Short answer: PlayStation does not document a setting that directly speeds up a game update once the console is copying or applying it. First check whether the screen says Downloading or has moved to copying/applying: network fixes can help with a stalled download, but they are not an established fix for a copy already in progress.
Check whether the slow part is downloading or copying
Updates can involve more than one stage, and “copy,” “install” and “update” are often used interchangeably. Read the exact status shown on the PS4 or PS5 before troubleshooting. If it says Downloading, the console is still receiving data. If it has moved to copying or applying, the download may already be complete.
PlayStation recommends testing the internet connection when a game or app update fails. On either console, go to Settings > Network and test the connection. This can help diagnose a download problem; PlayStation’s published guidance does not establish that a faster connection speeds up a copy/apply stage that has already started. PlayStation’s update troubleshooting steps cover both PS5 and PS4.
What to try for a failed or stalled game update
Start with low-risk steps
- Restart the console.
- Check that its system software is up to date.
- If the game or app update still fails, reinstall the affected game or app, following PlayStation’s instructions for your console.
These are troubleshooting steps for updates that fail; they are not a guaranteed way to shorten a copy that is progressing normally.
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Use the Safe Mode option for your console
If the basic steps do not resolve the problem, PlayStation’s game/app troubleshooting directs PS5 users to Clear Cache and Rebuild Database and PS4 users to Rebuild Database. Safe Mode options differ by generation. PlayStation says rebuilding scans the drive and creates a new database; it is maintenance, not a documented copy-speed setting.
To open Safe Mode, turn the console off, then press and hold the power button until you hear the second beep. Connect the controller with a USB cable and press the PS button. Select only the option appropriate to your console and the problem. Some other Safe Mode options erase user data. Back up important data before choosing any destructive reset or reinstall option, and do not select Reset or Initialize casually. See PlayStation’s Safe Mode instructions for the option descriptions.
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If the stuck update is for system software
A system software update is a separate issue from copying a game patch. Use the instructions for your console rather than treating a system update failure as a general copy-speed problem.
PS4
If a PS4 system software update is stuck, PlayStation says to delete the update file from Notifications and try again. After repeated failed downloads, its instructions describe updating with a PC or Mac and a USB drive containing the official update file. Follow the current PS4 system software update procedure exactly.
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PS5
For a failed PS5 system software download, select the update under Downloads/Uploads, view its error information and try again. After multiple failed downloads, PlayStation directs users to its computer-and-USB update procedure. See the PS5 system software update instructions.
Does PS5 copy updates faster than PS4?
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PS5 FAQ, published November 9, 2020, says downloading and applying game updates should generally work more quickly on PS5 than on PS4 because update and patch data sizes are managed more effectively. It gives no measured time or percentage, and it is a general comparison—not a promise about every game or update.
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Will an SSD or Rest Mode speed up copying?
Sony supports M.2 SSD storage for PS5 game data, but its storage guidance does not claim that adding one speeds up the update-copy stage. Consider an M.2 drive as a storage expansion, not a proven copy-speed fix. Compatibility requirements are listed on PlayStation’s PS5 storage page. The official sources cited here also do not establish Rest Mode as a way to make copying faster.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What PlayStation documents about copying
The PlayStation support pages explain how to troubleshoot game/app update failures, but do not describe the internal copying algorithm or publish typical copy times, expected speed improvements, or a detailed explanation of why a particular title takes longer. Claims that the console recopies every game file, or that a particular hardware change will definitely accelerate the process, are not established by the official material cited here.
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When to contact PlayStation
If the official game or app update steps fail, PlayStation directs users to support or repairs. If Safe Mode will not start or storage problems persist, use PlayStation’s Safe Mode guidance and its repair route rather than repeatedly trying data-erasing reset procedures.
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