Sony PlayStation 5 requires at least a 250GB PCIe Gen4 SSD. Sony also recommends a 5500Mbps drive, but slower Gen4 drives may still be supported. in this article, we will be guiding you on how How to use expandable M.2 SSD storage on PlayStation 5.
expandable M.2 SSD storage PlayStation 5
Here’s how it all works:
- To use expandable storage on the PlayStation 5, you need to remove the side panels from the console. Make sure you unplug the power cord. It’s a little inconvenient, but the PS5 is solid, so don’t worry you won’t break the panels.
- After you remove both panels, you need to find the M.2 SSD slot. It is located on the left side of the fan; this is the side where the PS5 drive is located. You will need a screwdriver to unscrew the M.2 SSD slot cover and remove the screw that secures your drive in place.
- After removing the cover, you will find a black screw supplied by Sony at the very top inside the socket. Unscrew it and use it to lock the SSD in place. Sony recommends using an M.2 SSD with a heatsink, so if you purchased a Gen4 SSD without a heatsink, you can purchase a variety of heatsinks to connect to the SSDs to help with cooling.
- Now that the M.2 SSD is installed, you can put the cover back on the slot, and then carefully slide the side panels into place on both sides. Reconnect the power cord and boot up the PlayStation 5.
- If an M.2 SSD is not compatible, you will receive a warning from PS5 that a Gen4 drive of at least 256 GB is required. Otherwise, you will need to continue formatting the drive for use on the PS5. Make sure you back up any data on the drive if you have used it on other systems.
- After formatting is complete, the PlayStation 5 will quickly check the disk speed and warn you that if you have problems with a game installed on the M.2 SSD, try moving it to internal storage.
- You can then freely move installed games to M.2 SSD storage or install new games from PlayStation Store directly to the storage.
