How to factory reset a Playstation 4 if the console is malfunctioning or you're planning to sell it

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How to factory reset a Playstation 4 if the console is malfunctioning or you're planning to sell it

playstation 4

Sony

It's easy to factory reset a PS4 from the console's Settings menu.

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  • You can factory reset a PlayStation 4 to refresh the system if it's experiencing such significant errors that you can longer properly enjoy gaming.
  • You should also restore a PS4 to its factory settings before you sell, trade, or give away the console so that all of your personal data, photos and videos, and other information will remain private.
  • If you're resetting your PS4 to fix glitches, make sure to back up your data either using a memory drive or with the cloud, access to which requires a PlayStation Plus account.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If your PS4 is crashing on you, experiencing all sorts of glitches, freezes, save errors, connectivity issues, and so on, a factory reset can restore the device to proper working order.

Factory resetting a PlayStation 4 will erase all of the data on the console, from save info to images and videos and more, so make sure you back up your console before doing a reset.

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And if you're selling, trading, or giving away your PS4, you should do a factory reset precisely because it erases all of your personal information.

Either way, before doing the reset, make sure you deactivate the console as your primary unit, or you might later have issues accessing online content or re-loading your data onto a new or refreshed device.

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You can deactivate the PS4 through the "PlayStation Network/Account Management" tab in the Settings menu. Hit the "Activate as Your Primary PS4" tab, and then select "Deactivate."

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How to factory reset a PS4

1. In the Settings menu, go to the "Initialization" tab. (You may have to sign in to your user account after the deactivation step above.)

2. Select "Initialize PS4."

ps4 factory reset

Sony

Choose the "Initialize PS4" option, then select "Full" on the next page to perform a full factory reset.

3. On the next page, choose "Full."

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Your PlayStation 4 will now begin to wipe itself clean, restoring the hardware to its never-used, fresh-from-the-factory settings. The process may take more than an hour.

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