Even though consoles are more user-friendly than gaming PCs, you must perform regular maintenance. One of these tasks, especially for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 owners, is rebuilding the storage database. But what does this process do, and how do you do it? Here’s everything you need to know about rebuilding databases on the PS4 and PS5.
QUICK ANSWER
To rebuild the database on a PS4 or PS5, press and hold the console's power button for seven seconds to access Safe Mode. Using the controller, select the Rebuild Database option to begin the process.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
- What does rebuilding the database do?
- How to rebuild the database on a PS5
- How to rebuild the database on a PS4
What does rebuilding the database do?
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority
According to Sony, rebuilding the console storage database is a fix for those who encounter system feature issues or an uninstalled game icon on the home screen that won’t disappear. Rebuilding the database will recreate the list of all games and apps installed on your system. Theoretically, this step can also boost the loading speed of your device. More importantly, unlike the Initialize option on the PS4 and PS5, rebuilding the storage database will not delete any user data, games, or apps.
Like defragmenting your disk on old Windows PCs, the database rebuild could take a few minutes or hours, depending on the size of your storage drive, how many items you have stored on the disk, and if your console has an SSD or hard drive installed. Generally, this process is completed faster on the PS5 than on the PS4.
How to rebuild the database on a PS5
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- Turn off your PS5, but don’t unplug it from the wall.
- Press and hold the console’s power button for seven seconds until you hear two beeps. When you hear the second beep, release the button. Your console will boot into Safe Mode.
- Next, grab a USB-C cable and connect your DualSense controller to the console.
- Press the PS button on the controller.
- Use the D-pad to scroll down and select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
- Next, select Rebuild Database.
- Tap OK to begin the process.
When the rebuilding process is complete, the PS5 will restart, and you can continue gaming as usual.
How to rebuild the database on a PS4
- Turn off your PS4, but don’t unplug it from the wall.
- Press and hold the console’s power button for seven seconds until you hear two beeps. When you hear the second beep, release the button. Your console will boot into Safe Mode.
- Connect your DualShock 4 controller to the console via a micro-USB cable.
- Press the PS button on the controller.
- Use the D-pad to scroll down to the Rebuild Database option. Select it to begin the process.
Like the PS5, your PS4 will reboot once the process is complete, and you can continue using it as usual.
FAQs
No, the database rebuilding process will only remove corrupted files on the PS4 and PS5. Your saved progress, installed games, and apps will not be deleted.
Yes, rebuilding the PS4 and PS5 database is entirely safe for the console and your data stored on it. Just ensure that you do not switch off the console during the process.
It can take anything from a few minutes to more than an hour to rebuild your console’s database. It largely depends on how large the console’s storage drive is and how much data it stores.
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