When it comes to fulfilling our gaming obsession, there’s no other name apart from PlayStation that strikes our mind. PlayStation has always been our all-time favorite gaming destination with which we can gladly spend hours and hours being entertained. Out of all the gaming consoles, PS4 has always been our first pick and is loved by a majority of gamers worldwide.
But just like every other gadget, PS4 can catch troubles too! So, is your PS4 console performing slow lately? Is it not new-like anymore? Well, factory reset can help you overcome these issues. Once you decide to factory reset your PS4, it will give you a chance to start from scratch and will bring your console to its original settings wiping off all the saved data.
So, if you’re comfortable with starting afresh here’s a quick guide on how to factory reset PS4 to bring back its lost glory!
Let’s get started.
How to Factory Reset PS4
You just have to follow a few simple steps to factory reset your PlayStation 4 console. But yes, just keep in mind that it will wipe off all your data and your gaming console will be restored to default settings. So, before you start this process, make sure your backup all your important data and store it to an external location.
Log in to your PS4 account and head on to Settings> PlayStation Network/ Account Management.
As your gaming console which you’re currently using is set as your primary PS4, you will first need to deactivate it. Tap on the “Deactivate” option.
Once you’ve successfully deactivated your machine, again head back to the Settings menu and select “Initialization”. Tap on the “Initialize PS4” option from the list.
So, this is where most of us get confused. As you noticed, the Initialization page offers you three options: Clear Learning Dictionary, Restore Default Settings and Initialize PS4. When you pick the “Restore Default Settings” option, it will only clear your applied settings but won’t wipe off your saved data. As this option seems pretty understandable, a majority of us tap on it assuming that this will factory reset your PS4.
Tapping the “Initialize PS4” option is what we need to pick to factory reset PS4. When you initialize your PS4, it will clear all your stored data, downloaded games, saved settings and almost everything that’s stored on your console.
Once you pick the “Initialize PS4” option, on the next window you will see two options: Quick and Full. Tap on the “Full” option which completely deletes all the data that’s stored on the hard drive to factory reset your PS4 and start afresh.
Also Read: 5 Most Common PS4 Issues Along with Their Quick Fixes
What Next? How to Re-install PS4 Firmware
Well, when you factory reset your PS4 console, it will remove the system software as well. So, to resume playing your favorite gaming titles, you will have to re-install the system software from the PlayStation website. To do so, follow these quick steps:
- First, head on to your PC or laptop and download the latest version of system software from PlayStation’s official website.
- Now, transfer this update to an external flash drive or hard drive. You will be requiring a minimum space of about 1.1 GB.
- Open the USB drive folder and create a new folder inside it named “UPDATE”. Transfer the firmware file which you recently downloaded to this “UPDATE” folder. Also, make sure that the downloaded firmware file is named as “PS4UPDATE.PUP” to avoid any further troubles.
- Now, boot your PS4 in safe mode by holding down the Power button. Wait until you hear two consecutive beep sounds.
- Plug-in your USB device and re-install the system software on your gaming console. And that’s about it!
Also Read: Gamers Alert! How To Set Up & Use VPN On PS4?
And it’s a Wrap!
We hope you liked our quick guide on how to factory reset PS4 gaming console to bring it back to its original condition. The process of factory resetting your PS4 console will take a couple of hours, so be patient and make sure you back up all your important data before you begin. For any other queries, feel free to ping us!