How to factory reset a PS4 safely

You recently upgraded your gaming system to a PS5™, and now it's time to sell your older PS4™ model. But before you put it on the market, you want to freshen it up for the new owner. That means restoring it to its factory condition.

Asurion Experts keep your favorite tech devices running smoothly. Whether you need help setting up PS4 parental controls or can't figure out why your PlayStation® USB ports stopped working, we have an answer. Learn how to factory reset a PS4 quickly and easily in this guide.

When a factory reset might be necessary

Before we explain how to reset a PS4 to factory settings, let's clarify why you might want to do that. Here are a few reasons:

• Selling or gifting your PS4: A factory reset returns the PS4 console to its original out-of-the-box state. That allows new owners to set up the device using their preferred settings and configuration.
• Troubleshooting a problem: A PS4 that doesn't respond to other fixes may require a factory reset to resolve system issues.
• Restoring boot functions: If you can't get your PS4 to start, returning it to its factory state may get it working again.

A factory reset deletes all saved data from your PS4. Once it's gone, you can't get it back, so make sure to create a backup of any applications you want to keep.

Steps to reset PS4 to factory settings

To factory reset a PS4 Pro, PS4 Slim, or regular PS4, take these actions. 

Back up important data

You don't want to lose stored gaming progress. PlayStation offers two methods to save your data—through a PlayStation Plus online account or on a USB flash drive.

Back up through PlayStation Plus

1. Open Settings > Power Saving Settings > Set Features Available in Rest Mode.
2. Select Stay Connected to the Internet.
3. Open Settings > Application Data Management > Auto-Upload.
4. Select Enable Automatic Uploads. 
5. Verify you have all the necessary files saved to your online drive.

Back up with a USB

Locate a USB drive with double the storage space you require to save your files, then:

1. Select Trophies on the function screen. Press the Options button and select Sync Trophies with PSN.
2. Plug the USB drive into the PS4.
3. Open Settings > System > Back Up and Restore.
4. Select Back Up. Choose the data you want to save.
5. Name your backup file and select Back Up.
6. Remove the USB drive

Disconnect external devices

Before initiating the reset, remove all PlayStation discs, USB drives, and other external peripherals from your device. 

Execute the factory reset

To start the factory reset process, use your controller to navigate the PlayStation menu.

1. Open Settings > Initialization.
2. Select Initialize PS4 > Full. 

To avoid damaging your PS4, don't attempt to turn it off during the reset. The process may take several hours to finish. 

Factory reset from safe mode

If you can't access the Settings menu because of a boot issue, use Safe Mode to perform a reset. Note that you must reinstall the current system software available from PlayStation.

1. Locate a USB drive and insert it into your computer's USB port. Create one folder named "PS4." Inside that folder, make another empty folder and label it "UPDATE."
2. Navigate to the PS4 system software website. Click Reinstall system software. 
3. Download the installation file to the UPDATE folder. Name the saved file "PS4UPDATE.PUP."
4. Insert the USB drive into the PS4 console.
5. Press and hold the Power button on your PS4 until you hear two beeps.
6. Select Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software). 

Post-reset procedures

If you're transferring your PS4 to someone else, note its serial and model number. The numbers are on the side of your device or near its ports. They may come in handy if you need to prove device ownership.

Reinstall games and applications

To reinstall game progress and settings from your online cloud storage, follow these steps.

1. Select your username.
2. Open Settings > Application Data Management > Saved data in Online Storage.
3. Click Download to System Storage.
4. Select each item you want to download to your PlayStation.

USB backup recovery to a PS4 or PS5

If you created a backup file with a USB drive, insert it into your PlayStation 5. Then, follow these steps.

1. Open Settings > System > Back Up and Restore.
2. Select Restore PS4.
3. Select your backup file.
4. Select Yes. 

You can also save your USB backup file to a PS5. Before proceeding, make sure to insert the USB into your PlayStation.

1. Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
2. Select Saved Data (PS4) > USB Drive.
3. Select Copy to Console Storage.