The PS5 storage expansion issues are no stranger in the community. Expanding your storage should be a smooth experience, but sometimes compatibility issues can arise unexpectedly. While there are fixes for the expansion problems, the innate causes render them useless; a fault with the hardware. Whether you’re expanding your storage with an external USB device or an M.2 SSD, storage expansion issues can occur abruptly due to several factors, including compatibility issues, damaged hardware, formatting errors (such as FAT32 or NTFS), or unresolved system glitches. Here’s how to fix PS5 storage expansion issues and identify the cause of these errors.
Fixing PS5 Storage Expansion Issues
Below, you will find all the methods to fix PS5 storage expansion issues.
Check SSD Compatibility
The primary cause of these errors is the incompatibility between your SSD and the PS5. Before purchasing one, ensure that the SSD meets all of Sony’s requirements: a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD with a size range of 250 GB to 2 TB. Additionally, an integrated heat sink is a bonus. You can find more about PS5-compatible SSDs with heat sinks right here.
Double-check SSD Port
If your PlayStation 5 isn’t reading the recently installed SSD, ensure that it’s inserted and screwed correctly in the slot.
Formatting Before Installation
Inserting the SSD directly before formatting can cause various issues, including the possibility of it becoming unreadable. The PlayStation 5 typically prompts you to format your SSD before use; however, the installation process is sometimes overlooked. For the manual formatting process, go to Settings -> Storage -> M.2 SSD Storage and choose Format M.2 SSD. You can do the same for extended USB drives.
Update Your System Software
Always ensure that your PS5 is running on the latest system software. Go to Settings -> System -> System Software -> Update and check if an update is pending.
Try a Different Drive
If nothing works, using another SSD can provide a definitive answer as to whether your hardware or the PS5’s software is malfunctioning. Broken SSD? You can claim its warranty and exchange it for a brand new piece.
