This is because the PS4 doesn’t encrypt and format the entire drive when making backups – it leaves your hard disk or SSD free to be used for other tasks if you’ve got the space. If you want to use an external drive to store console backups the process is only a little more complex. Pick the option to Format the drive as extended storage, and the console will take care of the whole process.Īs ever, you do need to remember to use a USB 3.0 product with a capacity between 250GB and 8TB, otherwise the process won’t work.
This is because the PS4 uses its own encrypted file system when using a hard drive or SSD as extended storage.Īll you’ve got to do is plug your drive into the console, head to the Settings menu, open Devices, and then USB Storage Devices. If you want to use an external drive as extended storage on your PS4, then the format process couldn’t be much simpler.