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You cannot copy PS4 games directly from one external drive to another. The PS4 allows only one device to be used as extended storage at a time, so the games have to pass through the console’s internal system storage. The process is: move the games off the old drive onto system storage, safely stop and disconnect the old drive, prepare the new drive, then move the games from system storage onto it.
Sony’s support pages do not describe a direct drive-to-drive copy. The method below follows from the one-device rule and the move controls Sony documents, so the menu labels are the ones shown on Sony’s support pages (reviewed in 2026). Firmware updates can change wording, so match the labels on your screen to the steps if they differ slightly.
Check the destination drive first
The new drive has to meet the same requirements as any PS4 extended storage device. Sony’s extended storage page lists these:
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- Type: a USB external HDD using USB 3.0 or later.
- Capacity: 250 GB minimum and 8 TB maximum.
- Model compatibility: Sony states that proper operation is not guaranteed for every HDD model, so check the drive against the support page before buying or relying on it.
- Connection: plug it directly into a USB port on the PS4, not through a USB hub.
Source: PlayStation Support, USB extended storage on PS4 consoles.
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Prepare before you move anything
- Back up the destination drive. Formatting it as PS4 extended storage deletes everything on it. Sony’s warning appears in the PlayStation Blog post on storing PS4 games on an external HDD, published 2017-03-10, which describes the same setup steps.
- Make room on system storage. The games you move off the old drive land on the console’s internal storage first, so that space must be free. If your library is larger than the free space, move it in batches that fit.
- Separate saves from game installs. Moving a game does not move its saved progress. The section on saved data below covers that separately.
Step 1: Move games off the source drive
- With the old drive connected as extended storage, go to Settings > Storage.
- Select the old extended storage, then choose Applications.
- Press OPTIONS and select Move to System Storage.
- Select the games to move and choose Move.
- Wait for the operation to finish. Sony’s documentation does not give a transfer-time estimate, so the duration depends on the size of your library and your hardware.
Step 2: Safely stop and disconnect the old drive
- Stop the drive through Quick Menu > Sound/Devices > Stop Using Extended Storage, or through Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices > Stop Using This Extended Storage.
- Unplug the old drive only after the console shows that it is safe to do so.
- Do not unplug it during shutdown or while the PS4 is entering rest mode. Disconnecting at those moments risks damaging data on the drive.
Step 3: Prepare the new drive
- Connect the new drive directly to a USB port on the PS4.
- If it is not already formatted for PS4, go to Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices, select the drive, and choose Format as Extended Storage.
- Confirm the format only after you have backed up anything on the drive that you want to keep. The format removes all existing contents.
Step 4: Move games onto the new drive
- Go to Settings > Storage > System Storage > Applications.
- Press OPTIONS, choose Move to Extended Storage, select the games, and choose Move.
- Keep the new drive connected while you play the games installed on it.
If a game will not start
- The game is listed but cannot be launched. The drive holding it is disconnected. Reconnect the drive directly to the PS4 and the game should become available again.
- The new drive is not recognised. Check that it is USB 3.0 or later, that it sits within the 250 GB to 8 TB range, and that it is plugged directly into the console rather than through a hub. If the drive is on Sony’s compatibility caveat, try a different drive model.
Saved data and backups
Moving games moves only the installed applications and add-ons. Saved progress, themes, and screenshots or video clips stay in the console’s own storage, so they need a separate method. Sony’s storage-management and backup pages describe the options below.
| Option | What it covers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copy saved data to a USB storage device | Saved game data stored on the console | Described on Sony’s PS4 storage-management page. Copy saves before you change drives or consoles. |
| Online storage | Saved game data | Described on the same storage-management page. Availability and any subscription requirement: not stated on that page. |
| Full console backup and restore | Broader console data, not just game installs | Restoring a backup erases data on the console, so it is not a routine way to move game installs. See Sony’s backup and restore page. |
Sony’s extended storage guidance is the source for the rule that saved data is not stored on extended storage. Plan your save backup before you start moving games, so progress is not lost if something goes wrong.
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