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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →On a working PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Reset Options > Reset Your Console. This permanently deletes data stored locally on the console, so back up or transfer anything you want to keep before confirming. If the PS5 cannot reach the home screen, use Safe Mode instead.
Choose the right PS5 reset option
| Option | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Restore Default Settings | Reverts settings without deleting user or game data. | You are fixing display, audio, or configuration problems. |
| Reset Your Console | Deletes local user, game, save, capture, app, and settings data. | You are selling, giving away, or starting over on a working PS5. |
| Safe Mode > Reset PS5 | Deletes user data and restores the console from Safe Mode. | The normal Settings menu is inaccessible. |
| Safe Mode > Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) | Deletes user data and removes PS5 system software before reinstalling it. | System software is corrupted or Sony’s troubleshooting instructions require a reinstall. |
| Repair Console Storage, Clear Cache, or Rebuild Database | Non-destructive troubleshooting options according to Sony. | The PS5 is slow, has storage/startup problems, or shows a deleted game icon. |
Sony distinguishes restoring default settings from resetting: restoring settings does not erase user or game data, while a reset cannot be undone.
Before resetting: protect your data and privacy
- Record the console serial number, especially for a sale, transfer, or disposal.
- Remove physical discs and unplug USB devices you want to keep.
- If you installed an M.2 SSD and intend to reuse it, remove it before handing over the console. Treat its contents separately from the console reset.
- Sync trophies manually; trophies are not included in a USB PS5 backup.
- Back up or transfer saved data, games, apps, screenshots, video clips, and settings.
- Confirm the email address, password, and two-factor-authentication method for every PlayStation account. Resetting the console does not recover an account or change its password.
- If you are selling the PS5, finish the reset before giving it to the buyer.
Sony’s transfer and disposal checklist covers these preparation steps.
Back up to a USB drive
- Connect a compatible USB drive formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. Sony notes that not every USB device works, and a drive formatted as PS5 extended storage cannot also serve as a full PS5-backup drive without being reformatted.
- Open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5.
- Select the data categories, choose Next, then Back Up.
- Allow the PS5 to restart and finish. Select OK only after the console reports completion.
The backup can include games and apps, saved data, captures, settings, and other local user data. It does not include trophies, games or apps stored on an extended-storage USB drive or M.2 SSD. Do not turn off the console during backup or restore. A restore requires system software that is the same version or newer than the version used to create the backup, and restoring overwrites data currently on the destination console. See Sony’s USB backup instructions.
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- Includes DualSense Wireless Controller, 1TB SSD, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC power cord, USB cable, printed materials, ASTRO’s PLAYROOM (Pre-installed game)
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Use cloud saves or transfer to another PS5
PlayStation Plus cloud storage can preserve compatible saved data, but it is not a complete copy of screenshots, video clips, settings, or installed games. Verify that recent saves have synchronized and sign in with the same account on the other console. For a direct transfer, update both PS5 systems, sign in with the same account, and on the destination console open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer, select Continue, and follow the prompts. Keep both consoles powered on; do not change network settings or run internet connection tests during the transfer. Sony’s details are in its PS5 data-transfer guide.
Method 1: Reset a working PS5 from Settings
- From the home screen, open Settings.
- Go to System > System Software > Reset Options.
- Select Reset Your Console.
- Read the warning and confirm. Leave the PS5 powered on until the process completes.
The reset deletes information saved on the PS5 and cannot be reversed. The console then returns to first-time setup. The exact wording can vary slightly by region or system-software version; Sony documents this path on its transfer and disposal page.
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- 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Memory; 825GB SSD Storage Capacity
- Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
- HDR technology, 8K output,4K TV gaming, Up to 120 fps with 120Hz output, Tempest 3D AudioTech
- What's Included: Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition; DualSense; USB cable, HDMI cable.
Method 2: Reset a PS5 in Safe Mode
Use this route when the PS5 cannot reach the normal home screen.
- Hold the power button for about three seconds to turn the console off.
- Press and hold the power button again.
- Release it after the second beep, approximately seven seconds after the first.
- Connect the controller with a USB cable and press the PS button.
- Choose Reset PS5 for the ordinary Safe Mode factory reset. Choose Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) only when system software must also be removed and reinstalled.
Before erasing a blank-screen PS5, try Safe Mode’s Change Video Output options, including Change Resolution or Change HDCP Mode. For storage or database symptoms, try Repair Console Storage, Clear System Software Cache, or Rebuild Database first. Sony says Repair Console Storage does not erase data and describes Rebuild Database as useful when a deleted game icon remains. See the Safe Mode guide.
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- Enjoy smooth and fluid high frame rate gameplay at up to 120 fps for compatible games, with support for 120Hz output on 4K displays.
- PS5 consoles support an 8K output, so you can play games on your 4320p resolution display.
- Maximize your play sessions with near-instant load times for installed PS5 games.
- 825GB SSD allows ultra-fast load times, while 3-D audio output produces crisp acoustics.
- Explore uncharted virtual territories and slay dragons with this sleek Sony PlayStation 5 gaming console.
Method 3: Reinstall PS5 system software
This is the most destructive route and is not the routine reset. Use a PC or Mac and only Sony’s official reinstallation file.
- Format a USB drive as FAT32 or exFAT.
- Create a folder named
PS5, then anUPDATEfolder inside it. - Download Sony’s reinstallation file and save it as
PS5UPDATE.PUPinsidePS5/UPDATE. - Ensure approximately 1.2 GB of free space is available for the reinstallation file.
- Connect the drive to the PS5, start Safe Mode, and select Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software).
Sony lists approximately 1.1 GB for the ordinary update file and approximately 1.2 GB for the reinstallation file; these figures can change. Do not interrupt installation or use unofficial files, which Sony warns can damage the console and affect operation, warranty, or repair eligibility. Follow the current PS5 system-software instructions.
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- Slim Design, players get powerful gaming technology packed inside a sleek and compact console design.
- 825GB of storage, keep your favorite games raeady and waiting for you to jump in and play
- Ultra-High Speed SSD, maximize yoru play sessions with near instant load times for installed PS5 games
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What happens after the reset?
- The first-time setup screen appears and local console data is gone.
- Sign in again, download games and apps from your library, and restore a USB backup if you made one.
- Digital purchases remain associated with the account and can generally be downloaded again after signing in; the reset does not delete the PlayStation account, purchases, or cloud data.
- Console Sharing and Offline Play may need to be enabled again.
- Astro’s Playroom can be downloaded again from the PlayStation Store if it is no longer installed.
If the reset fails
- Confirm the PS5 has fully shut down, then remove discs and unnecessary USB devices.
- Enter Safe Mode and try a non-destructive option if your goal is troubleshooting rather than erasure.
- Attempt Reset PS5.
- If system software is damaged or updates fail, prepare the official
PS5/UPDATE/PS5UPDATE.PUPfile and use Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software). - If Safe Mode will not start, the USB file is not recognized, or installation repeatedly fails, use PlayStation Repairs.
A forgotten PlayStation Network password requires account recovery through PlayStation Support; resetting the console will not solve it.
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