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How to install an SSD in a PS5

There are not few users who have decided install a ssd internal M.2 in its PS5. In this way it is possible to download games and install them on the console enjoying a good reading speed and storage space.

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In this article, we are going to see everything we need to do to be able to easily install a new internal SSD in our brand new PlayStation 5.

Install an M.2 SSD on a PS5

Next, we are going to see a fairly simple guide where we will explain in detail how to install an SSD in our PlayStation 5 safely. Although before starting, we will have to meet certain requirements.

Prerequisites for upgrading console storage

Buy a PS5 compatible SSD

It is essential that we acquire a drive that is compatible, most PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSDs are compatible with the console, Sony itself published details on this issue in this article where it lists the necessary requirements.

Sony recommends a sequential read speed of 5500 MB/s or higher. Many users claim that slightly slower SSDs also work fine. Although we recommend reading the experiences of other users to learn more about it and draw conclusions.

In this guide, we are going to use the Western Digital Black SN770, it is a very affordable Gen 4 M.2 SSD and is compatible with PS5. Although in this case, it is slightly below the recommended speed, but it works great.

Verify that the PS5 is up to date

Something very important that we must take into account is that the console did not come from the factory with support for storage expansion. Sony released this update in September 2021, so we are going to have to make sure that we have the latest version of the firmware for the console.

Heat sink and different fundamental tools

To finish off the prerequisites section, you will also need a heat sink on the SSD, which can comfortably fit the size requirements below. It is important to purchase a suitable SSD that can fit within the margins and has a heatsink. Although if we already have an SSD, we can purchase a heat sink that is compatible with the size of the SSD. We will have to install the heat sink on the PlayStation 5 disk following the manual that is included.

Additionally, we are going to need a standard Philips Head screwdriver (cross head). We also strongly recommend that the entire procedure be done on a clean surface and do not scratch the body of the console. It is advisable to place a cloth or desk pad on the place where we will do the work.

Install or upgrade SSD on PS5

Once we have everything ready, we are going to have to turn off the console and unplug it from the power. Then we will have to remove the side panel of the console. For this we are going to have to place it horizontally, so that the PlayStation logo is facing down.

Next, we will have to stand towards the bottom of the console, grab the edge next to the power button with our left hand and the diagonally opposite corner with our right.

Now it will be time to lift the cover very carefully using the right hand and we will pull the cover towards the direction of the blue-ray disc, that is, towards us. He would have to slide carefully. For now, we’ll leave the cover in a safe place until we put it back on.

Next, we are going to locate the SSD expansion slot on the console, this is located next to the cooling fan and covered with a metal plate. We remove the cover using the aforementioned screwdriver as we can see in the image that accompanies the article. After this, the SSD slot cover can be removed. We will keep the screw and the cap in a safe place.

Once we remove the cover, we can see the M.2 SSD slot with markings for different sizes. Here we are going to have to remove the screw that is marked with 110 at the end of the slot. Additionally, we will have to remove the ring-shaped “spacer” that is located under the screw. We move the spacer and screw to the indicator place depending on the length of the SSD. What does the spacer do? It serves to make sure that the SSD is installed perfectly.

We are going to put the SSD in the cavity and see the M.2 port depending on the size of the SSD. Now we are going to put the spacer that we previously removed in the indicated hole. For example, the WD SN770 is an M.2 2280 SSD, so we put the spacer in the hole marked “80”.

Here we will have to align the SSD against the M.2 port at a 45 degree angle. We will verify that the notches on the M.2 port of the PS5 and SSD are aligned. After this, we are going to proceed to install the SSD in the slot of our console.

Once it is perfectly inserted, we will have to put a finger on the back side of the SSD, in this way it will lie flat on the hole and the spacer that we have previously placed. What follows will be to screw the SSD with the screw that we removed previously.

Now it’s time to install the SSD heat sink. We will have to check that it fits perfectly in the SSD cover. For this we will have to consult the compatibility section at the beginning in case we are not sure that the heatsink is thin enough.

Something that is quite important, if not fundamental, is: we must place the SSD cover. It is not feasible to use an SSD with larger heat sink, they are not supported. If we leave the cover of the SSD out, the airflow design will be severely affected and it will end up overheating.

Now we are going to put the SSD expansion slot cover on the PS5 and screw it on with the screwdriver.

At this point we are going to have to put the side panel of PS5 and make sure that it is aligned with the hooks below, as we will see in the accompanying images. We’ll snap it back into place to the right, which will cause the hooks to go into the indicated locations. We’ll figure out why we’ll hear a clicking sound when it’s attached.

And that would be it, in this way we have managed to install an SSD in our PS5. Although the most complicated has already been done, there is still something to do. We are going to have to connect the console to electricity and the HDMI cable, we proceed to turn it on by pressing the power button on the front.

The screen that we will see next means that the console detected the SSD. Here we are going to have to choose “Format M.2 SSD” and then turn on the controller. After a short time, the console will display the read speed of the SSD.

Frequent questions

How to install or move games between M.2 SSD and PS5 native SSD?

We will have to go to Settings> Storage> Installation location to configure the installation of games on the unit that we have installed and the integrated 825 GB SSD selectively, depending on what we want. If we are going to move a game from internal storage to the SSD, we will have to go to the game and press the “Options” button. Then, we will choose “Move games and applications”.

Does adding an M.2 SSD void the warranty?

As long as no physical damage was caused to the console, it will not void your warranty. For this reason we insist in the guide that we be very careful with the elements of the PS5.

Does the M.2 SSD need to be removed before sending the console in for warranty?

Yes. Sony requires that we remove the internal M.2 SSD before the console can be sent in for warranty repair.

Will this SSD make the console faster?

The native storage of the console will always be faster than the SSD that we install. Although for that matter, the difference between the loading times of the game is not too noticeable.

Will I need more than 1TB of storage?

Actually, this depends a lot on the number of games that we want to save on the hard drive. For example, Gran Turismo 7 takes up around 183 GB of storage. So if we have too many games like this, we’ll have to seriously think about which ones to prioritize.

How many SSD can be installed?

It is possible to install an additional SSD, in addition to the native storage of the console. Additionally, we can connect an external storage to store non-PS5 games.

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