Every now and then, Sony pushes out an update for their PlayStation line up. And updates are important to ensure that the system keeps on functioning properly without any comprises in security or performance. Playstation usually receives OTA updates through Wifi, but there will be times when the update will fail to install online. In such a scenario, you have to install the update manually. The process of installing the updates manually is fairly easy, and in this article, we will guide you through it step by step.
There are two ways to update the PlayStation manually: through the system menu or in safe mode. Initially, it is recommended to try the installation through system mode, but if that fails for some reason, then the safe mode will do the job for you.
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Things you need for the manual update:
- A PC with a connection to the internet. If you don’t have a PC, a smartphone will do, but then you will need an OTG cable too.
- A USB drive with a storage space of around 10 GB. A 16 GB USB drive will do the trick.
- The latest update file. [Download Here]
- A micro-USB cable.
Update through system menu:
Head over to Sony’s website and look for downloads available for the PlayStation. Sony always keeps it up to date as they realize that sometimes their users might face issues with OTA updates. Download it and then store the file in the USB flash drive. However, you can’t save the file anywhere in the USB drive; you need to save it to a specific path. Open the USB drive and create a folder “PS4”, inside it create another folder “UPDATE.” Inside that update folder, store the downloaded file.
After that, connect the USB drive to one of the USB ports present in the PS4. Open up settings in your PlayStation and scroll down to the option that reads “System Software Update.” Select it, and the system should automatically detect the downloaded update file in the USB drive and start installing it right away.
If for some, this process does not work and the system fails to update automatically, then you need to move to the safe mode installation.
Update through safe mode:
Updating through safe mode is like forcing the update into the system. So this will definitely work for you if you have indeed downloaded the correct file.
Just like the previous time, store the downloaded file in the USB drive in the specific path PS4/UPDATE. Once you have ensured that your update file is in place and the USB drive is connected to the PS4, unmount all the other storage devices connected to the PS4 except the USB drive. To do so, go to the system> Storage menu, and here you will see all the storage devices connected to the console. Select the unmount option for all the storage devices except the USB drive. This needs to be done to make sure that the PS4 does not get confused when it looks for the update file in storage.
After this, turn the PS4 off and then connect a Dualshock controller using a Micro USB cable to the PS4 through one of its USB ports. Now hold the power button and keep it pressed for seven seconds. You will hear a beep when you first press it, and then another one after seven seconds. Let go of the button once you hear the second beep. This will take the PS4 into a safe mode.
Using the Dual shock controller, navigate through the safe mode, and select the option that says “Update System Software.” Now you will see a menu with three options. Select the option “Update from USB Storage Device” and select “OK” if a prompt pops up. Wait for a while as the PS4 will look for the file itself. You will see that the system is detecting an update in its storage as it will show up on the screen. Click the “Next” button, and the system will start copying the file from the USB on to the system. Once that is done, you will see the “Update” button on the screen. Select it and let the system take care of the rest.
Just after you select the update, the PS4 will restart and start installing the update. This will take a while, so wait for it to finish up and make sure it stays on all through this time. Once the installation is done, the PS4 will restart again, and this time when it boots up, you will have the updated version running on your system.