How to Backup PS4 to External Hard Drive? [Complete Guide]

Do you know how to backup PS4 to an external hard drive? If you're also searching for an optimal method to backup, you've landed in the right place. This article will introduce two of the best ways to backup your PS4, and you can choose the one that suits you best.

Can I Back up My PS4 to an External Hard Drive? Yes, you can back up your PlayStation 4 (PS4) to an external hard drive. This is a useful method for safeguarding your game saves, system settings, and other data in case of any issues with your console. Here's how to do it: 1. **Prepare the External Hard Drive:** - Ensure the external hard drive is compatible with the PS4. It should have a USB 3.0 connection and at least 250 GB of free space. - Format the hard drive for use with the PS4. Connect the drive to your PS4, then go to "Settings" > "System Storage Management" > "Format as Extended Storage." 2. **Create a Backup:** - Connect the formatted external hard drive to your PS4. - Go to "Settings" on your PS4 home screen. - Navigate to "System" and select "Backup and Restore." - Choose "Backup" and follow the on-screen instructions to select the data you want to back up, such as system settings, user profiles, saved data, and games. - The backup process will begin, which may take some time depending on the amount of data. 3. **Restore from Backup:** - In case you need to restore your PS4 from the backup, make sure the same external hard drive is connected to your console. - Go to "Settings" > "System" > "Backup and Restore." - Select "Restore" and follow the prompts to choose the backup file you want to restore. Remember that this backup does not include downloaded games, applications, or updates. You'll need to redownload these after restoring your system. Also, keep in mind that backing up to an external hard drive is different from using the PlayStation Plus cloud storage, which saves your game saves online for up to 100 MB per game.

Of course, you can backup your PS4 to an external hard drive. There are several methods to back up an external hard drive for either upgrading the PS4 hard drive or safeguarding your data. Given that the PS4 has limited disk space, backing up becomes crucial to save settings and applications. Thus, it's essential to create a backup to guard against hard drive failures. Additionally, you can enjoy the following advantages:

• Recover gaming data
• Upgrade PS4 storage to an external drive
• Avoid reformatting on Windows or Mac

Now that you know how to back up PS4 to an external hard drive, you might also want to learn how to do it. Let's proceed to the next section.

How Do I Back up My PS4 to an External Hard Drive? Backing up your PlayStation 4 (PS4) to an external hard drive is a straightforward process that ensures the safety of your saved games, settings, and other data. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it: 1. **Prepare the External Hard Drive:** - Ensure that the hard drive is compatible with the PS4. It should have a USB 3.0 connection for faster transfer speeds, and at least 250 GB of free space. - Format the hard drive to the FAT32 or exFAT file system if it's not already. This is necessary for the PS4 to recognize it. You can do this on a PC or Mac. - Connect the external hard drive to your PS4's USB port. 2. **Enter the Settings Menu:** - Turn on your PS4 and go to the home screen. - Navigate to the top menu bar and select "Settings." 3. **Select "System":** - In the settings menu, choose "System." 4. **Choose "Backup and Restore":** - Scroll down and select "Backup and Restore." 5. **Backup Your PS4:** - On the "Backup" page, you'll see a list of items that will be backed up, including system software, accounts, settings, and game/data saves. - Press the "Backup" button to start the process. 6. **Wait for the Backup to Complete:** - The time it takes to complete the backup depends on the amount of data you have. Be patient as the PS4 copies your files to the external hard drive. 7. **Verify the Backup:** - Once the backup is finished, you may want to verify its contents to ensure everything was saved correctly. Remember that this backup can only be used to restore data onto the same console or a new one with the same PlayStation Network (PSN) account. It's also a good idea to keep your important game saves synced with the PlayStation Plus cloud storage for additional security. If you ever need to restore from the backup, follow the "Restore" option in the "Backup and Restore" menu, ensuring the external hard drive remains connected during the process.

Please proceed with reading if you're keen on learning how to back up your PS4 to an external hard drive. This segment will outline two approaches to backing up your PS4. Following that, you'll be able to utilize the external hard drive for additional storage and expand your PS4's storage capacity as detailed in this guide.

Ways to Backup PS4 to External Hard Drive: 1. Connect the External Hard Drive: - First, ensure that your external hard drive is compatible with the PS4. It should have a USB 3.0 connection and at least 500 GB of storage. - Plug the hard drive into one of the available USB ports on the back or front of your PS4 console. 2. Format the External Hard Drive (if necessary): - Turn on your PS4 and navigate to the Home Screen. - Go to 'Settings' located in the top row of icons. - Select 'System' from the options. - Choose 'Storage' and locate your connected external hard drive, which might be labeled as "USB Storage Device." - If it's not formatted for PS4 use, select 'Format as Extended Storage.' - Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the formatting process. 3. Enable Backups: - In 'Settings,' scroll down and choose 'Backup and Restore.' - Select 'Backup Your PlayStation 4.' - Make sure your external hard drive is selected as the backup destination. 4. Choose Content to Backup: - The system will display a list of data categories, such as 'Games and Apps,' 'Saved Data,' 'System Software,' etc. - Mark the checkboxes next to the content you want to backup. - Uncheck any items you don't need to save. 5. Start the Backup Process: - Press 'Backup Now' to initiate the backup. - Wait for the process to complete. This can take several hours depending on the amount of data. 6. Verify the Backup: - Once the backup is done, check your external hard drive to ensure the files are there. - You can also compare the backed-up data with the original data on your PS4 to confirm its integrity. 7. Restoring from Backup: - In case you need to restore your PS4 from the backup, follow these steps: - Ensure your PS4 is fully turned off (not in rest mode). - Connect the external hard drive to your PS4. - During the initial setup or 'Safe Mode' selection, choose 'Restore PS4' or 'Initialize PS4.' - Select 'Restore from Backup' and choose the backup file from your external hard drive. - Follow the prompts to complete the restoration process. Remember, backing up your PS4 regularly is crucial to protect your progress, saves, and settings in case of hardware failure or system updates.

There are two approaches available. Both facilitate backing up PS4 data and applications to an external hard drive. When it comes to choosing the best method for backing up your PS4 to an external hard drive, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option outlined below and select the one that suits you best.

• Todo Backup Home: This is a reliable third-party backup software.
• PS4 Built-in Tool: PS4 comes with a built-in application for backup and recovery.

The built-in tools of the PS4 only cater to basic data and application backup requirements. While Todo Backup on a Windows PC necessitates downloading, it offers more comprehensive solutions. It also supports incremental and differential backups, which save both backup time and storage space. If you wish to learn more about various types of backups, please click the button:

Can't Backup PS4 to External Hard Drive? – You Need Preparations

If you tried to back up your PS4 but ran into problems with saving it to an external hard drive, chances are you skipped some prep work. So, before we dive into the steps, let's check what you should do beforehand.

1. Prepare an external hard drive and format it as FAT32 or exFAT.

2. The external drive should have at least twice the storage space of the PS4's hard drive.

3. When backing up on Windows, you'll need a Phillips screwdriver to remove the hard drive from the PS4.

When you're ready to back up your PS4 to the external hard drive, let's dive into the specific steps!

Method 1: Backup PS4 to an External Hard Drive with Todo Backup Tools

This is professional backup and recovery software. If you intend to use Todo Backup tools to back up your PS4 to an external hard drive, you can benefit from the following conveniences:

• It can back up all systems, partitions, files, and support disk backup on PS4.
• It can perform automatic backup to back up daily or monthly.
• It can quickly restore your data when PS4 is compromised.

Download this tool and follow the instructions to back up your PS4 hard drive:

Step 1. Begin by selecting the backup content.

Step 2. There are four backup categories: File, Disk, OS, and Mail. Click on Disk.

Step 3. You can choose to back up the entire disk or a specific partition. Select what you need and click OK.

Step 4. Choose the location where you want to save the backup.

Step 5. For disk/partition backup, you can choose to save the backup to a local drive or to a NAS.

Step 6. Once the backup process is finished, the task will be listed on the left. Right-click on any task, you can manage your backup further like recovering it, creating an incremental backup, and more.

Aside from backing up PS4 to an external hard drive, you can also enjoy these benefits of the Todo Backup tool:

• Clone HDD to SSD.
• Perform offsite copy to FTP.
• Clone disk, partition, or system.
• Copy SD card to another SD card.
• Backup to local, external, cloud, or NAS.

Method 2: Backup PS4 to an External Hard Drive with a Built-in Tool

Backing up a PS4 to an external hard drive is also straightforward. You can save your games, applications, data, and settings on an external hard drive. However, it won't accommodate modified files; only complete backups can be executed at once. Here's how to backup your PS4 to an external hard drive: 1. Connect the external hard drive to your PS4 using a USB cable. 2. Ensure the hard drive is formatted in the FAT32 or exFAT file system, which is compatible with the PS4. 3. Turn on your PS4 and go to the 'Settings' menu. 4. In the 'Settings' menu, select 'System.' 5. From there, choose 'Backup and Restore.' 6. Select 'Backup' to begin the process. 7. Choose the items you want to back up, such as 'Game Data,' 'Application Data,' 'Settings,' etc. 8. Press 'OK' to start the backup. This may take some time, depending on the amount of data. 9. Once completed, your PS4 will notify you. Remember that this backup cannot be updated; you'll need to create a new one for any subsequent changes. Keep in mind that you cannot use this backup to restore individual files; it's designed for full system restoration in case of issues with your PS4.

Step 1. To access Trophies, press the "Options" button and choose "Sync with PlayStation Network."

Step 2. Connect the external hard drive to the USB port of your PS4.

Step 3. Locate and select "Settings," then choose "System."

Step 4. Select "Backup and Restore" and click "Backup PS4."

Step 5. Choose the data you wish to back up. You can decide whether to include the application or not. Then, click "Next."

Step 6. Assign a name to the backup. Choose "Backup" and press the "X" button.

Step 7. Once the PS4 backup is complete, safely eject the external device.

Conclusion

Backing up PS4 data to an external hard drive is essential, and this can be achieved using the PS4's built-in tool or software like Todo Backup. While the PS4 backup utility serves its purpose, it has certain limitations. Therefore, I highly recommend utilizing Todo Backup for a more convenient backup experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing Up PS4 to an External Hard Drive

This article outlines two methods for backing up your PlayStation 4 (PS4) to an external hard drive. It also includes frequently asked questions related to the process.

It depends on the data you wish to back up. Generally, the external drive should have at least twice the storage capacity of the PS4's internal hard drive.

2. Can I use a USB flash drive as an external hard drive for PS4?

Yes, you can use a USB drive as an external storage device for your PlayStation 4 (PS4). However, it's essential to format the USB drive as either FAT32 or exFAT, as these are the file systems that the PS4 supports.

3. How to back up PS4 data to the cloud?

PlayStation Plus online storage allows you to back up your PS4 data to the cloud.

Step 1: Go to the Settings menu and locate "Application Data Management."

Step 2: Select "Upload to Online Storage."

Step 3. Select the files and click "Yes" to back up your PS4 data.