its saved data. USB extended storage can hold game data, but it is not a way to back up PS5 saves. For save storage, Sony identifies cloud storage subject to PlayStation Plus; USB transfer is available for PS4 saved data. See the storage options in Sony’s storage guide.

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