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If a PS4 or PS5 game update is stuck, failed, or marked corrupted, first identify whether it has not started, is stalled while downloading, or downloaded but will not install. Check PlayStation Network status and your connection, restart the console, make sure there is enough storage, and retry the game update. Use the console’s Safe Mode database option only if simpler steps fail; reinstall the affected game after that if necessary. A game patch is different from a console system-software update, and a firmware reinstall is not a routine fix for a game patch.
What should I check before fixing a PS4 or PS5 game update?
Start with the failure stage and the exact error message. A stalled download calls for connection and download-queue checks; an update that downloaded but will not install calls for a restart, system-software check, and game-specific troubleshooting. If the console shows an error code, write it down before trying anything else.
- Check PlayStation service status. A temporary service issue can affect downloads. Review the PlayStation Network service status before changing console settings.
- Check the internet connection. If the download is still stalled, run the console’s connection test. On PS5, go to Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection. On PS4, go to Settings > Network > Test Internet Connection.
- Restart the console. Use the power menu to restart rather than interrupting power while a download or installation is underway.
- Check available storage. Go to Settings > Storage on either console. Compare available space with the game’s minimum required space in its PlayStation Store product view. If space is low, remove or move other installed games rather than deleting saved data indiscriminately.
- Confirm what is being updated. A game update changes the game; a system-software update changes the console. Use the system-software instructions only if the console itself reports that its system update failed.
Sony’s download troubleshooting guide covers connection checks, storage, and restarting or retrying a download. If the service is available, the test succeeds, and there is enough room, move on to the steps for the symptom below.
How do I fix a PS4 or PS5 game update that is stuck downloading?
Pause and resume the stalled download first. If the download will not start or remains stuck, cancel and delete that download, then retry it from your library. Do not assume that canceling preserves the download’s progress.
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On PS5
- Open the control center and select Downloads/Uploads.
- Select the game update and choose Pause, then resume it.
- If it still will not start or progress, cancel and delete the download, then find the game in your Game Library and retry the update.
On PS4
- Open Notifications > Downloads.
- Select the game update and pause it, then resume it.
- If it still will not start or progress, cancel and delete the download, then retry it from the Library.
Before retrying, check the PlayStation service-status page and run the console’s internet connection test using the paths above. If possible, a wired LAN connection is an optional way to connect the console to the router; Sony documents LAN setup for both PS4 and PS5. A cable may help address a connection problem, but it cannot repair update data that has already become corrupted.
If a download repeatedly stops at the same point, note whether it happens with one game or several. A problem limited to one title points you toward that game’s download or installation; similar failures across multiple downloads make the console’s connection, available storage, or a service issue more relevant to check. This is a troubleshooting distinction, not a guarantee of the cause.
How to tell which troubleshooting path fits
Match the remedy to what the console is doing instead of trying every option in sequence. If the update has not started, or its progress is stuck, concentrate on service status, the connection test, and the download queue. If it downloads but installation stops, restart, check console system software, and use Check for Update. If the console displays a specific code, follow that code’s procedure; for example, CE-36244-9 describes a suspended PS4 download with likely corrupted content, whereas CE-120706-6 concerns a PS5 game-update installation that stopped.
The remedies also differ in inconvenience and risk. Testing the connection, restarting, pausing and resuming, and checking available space are reasonable early checks. Canceling and retrying or reinstalling may mean downloading the content again, which can take time and use bandwidth; the amount depends on the title and your connection. A database rebuild is a separate Safe Mode action. Resetting a console or reinstalling its system software is far more consequential and is not a routine game-patch step. No purchase is required just because you delete an installed game: reinstall a digital title from the Library using the account associated with it, or reinstall a disc title from its disc.
What if the game update downloaded but will not install?
Restart the console, install any available console system-software update through Settings, and then check for the game update again. If the update still fails, try the non-destructive Safe Mode database step before deleting and reinstalling the game.
- Restart the PS4 or PS5 from its power menu.
- Check for and install a console system-software update through the console’s ordinary Settings menus. This is separate from the game patch.
- Highlight the affected game on the home screen, press the options button, and choose Check for Update.
- If the installation still fails, use the console-specific Safe Mode instructions below to rebuild the database.
- If the problem persists, delete the affected game and reinstall it from the Library or, for a disc game, from the disc. Allow time and bandwidth for the game and its update to download or install again.
Sony’s general application and system-software update guidance distinguishes game updates from console updates. Its failed-game-update guidance includes deleting and reinstalling the affected game, followed by Safe Mode troubleshooting where needed. This guide puts the reversible database step first to avoid a potentially lengthy redownload; either route is different from resetting the console or reinstalling its firmware.
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Before removing the game, confirm that you are selecting the application rather than its saved data. Reinstalling can restore the game files, but it does not make a previously deleted save reappear. If you have a slow or metered connection, consider that the time and bandwidth cost of downloading the game again may be greater than the patch download. There is no single repair time or file-size cutoff that applies to every game, so check the title’s storage requirement and allow for the full reinstall when deciding whether to proceed.
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How do I use Safe Mode without resetting the console?
Safe Mode can rebuild the console’s database without selecting the data-erasing reset or system-software reinstall options. The menu differs by console, so follow the matching steps and select only the database action.
- Turn the console completely off.
- Press and hold the power button. Keep holding until you hear the second beep.
- Connect the controller to the console with a USB cable, then press the controller’s PS button.
PS5: Rebuild Database
Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database, then select Rebuild Database where specified. PS5 also has a Clear System Software Cache option, which Sony describes for system-feature or performance issues. It is not a required step for every game patch failure; use the database option that matches the troubleshooting instruction or error-code procedure you are following.
PS4: Rebuild Database
Select Rebuild Database. Do not select Initialize PS4 as a routine attempt to fix one game update.
Sony’s Safe Mode guide explains the available options. Avoid options such as Reset PS5, Initialize PS4, or firmware Reinstall unless you have a separate reason to take that more drastic step and understand its data consequences.
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Use the code to match the repair to the failure rather than applying every possible fix. The codes below refer to different failure stages, and their official Sony procedures do not all call for the same steps.
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| Code and console | What Sony says | Relevant next steps |
|---|---|---|
| CE-36244-9 (PS4) | The download was suspended and the downloaded content is likely corrupted. | Restart the PS4, then restart the download from the home-screen game icon or Notifications > Downloads. If the error repeats, investigate local-network conditions. Sony lists advanced options on its error page; do not start with drive changes or initialization. |
| CE-107938-8 (PS5) | A game or application update failed. Sony notes that an interruption while turning off the console can sometimes cause it. | Restart, update the console system software, highlight the game and choose Check for Update; delete and reinstall the application if needed. |
| CE-120706-6 (PS5) | Installation of a game update stopped. | Sony specifies restoring licenses, restarting, using Clear Cache and Rebuild Database > Rebuild Database, and deleting and reinstalling the game if required. |
| CE-100002-3 (PS5) | The update file may not have installed successfully. | Restart, update system software, and reinstall the application if the problem continues. |
Follow the matching official pages for the exact code: PS4 CE-36244-9, PS5 CE-107938-8, PS5 CE-120706-6, and PS5 CE-100002-3. If the message gives a different code, use Sony’s error-code directory or contact PlayStation Support rather than assuming one of these procedures applies.
Should I restore licenses for a failed game update?
Restore licenses if the game is locked or you have an access or license problem, or if you are following the CE-120706-6 procedure. It is not a universal fix for a stalled download or corrupted network download.
- PS5: Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses.
- PS4: Settings > Account Management > Restore Licenses.
Sony says restoring licenses does not affect data. Its license-restoration guide explains when this action is relevant and how to use it.
Will deleting and reinstalling the game delete my saved data?
Deleting an installed game and deleting its saved-data files are separate storage actions. Still, verify that your save data is backed up before taking any destructive action, and make sure you are selecting the game/application rather than saved data when removing the game.
Sony documents different save options by console and game type: PS4 saves can be copied to USB; PS5 can copy PS4-game saves individually to USB, while PS5-game saves use the documented cloud or console-backup paths. Review Sony’s storage and backup support guidance for the console and save type before deleting anything. Do not confuse removing an installed game to reinstall it with erasing the console or its saved data.
PS5 storage location can also affect what you can play. PS5 games may be stored on USB extended storage, but to play them they must be moved to console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD. PS4 games can use USB extended storage. Sony’s extended-storage guidance explains the distinction; its M.2 SSD compatibility guide lists supported specifications. Storage hardware is a capacity solution, not a guaranteed fix for a failed patch.
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When does additional storage make sense?
Consider adding or changing storage only when lack of space is a real obstacle or you have a separately diagnosed storage problem. It is not a first-line response to one failed download. On PS5, USB extended storage can hold PS5 games, but those games have to be moved back to console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD to play. A PS4 game can use USB extended storage. PS4 also supports internal-HDD options, but replacing a drive is a more involved response to a storage problem—not a standard fix for corrupted download data.
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Is a USB firmware update or factory reset the next step?
No, not for an ordinary game-patch failure. First use the game-update, connection, storage, and Safe Mode steps above. Manual USB recovery is a separate procedure for a failed console system-software update, not the standard way to repair a game’s patch.
If the console’s system-software update itself failed, Sony provides a separate Safe Mode and USB process. It requires a FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive, a correctly named folder path such as PS5/UPDATE or PS4/UPDATE, and the appropriate file name, PS5UPDATE.PUP or PS4UPDATE.PUP. The update file and the reinstall file are not interchangeable. Sony recommends a LAN-cable connection to the router for a failed system update when the home screen is still accessible. Follow the dedicated system-software update instructions only when that is the actual problem.
Firmware reinstallation is especially consequential: Sony warns, “Reinstalling your console’s system software deletes all data on your console.” Read its reinstallation guide and back up what you need before proceeding. That warning is why a system-software reinstall should not be used as a shortcut for one failed game update.
When should I contact PlayStation Support?
Contact PlayStation Support if the code-specific steps fail, repeated downloads fail after you have checked service status and connectivity, or the console reports a broader storage or system-software problem. Give support the exact error code or message, the game affected, when the attempt failed, and the steps you have already tried. A screenshot or video of the error can help show what happened. Sony’s download troubleshooting page provides the relevant support path.
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In short, check the failure stage, service status, connection, and free space first. Rebuild the database only if needed, preserve saved data before removing anything, and reserve USB firmware recovery for a system-software failure—not a game patch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to buy a game again after deleting it to fix an update?
Sony’s troubleshooting guidance says to reinstall from the Library or, for a disc game, from the game disc. Use the same account associated with a digital game when locating it in your Library; removing the installed application is not the same as purchasing it again.
Can I play PS5 games directly from a USB extended-storage drive?
PS5 games can be stored on USB extended storage, but Sony says they must be moved to console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD to play. PS4 games have different extended-storage support, so check the console-specific storage guidance before moving a title.
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Include the full error code or wording, the affected game, when the failure occurred, and which troubleshooting steps you tried. A screenshot or short video can help document the message without relying on a paraphrase.
Will canceling a stuck download save its progress?
Do not count on it. Sony’s download troubleshooting instructions say to cancel and delete a download that will not start, then retry it; they do not promise that canceling preserves progress.
How long will reinstalling a game take, and will it use bandwidth?
Reinstalling requires getting the game files again, so it can take time and use bandwidth. The amount depends on the game and your connection; there is no single repair-time estimate that applies to every title.
Should I buy an M.2 SSD to fix a failed PS5 game update?
Not unless available storage is the issue or you have a separate storage need. An SSD is not a guaranteed patch fix. For PS5 compatibility, check Sony’s current M.2 requirements, including PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe, 250 GB–8 TB capacity, effective heat dissipation, and its 5,500 MB/s-or-faster sequential-read recommendation.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Identify whether the failure is in downloading or installing, then check service status, connection, storage, and system software before escalating. Use the correct PS4 or PS5 Safe Mode database option only when simpler steps fail. Protect saved data, expect a reinstall to use time and bandwidth, and do not use a factory reset or firmware reinstallation to fix an ordinary game patch.
