How to mount an internal hard drive on PlayStation 4 step by step

Gone are the times when video games did not reach the gigabyte of capacity on the hard drive. At present we find authentic barbarities as necessary 100GB of free space in our unit. Amount that is enlarged with the passing of the months on the occasion of updates and DLCs on duty. If we take into account the limited capacity of current consoles in terms of hard disk, we find that in the end in a 500GB drive we can barely have installed 4 or 5 games at most.

That is why it becomes almost a necessity to change our hard drive from the console for one with greater capacity. During the following lines we will tell you how to mount an internal hard drive on PlayStation 4. A process that although it may seem tedious and complicated on paper since it is a console, it is actually much simpler than you think.

How to change the hard drive of your PS4

What do I need to mount a hard drive on PS4?

Before getting involved, we have to talk about everything we need to change the hard drive. These are not elements outside your reach, but it must be made clear that this time we are referring to the basic models of the console. That is, those appeared in 2013 and its standard version, leaving out of the equation the Slim and Pro editions of PlayStation 4. If you opt for a solid state drive, remember that you can take a look at our Buying guide of the best SSD hard drives for PlayStation 4. They are more expensive options, but it improves a lot in performance compared to the SATA II versions.

The tutorial is only valid for standard PlayStation 4 models, from CUH-1000 to CUH-1215 models

On the other hand and not least, remember back up all your console data. If you are a PlayStation Plus subscriber, simply access Load to Online Storage from the options menu. You have up to 100GB to save all your data. If you are not a subscriber of the Sony online service, enter a USB you must synchronize your trophies. Now access the Backup and Restore menu, back up the USB until the bar finishes its progress.

Step 1: Download the PlayStation 4 OS

Our first point to consider during the change of PlayStation 4 hard drive will be to download the operating system from the console. As we said lines back, you can do it completely free of charge through the official Sony website. Once downloaded, format the USB in FAT-32. Once this is done, create a folder called PS4 inside the unit (important that it is in capital letters). Inside the PS4 folder, create another UPDATE call (also in uppercase). Once you have this last folder, enter the file you have downloaded from the official Sony website.

Step 2: Remove the hard drive from the console

Accessing the internal hard disk of the console is quite simple, at least in the standard PlayStation 4 models. We will only have to remove the upper left housing of the platform, exposing the hard disk. Use the flathead screwdriver to get rid of the side screws from the box containing the hard drive. Now, you can extract it easily. Remember to also unscrew the enclosure attached to the hard drive as we will need it for the next steps.

Step 3: Install the new hard drive

Step three can not be easier. Basically we will need to 'undo' what has been done so far, but with the new hard drive. Use the mounting bracket where the previous model was, but now for your brand new SSD or SATA II. Place the screws of the housing, fix it inside the console and place the panel you removed at the beginning.

Step 4: Install the operating system on your PlayStation 4

Do you remember the USB you used in the first step of the instructions? It is time to use it. Enter your PlayStation 4 in Safe Mode. To do this you just have to press and hold the power button until you hear a second beep. You will see a menu on your screen with different options. Choose 'Initialize PS4 (reinstall system software)' and press X.

Enter the USB with the operating system, press OK. Complete the update by following the steps that will be indicated on your screen. Now you just need to restore the data that you will previously save, either in your PlayStation Plus account or on a USB. For the first case, PS Plus subscribers, you just have to access the configuration menu and there in 'Data Saved in Storage' choose 'Download in system storage'. Finally, users who will save their data to a USB will have to access 'Backup and Restoration' in the Settings menu. Enter the pendrive and select the Restore option.

And voila! You just changed the hard drive of your PlayStation 4 in just a few minutes. Our recommendation in case of opting for a SATA II opt for models of a minimum of 1TB. In contrast, SSDs are a perfect option for those who want shorter load times and some performance improvement. Of course, its price is much higher than that of the SATA II.