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Start with the least destructive fix: select the failed update on your PS5, open View Error Info, and choose Try Again. If it fails again, stabilize the network, free SSD space, and use Safe Mode. A USB update is the next recovery step; Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) should be reserved for last resort because it deletes all console data.

Start with the error details and one clean retry

The code shown on screen determines which branch to follow. Do not immediately reset the console or download a random firmware file.

  1. Highlight the system-software update notification or failed download on the PS5 home screen.
  2. Select View Error Info and record the complete code, including every hyphen and digit.
  3. Choose Try Again.

A temporary download interruption can clear on the second attempt. If the same download repeatedly fails, stop retrying and continue with the network, storage, Safe Mode, or USB procedure below. For an exact code, use Sony’s PlayStation Support error-code index; codes that look similar can require different remedies.

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Check the two common causes: network access and free SSD space

Stabilize the internet connection

Update failures often occur while the console is downloading or verifying the package. Use this sequence before trying another installation method:

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  1. Restart the PS5 from the power menu, then attempt the update again.
  2. Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi‑Fi when possible. A wired connection removes wireless signal changes from the download path.
  3. Open the PS5 network settings and reconfigure the connection if the console reports a failed connection test or cannot obtain an address.
  4. Turn off the modem and router completely. Leave them powered off for at least five minutes, turn them back on, wait for internet service to return, and retry the update.

Sony associates WS-116522-7 with a failed system-software update. Its prescribed remedies are restarting the PS5, preferring a wired connection, restarting the router or modem for at least five minutes, and checking the USB update file name and location when using a drive.

Make room on the internal SSD

The console must have enough internal storage to download, unpack, and install an update. The PlayStation error index identifies CE-100028-1 as insufficient free space on the SSD. Delete or move unneeded games, captures, and applications, then retry the update. Do not assume an external USB drive creates free space on the internal SSD; the error specifically concerns the console’s SSD.

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Use Safe Mode before considering a reset

“Safe Mode allows you to start your PlayStation console with only the most basic functions active,” according to PlayStation Support. It starts the PS5 outside the normal operating environment so you can repair storage, update system software, or use cache and database tools.

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Enter Safe Mode

  1. Turn the PS5 off completely. If it is in Rest Mode, wake it and shut it down rather than selecting Restart.
  2. Press and hold the power button. Release it after the second beep, which occurs about seven seconds after the first beep.
  3. Connect the controller to the console with a USB cable. Wireless pairing is not available at the Safe Mode menu.
  4. Press the controller’s PS button when prompted.

Choose the least destructive Safe Mode option first

Safe Mode choice When to use it Data impact
Repair Console Storage The console reports a startup or storage problem, or a normal update will not proceed. Sony says this option does not erase data.
Update System Software The normal updater cannot complete and you need to update over the internet or from a USB drive. It is an update operation, not a full reinstall.
Cache and database tools The system behaves inconsistently after repeated failures or has database-related startup symptoms. Read the on-screen warning for the specific tool before confirming.
Reset choices Only when repair and update paths have failed and the warning matches the recovery you need. Some reset choices erase data; do not confirm one without a backup or a clear acceptance of that loss.

Run Repair Console Storage first when the symptoms point to storage. After it completes, return to Safe Mode and select Update System Software. You can use the direct-download option if the network is reliable or choose the USB path described next.

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Install the update from a correctly prepared USB drive

A USB update is useful when the PS5’s download repeatedly fails or the console cannot complete an online update. It requires a USB storage device formatted as FAT32 or exFAT, a computer with internet access, and Sony’s official update file. Do not use a file obtained from an unofficial mirror; PlayStation Support warns: “Don’t download or install the update using data other than the official update file provided online by Sony Interactive Entertainment.”

Prepare the ordinary update file

  1. On a PC or Mac, download the current PS5 system-software update file from Sony’s official PlayStation Support page.
  2. On the USB drive, create the folder structure Sony specifies. The folder names must be uppercase; use the PS5 folder at the drive’s top level and an UPDATE folder inside it.
  3. Place the update file inside PS5/UPDATE. The file name must be PS5UPDATE.PUP, with the spelling and uppercase letters unchanged.
  4. Safely eject the USB drive from the computer, connect it to the PS5, start Safe Mode, and select Update System Software followed by the USB option.

If the console says the USB device or update file cannot be found, check all of these details: the drive is FAT32 or exFAT, the folders are nested in the right order, both folder names are uppercase, the file is named exactly PS5UPDATE.PUP, and there is no second extension such as .PUP.PUP. Download the file again if its size or transfer was interrupted.

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Do not confuse an update with a reinstallation file

Sony’s reinstallation procedure also uses a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive and the exact PS5/UPDATE/PS5UPDATE.PUP path. The critical difference is the Safe Mode command: an ordinary update uses Update System Software, while a full reinstall uses Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software). Selecting the reinstall command initiates a destructive recovery, even when the same file name is present.

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Match the code to the right remedy

Error code What Sony’s index associates it with First action
CE-113338-9 An error while updating system software Search the exact code in Sony’s error index, then retry and move to Safe Mode or USB update if the failure persists.
WS-116522-7 System-software update failed Restart the PS5, use Ethernet if possible, restart the router or modem for at least five minutes, or verify the USB file name and location.
CE-109737-7 The USB storage device cannot be recognized Check the drive format, reconnect it, and verify that the update folders and file name are exact.
CE-100028-1 Not enough free space on the SSD Free internal-console storage before downloading or installing again.
CE-106487-6 An issue downloading or installing content Confirm whether the failed item is system software or other content, then follow the remedy for that exact code.
CE-107891-6 Content is not installing properly Look up the complete code in Sony’s index; do not assume it is the same as a system-software update failure.

The error index is more reliable than treating every “installation” message as a firmware problem. CE-106487-6 and CE-107891-6, for example, concern content installation, while CE-113338-9 concerns the system-software update process.

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Reinstall system software only as a last resort

A reinstall replaces the console’s system software and returns the PS5 to a setup state. PlayStation Support states: “Reinstalling your console’s system software deletes all data on your console.” That includes locally stored games, captures, settings, and other data on the console. Treat the command as a factory-level recovery, not as a stronger version of Try Again.

Back up before you erase

  • Back up saved data and captures using the backup methods available to your console and account.
  • Make sure you know your account sign-in details and any two-factor authentication method needed after setup.
  • Keep the USB drive containing the official reinstallation file separate from the drive or backup media holding personal files.
  • Proceed only after ordinary retry, network checks, storage cleanup, Safe Mode repair, and a standard USB update have failed or the support instructions specifically direct a reinstall.

Run the reinstall

  1. Prepare the official reinstallation file on a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive in PS5/UPDATE/PS5UPDATE.PUP, using uppercase folder and file names.
  2. Turn the PS5 off and enter Safe Mode by holding the power button until the second beep.
  3. Connect the controller by USB and press PS.
  4. Select Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software), insert or leave connected the prepared USB drive when prompted, and follow every confirmation screen.
  5. After the process completes, set up the console again and restore only the backups you made before starting.

If the reinstallation file is rejected, stop rather than trying multiple unofficial files. Recheck the drive format, folder path, uppercase names, and download source.

When Safe Mode will not appear

A blank screen or a normal startup after holding the power button does not prove that the system software is unrecoverable. PlayStation Support notes: “If your screen doesn’t display Safe Mode, it’s possible that the HDMI cable isn’t properly connected.” Work through the physical connection checks before repeating the software procedure.

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  1. Turn the PS5 off and reseat the HDMI cable at both the console and display.
  2. Try a different HDMI cable, a different HDMI input on the display, and, if available, a different USB cable for the controller.
  3. Check the power cable and wall connection. Remove intermediary switches, capture devices, or receivers temporarily so the PS5 connects directly to the display.
  4. Disconnect the PS5 from power for 20 minutes. Reconnect it, then try the Safe Mode button sequence again.
  5. If Safe Mode still cannot launch, use Sony’s Repairs diagnostic and contact route rather than repeatedly interrupting power during an update.

Do not unplug the console while an installation progress screen is active unless the console is completely unresponsive and Sony’s troubleshooting instructions tell you to power-cycle it. An interrupted write can leave the system unable to start normally.

Choose the recovery method by risk and equipment

Method Equipment or access Recovery depth Data-loss risk
Try Again from the update screen Working internet connection Repeats the normal download and installation Lowest; it does not intentionally reset the console
Safe Mode repair or update USB-connected controller; internet or USB update file depending on choice Repairs console storage or runs the updater outside the normal interface Repair Console Storage does not erase data; read warnings for cache, database, and reset choices
USB system-software update PC or Mac, official Sony file, FAT32 or exFAT USB drive Bypasses the console’s normal download path Lower than reinstall when using the standard update command
Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) PC or Mac, official reinstallation file, FAT32 or exFAT USB drive Replaces system software and returns the console to setup Highest; Sony says all data on the console is deleted

When to stop troubleshooting and contact Sony

Use Sony’s Repairs diagnostic and contact route when the exact error persists after the relevant network, storage, Safe Mode, and USB steps; when Safe Mode cannot be displayed after cable checks and a 20-minute power disconnect; or when the console repeatedly rejects an official file with the correct path and name. Have the error code, the step that failed, and whether the console can enter Safe Mode ready for the support representative. This information helps distinguish a download problem from a storage, display, USB, or hardware fault.

A concise prevention checklist for the next update

  • Keep sufficient free space on the PS5’s internal SSD before starting a large system update.
  • Use Ethernet for the update when practical and restart networking equipment for at least five minutes if downloads fail.
  • Keep a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive available for emergency updates, but download the file only from Sony’s official support service.
  • Preserve the exact PS5/UPDATE/PS5UPDATE.PUP structure and uppercase spelling when preparing USB media.
  • Back up important data before selecting any reset or reinstall option.

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