Look, the PlayStation 4 is an absolute workhorse, but after a decade on the market, these machines are getting tired. Maybe yours is chugging like a freight train, or you're finally ready to say goodbye and sell it on eBay to fund a PS5 Pro. Whatever the reason, you're probably asking yourself, how do you factory reset a ps4 without accidentally bricking the thing or leaving your credit card info behind for some stranger in another state?
It isn't just about hitting a "delete" button.
A true factory reset—what Sony calls "Initialization"—is the nuclear option. It nukes everything. Your saves, your screenshots of that God of War platinum trophy, and your login credentials disappear forever. If you don't back up your data to the cloud or a USB drive first, it’s gone. Period. No calling Sony support to get it back.
Why You’re Doing This Matters
Before we get into the "how," we need to talk about the "why." If your console is just acting a bit laggy, a full initialization might be overkill. Sometimes you just need to clear the cache. But if you're seeing the dreaded "Database is corrupted" error or the system software is stuck in a loop, a factory reset is often the only way out.
Selling it? You absolutely have to do this. Don't be that person who sells a console with their PSN account still logged in. That’s an identity theft nightmare waiting to happen.
Preparing for the Wipe
Seriously, back up your stuff.
If you have PlayStation Plus, go to Settings, then Application Saved Data Management, and upload everything to the Online Storage. It takes a few minutes. If you don't have Plus, grab a FAT32 or exFAT formatted USB drive. Go to Settings, then System, then Back Up and Restore. This is the part people skip because they're in a rush. Don't be that person. You'll regret losing those Bloodborne save files three months from now when you get a sudden itch to play again.
Deactivating as Primary
This is the "secret" step most tutorials miss. You need to deactivate the console as your primary PS4. If you don't, and you sell the console, you might find yourself unable to use "Remote Play" or share digital games on a new machine.
Navigate to Settings, hit Account Management, and find Activate as Your Primary PS4. Select Deactivate. You’ll probably have to confirm this a couple of times. If the console is broken and you can't get to this menu, you'll have to go to the PlayStation website on a computer and deactivate all devices from there, which you can only do once every six months. It's a pain. Do it on the console while you still can.
How Do You Factory Reset a PS4? The Step-by-Step
Alright, let’s get to the meat of it.
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- Scroll all the way to the right on the home screen to find Settings.
- Go all the way to the bottom. Look for Initialization.
- You’ll see a few options here. You want Initialize PS4.
- Now, the system will ask if you want "Quick" or "Full."
Quick takes about five minutes. It’s basically just telling the system that the space on the hard drive is now "empty," but the data is actually still there until it's overwritten. A clever hacker could technically recover it.
Full is what you want. It takes hours. Sometimes two hours, sometimes six, depending on how much junk you have on that 500GB or 1TB drive. It actually overwrites the data with zeroes. This is the only way to ensure your privacy. If you’re selling the console, choose Full. If you're just trying to fix a software bug for yourself, Quick usually does the trick.
The Safe Mode Method
Sometimes the PS4 is so messed up it won't even boot to the home screen. You're stuck on a black screen or a "Checking system storage" loop. In this case, you have to use Safe Mode.
Turn the console completely off. Not rest mode—off. No glowing lights. Hold the power button down on the front of the console. You'll hear one beep when you first touch it. Keep holding. About seven seconds later, you'll hear a second beep. Let go.
You’ll need to plug your DualShock 4 controller in with a USB cable. Wireless won't work here. You'll see a menu that looks like something from 1995.
Option 6 vs. Option 7
In Safe Mode, you have two nuclear options. Option 6 (Initialize PS4) is the standard factory reset. It wipes the user data and restores settings but keeps the system software (the OS) intact.
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Option 7 (Initialize PS4 - Reinstall System Software) is the "extra nuclear" option. This is for when your hard drive has completely failed or the OS is corrupted beyond repair. To do this, you'll need a computer and a USB flash drive. You have to go to the PlayStation website, download the "Reinstallation file" (which is usually around 1GB, much larger than the "Update file"), put it in a specific folder structure (PS4 > UPDATE), and plug it into the console.
Common Myths and Mistakes
People often think that factory resetting will downgrade their firmware. It won't. If you're on version 12.0 or whatever the latest is, a factory reset keeps you there. Sony doesn't allow "rolling back" software, mostly to prevent people from jailbreaking the consoles.
Another big one: "Does this delete my games from the library?" No. Your purchases are tied to your PSN account, not the plastic box. Once you log into a new console, you can redownload everything.
Dealing with Hardware Failure
If you try to initialize and you get an error code like CE-34697-9, your hard drive might actually be physically dying. PS4s use old-school mechanical spinning drives. They have a lifespan. If the factory reset fails or gets stuck at 99% for twelve hours, it's time to buy a cheap 2.5-inch SATA SSD.
Swapping the drive is actually super easy. On the original "fat" PS4, the top plate just slides off. On the Slim and Pro, there’s a little plastic flap on the back. Once you swap the drive, you must use Option 7 in Safe Mode with a USB drive to install the system software from scratch. It’ll make your PS4 feel like a brand new machine. Seriously, an SSD upgrade makes the menus fly.
Final Checklist Before You Hit Confirm
Before you commit to the "Full" initialization, run through this one last time. Is your Elden Ring save in the cloud? Did you sync your Trophies (Options button on the Trophies icon > Sync with PlayStation Network)? Is there a disc stuck in the drive? You’d be surprised how many people ship a PS4 and forget their copy of The Last of Us Part II is still inside.
Once you hit that button, the console will restart. Do not, under any circumstances, unplug the power cord while it’s initializing. You will turn your PlayStation into a very expensive paperweight. Just let it do its thing. When it finishes, it will reboot to the initial setup screen—the one that asks you to plug in a controller and choose a language. If you see that, you’re done. You can hold the power button to turn it off and pack it away.
Immediate Next Steps
If you are keeping the console after the reset, your first move should be to log back in and immediately check for system updates. Even if you were up to date before, the initialization can sometimes trigger a fresh check. If you sold it, make sure you log into your Sony account on a web browser and verify that the device no longer appears in your "Device Management" list. This ensures your account remains secure and your primary console slot is open for your next hardware purchase. For those moving to a PS5, remember that you can transfer your data over a local network, which is often faster than downloading from the cloud if you still have both consoles in the house.