You just finished a brutal three-hour session of Elden Ring. Your eyes are stinging. The console is humming. Honestly, most people just mash the power button and walk away, but that’s exactly how you end up with "Repairing Console Storage" errors. It's annoying.
Knowing how to turn off a PS5 properly isn't just about saving electricity. It’s about protecting your data. Sony’s latest hardware is basically a high-end PC shoved into a futuristic white shell, and like any PC, it hates being cut off mid-thought. If the white light is still pulsing, the SSD is still working.
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Shut it down. Don't just pull the plug.
The Quick Way: Using the DualSense Controller
Most of the time, you'll be sitting on your couch, controller in hand. This is the standard method. You’ve probably done it a thousand times, but there’s a nuance here that matters for your hardware's lifespan.
First, tap the PS Button in the center of your DualSense. Don’t hold it down—that’s a PS4 habit that doesn't work the same way here. A short press brings up the "Control Center" at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see a row of icons like your notifications, game base, and music. Navigate all the way to the far right. There it is: the Power icon.
When you select it, you get three choices. "Enter Rest Mode" is the default for most people, but if you want to completely kill the power, you must select Turn Off PS5.
The console will start blinking white. Wait. Seriously, wait until the lights go completely dark before you even think about unplugging the unit or moving it. Moving a console while the fans are still spinning or the SSD is finishing a write cycle is a recipe for a very expensive paperweight.
Rest Mode vs. Powering Down
Sony really wants you to use Rest Mode. It lets the console download patches while you sleep. It charges your controllers. It even lets you suspend your game exactly where you left off. But Rest Mode has a dark side that long-time users like those on the ResetEra forums or the PS5 subreddit have been complaining about since 2020.
If your power flickers while the PS5 is in Rest Mode, the console treats it like an improper shutdown. You’ll get a scolding notification the next time you boot up. If this happens enough, the database can get corrupted.
If you live in an area with frequent thunderstorms or a sketchy power grid, just turn the thing off. It takes maybe 15 seconds to boot back up thanks to the custom NVMe SSD. The speed of the Gen4 drive makes the "convenience" of Rest Mode less of a necessity than it was in the HDD days of the PS4.
The Physical Button (When the Controller Dies)
We’ve all been there. Your controller battery dies right as you’re finishing up, and you don’t feel like digging for a USB-C cable. You have to do it the old-fashioned way.
On the front of the PS5, there are two thin, pill-shaped buttons (unless you have the Digital Edition, which only has one). If you have the original "fat" PS5, the Power button is the bottom one. If you have the PS5 Slim, it’s clearly separated.
Press and hold it. If you just tap it, it’ll go into Rest Mode. To fully turn it off, hold it until you hear two distinct beeps. The first beep happens immediately. The second beep comes a few seconds later, signaling that the system is initiating a full shutdown sequence.
Dealing with the "Frozen" PS5
Sometimes the software just gives up. You’re playing Cyberpunk 2077 or Call of Duty, and the screen just locks. The PS button does nothing. The Control Center won't pop up. This is the only time you should ever force a shutdown.
Hold that physical power button for about 15 seconds. It feels like an eternity. Eventually, the system will force itself to die. When you turn it back on, it’s going to spend a few minutes "Repairing Storage." Let it finish. Don't skip it.
Remote Play and Voice Commands
If you're using the PlayStation App on your phone or a Portal, you can actually shut the system down remotely. It’s tucked away in the settings menu of the Remote Play interface.
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And for those using the "Hey PlayStation" voice command feature (currently available in limited regions like the US and UK), you can literally just say, "Hey PlayStation, Power Off." It’s a bit gimmicky, sure, but it’s helpful when your hands are full of pizza.
What to Avoid at All Costs
- Unplugging the AC cord while the light is solid white or blinking.
- Switching off a power strip without checking the console status.
- Ignoring the orange light. If it's orange, it's in Rest Mode, not off.
Next Steps for Your PS5 Health
Check your Power Saving Settings under the System menu. You can actually automate how long the console stays on before it turns itself off. Set it to 20 minutes for media playback and one hour for games. This ensures that even if you fall asleep mid-cutscene, your PS5 isn't running at full tilt all night, racking up your electric bill and wearing out the internal fans. Also, if you use an external hard drive, always go to the "USB Extended Storage" settings and select "Stop Using" before you physically unplug the drive, even if the console is off.