How to Clone a PS4 Hard Drive to an SSD Without Losing Data

As a PS4 user, you must know the pain of running out of storage when game sizes keep increasing, and your hard drive stays the same. The best solution is to upgrade your PS4 hard drive to an SSD for more capacity and better performance. Nobody wants to spend ages reinstalling games, so you'll need to clone your PS4 hard drive to the SSD. /a> will teach you how with a straightforward tutorial.

Preparing to Clone Your PS4 Hard Drive to an SSD

Before starting the step-by-step tutorial, you should read and understand what is required for the cloning process. Check the necessary preparations needed to clone your PS4 hard drive to an SSD:

• A PlayStation 4 console: First, you'll need a functional PlayStation 4 with the original hard drive installed.
• A 2.5-inch SATA SSD: Since the PlayStation 4 only supports SSDs connected via SATA cables, not all SSDs on the market will be compatible. Be sure to choose carefully when selecting the best external hard drive for your PlayStation 4.
• A Windows computer with cloning software: A Windows computer is necessary to download the required software to clone the data from your PlayStation 4's hard drive to the new SSD. Installing cloning tools like Partition Master ensures a seamless transfer of your settings and data to the upgraded storage space.
• The right screwdriver: You might need a Phillips head and a flathead screwdriver to safely and accurately remove the faceplate of your PlayStation 4.

Make sure you have all of these items ready, then proceed to the next section for a comprehensive guide on how to clone your PS4's hard drive to an SSD.

Read more: How to Transfer Games and Save Data from PS4 to PS5, How to Expand Storage Space on PS4

How to Clone a PS4 Hard Drive to an SSD

Cloning your PS4 hard drive to an SSD saves you the hassle of reinstalling games, adds capacity, and boosts performance. This section will delve into the detailed steps for cloning your PS4 hard drive to an SSD.

Step 1: Remove the PS4 hard drive from the console

Unplug all cables from the PS4 console and make sure it's upright.

Step one: Remove the shell of the PlayStation 4.

Gently grasp the PS4 system, and use your thumb to push the glossy portion of the top cover to the side until it clicks open.

Step 2: Remove the hard drive caddy.

Use a Phillips #00 screwdriver to remove the six 6.5 mm screws securing the hard drive bracket to the outer case. Be gentle when removing the hard drive bracket, as the internal hard drive is fragile.

Step 3: Remove the hard drive from the PlayStation 4.

• There are two screws on each side. Remove them from the hard drive caddy.
• Take the PS4 hard drive and install it in your computer.

Loosen the screws on both sides of the tray.

Step 2: Connect and format the SSD

To make the SSD compatible with PS4, you should format the external hard drive for PS4 usage. Partition Master is an ideal tool for formatting SSD without complicated steps. Plus, it can effectively format your external hard drive to any file system on all Windows systems.

Here is a simple and straightforward guide:

Step 1: Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, right-click the partition of the external hard drive/USB/SD card you want to format and choose "Format Partition".

Step 2: Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click “OK.”

< b > Step 3: < /b > Click “Yes” in the warning window to proceed.

Click on the “Perform 1 Task” button on the top left to view the changes, and then click on “Apply” to start formatting your external hard drive/USB/SD card.

Step 3: Clone your PS4's hard drive to the SSD

Cloning a PS4 hard drive is a tricky task for all PS4 users, and it's high time to turn to a professional cloning expert - AOMEI Partition Assistant. This software allows users to clone system/data disks without data loss risk and perform many other functions.

Please refer to this comprehensive tutorial on how to clone your PS4 hard drive to an SSD using a partition master tool:

Step 1: Select the source disk.

Click “Clone” from the left menu. Choose “Clone System Disk” or “Clone Data Disk,” then click “Next.” Select the source disk, then click “Next.”

Step 2: Select the target disk.

Select the HDD/SSD you want as the target disk, and then click “Next” to continue. Read the warning message and confirm by clicking the “Yes” button.

Step 3: Review the disk layout and edit the target disk partition sizes, if necessary.

When prompted that all data on the target disk will be erased, click “Continue” (make sure to back up any important data on the target disk beforehand).

Here you can choose to “Auto adjust disk size,” “Clone source disk size,” or “Edit disk layout.” (Choose the last option if you want to allocate more space for the C drive.)

Step 4: Click Start to begin the disk cloning process.

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Why Need to Clone PS4 Hard Drive to SSD

After discussing how to clone PS4 hard drive to SSD, let's talk about why we need to do so. The major reasons include:

Increase storage capacity: With large installation and upgrade files, the PlayStation 4's available space is quickly consumed, forcing users to delete and redownload games. One solution is to clone the drive and upgrade the PS4's hard disk with a larger, faster SSD.

Boost hard drive performance: In addition to game installs, your hard drive will accumulate a lot of junk over time. This fragmentation can lead to slower read/write speeds, longer load screens, and decreased game performance. You can clean up your disk and improve its performance, or upgrade your old PS4 hard drive to something larger and better.

Conclusions

If you want to keep your saved data and settings when upgrading the PS4 hard drive, you can clone the PS4 HDD to SSD. This article walks you through each detailed step of the entire cloning process, from removing the PS4 hard drive to cloning it to an SSD, with pictures. Whether you need to format the SSD or clone the disk, Partition Master provides excellent support with its versatile features. Download Partition Master and instantly upgrade your PS4 storage device for an enhanced gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Clone PS4 Hard Drive to SSD

Here, we'll go over some common questions about cloning a PS4 hard drive to an SSD. Feel free to check them out for more information:

< strong > 1. Can I clone my PS4 hard drive to an external one? < /strong >

Of course, you can clone the PS4 hard drive to an external one, like SSD. First, remove the original HDD from your PS4, and then connect both the PS4 HDD and target external HDD to a computer. Use reliable cloning software to clone the PS4 HDD to the external HDD.

2. Can I use an SSD as a storage device on my PS4?

Yes, you can upgrade the PS4 hard drive to a better SSD or connect it to the PS4 console as a secondary storage device. Many users choose to upgrade PS4 hard drive when the disk space is insufficient for boosting the PS4 performance.

3. What is the maximum capacity of an SSD for PS4?

The maximum classic internal hard drive capacity for a PS4 is 2TB, but if you want to upgrade your PS4's internal storage beyond that to 8TB, you'll likely need an SSD.