You just dropped $700 on a console. It’s sleek, it’s heavy, and it’s arguably the most powerful box Sony has ever built. But then you look at your shelf. You see that stack of physical games—Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok, maybe that copy of Bloodborne you still swear will get a patch—and you realize the PS5 Pro didn't come with a way to play them. Sony went all-digital for the base Pro model, which honestly feels like a bold move considering how many of us still hoard plastic cases. Now you're staring at a white box containing the detachable drive and wondering if you're going to break a plastic clip or void a warranty.
Don't sweat it.
The PS5 Pro disc drive install is actually one of the most user-friendly hardware upgrades Sony has ever designed, even if the "tool-less" claim feels a bit like a test of finger strength. You basically just have to be willing to give your brand-new console a firm tug.
Getting the PS5 Pro disc drive install right the first time
Before you even touch the console, clear off a table. Use a soft towel or the foam wrap the Pro came in to avoid scratching those glossy black center fins. You need the Disc Drive for PS5 Digital Edition Consoles (Model Group – slim), which is the same one used for the standard PS5 Slim. If you bought an old "fat" PS5 drive by mistake, it won't fit. Return it.
First thing: Power it down completely. Not Rest Mode. All the way off. Unplug the power cable. If you try to do this while the system is drawing power, you’re asking for a static shock or a software glitch during the handshake process.
The Pro is divided into four separate cover panels. For the PS5 Pro disc drive install, you only care about the bottom-right panel (if the console is standing vertically). If it’s horizontal, it’s the bottom-front one. Look for the tiny PlayStation shapes (square, triangle, circle, cross) embossed on the inner frame; those are your landmarks.
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Grab the corner of the panel. Pull up and out. It’s going to make a terrifying crack sound. That’s normal. It’s just the plastic pegs releasing their grip. If you’ve ever swapped the shells on a standard PS5, this is the exact same muscle memory.
What’s actually under the hood?
Once that panel is off, you’ll see a large circular guard and a proprietary connector port. This is where the magic happens. Unlike the M.2 SSD expansion—which requires a screwdriver and a steady hand—the disc drive just slots in.
There are two plastic "feet" included in the disc drive box. Do not throw these away. They are the only things keeping your console from wobbling like a seesaw once you put it back on its side. Sony’s engineering here is a bit "Lego-esque." You align the drive’s teeth with the holes on the Pro’s chassis and push down until it seats into the plug.
There is no clicking sound. You just feel it bottom out.
The internet connection requirement is the real hurdle
Here is the part where most people get tripped up. You’ve physically finished the PS5 Pro disc drive install, snapped the new cover (the one with the bulge) back on, and plugged it in. You hit the power button.
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Nothing happens. Or rather, the drive won't play a movie.
Sony requires a one-time internet "handshake" to marry the drive to the motherboard. This is a DRM (Digital Rights Management) measure. Even if you plan on playing 100% offline in a cabin in the woods, you must connect to the PlayStation Network at least once after the physical install. If Sony’s servers are down, you’re stuck with a very expensive paperweight until they come back up.
Once the system boots, a prompt should pop up saying "Disc Drive Connected." It’ll ask to register the drive. Click okay. It takes about ten seconds. If that prompt doesn't appear, you probably didn't seat the drive deep enough into the port. Open it back up and give it a more confident shove.
Performance, noise, and the "why"
Why go through the hassle? Honestly, the Pro’s 2TB of internal storage is massive, but it doesn't solve the "ownership" problem. Physical discs are often cheaper at local retailers or used shops. Plus, the PS5 Pro’s Game Boost feature applies to physical PS4 titles too. If you have Ghost of Tsushima on disc, the Pro will still try to stabilize the frame rate and clean up the image, provided the drive is there to read the license.
Regarding noise: The drive is loud during the initial spin-up. If you’re installing a 100GB game like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, it’s going to sound like a small jet engine for twenty minutes. That’s just the nature of high-speed UHD Blu-ray reads. Once the game is installed, the drive only spins for a few seconds when you launch the game to verify you actually own it. After that? Silence.
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The Pro’s cooling system is beefed up compared to the Slim, so even with the drive obstructing some of the lower surface area, thermal throttling isn't an issue. Digital Foundry and other tech outlets have run the numbers; the heat dissipation remains well within safe margins even during 4K/60fps heavy lifting.
Troubleshooting the common "Disc Not Recognized" errors
Sometimes, after a successful PS5 Pro disc drive install, the console will act like the disc is upside down. It sounds stupid, but check the orientation. When the Pro is horizontal, the label of the disc faces up. When vertical, the label faces the left (toward the center of the console).
If the drive is spinning but not reading, try a hard power cycle. Hold the power button for ten seconds until it beeps twice. Unplug it for a minute. This clears the cache and forces the OS to re-scan the hardware bus.
Another weird quirk? The Pro covers. If you bought third-party plates before the drive arrived, they won't fit the side with the disc drive "hump." You have to use the specific cover that came in the disc drive box. It matches the Pro’s aesthetic perfectly, but it does make the console significantly wider.
Actionable next steps for your new setup
Now that the hardware is in, don't just jump into a game. Do these three things to ensure everything stays running smooth:
- Check for System Updates: Go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings. Sometimes a fresh firmware update contains stability fixes for the external drive controller.
- Rebuild Database: If the drive feels sluggish or games are crashing, boot into Safe Mode (hold power while off until the second beep) and select "Rebuild Database." It won't delete your games, but it cleans up the file pathing for the new hardware.
- Manage Your Space: The disc drive doesn't save you storage space. Physical games still install 100% of their data to the SSD. The disc is just a "key." Keep an eye on that 2TB limit; it fills up faster than you’d think when you’re playing Pro-patched titles.
- Secure the Feet: Make sure those two little translucent plastic clips are slotted into the gap between the plates. If the console isn't level, the disc drive can vibrate against the chassis, creating an annoying rattling sound during playback.
You're all set. The physical part is done, the DRM handshake is cleared, and your library is actually yours again. Go pop in a 4K Blu-ray and see how that new GPU handles the bitrate.