Can you play PS5 games from an external drive?
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No. PS5 games can only run from internal M.2 storage, not from an external USB drive. An external drive can store PS5 games as an archive and you copy them back to internal storage to play, which is faster than redownloading. The one thing an external drive plays directly is PS4 games, which run over USB without copying. For PS5 games you need an internal NVMe SSD.
PS5 requirements as published in Sony's M.2 SSD support page. Prices from Amazon.co.uk.
What an external drive can and cannot do
| External USB drive | Internal M.2 SSD | |
|---|---|---|
| Play PS5 games | No | Yes, at full speed |
| Store PS5 games | Yes (archive) | Yes |
| Play PS4 games | Yes, directly | Yes |
| Speed | About 1,000 MB/s (USB) | 5,500+ MB/s (Gen4) |
| Price per TB | Lower | Higher |
Why PS5 games are locked to internal storage
PS5 games depend on the console's high-speed internal SSD and its hardware decompression to stream assets quickly. USB tops out around 1,000 MB/s, far below what those games assume, so Sony does not allow PS5 titles to run from external drives.
The workaround is to keep PS5 games archived on a cheap external drive and copy the one you want back to internal storage, which takes a couple of minutes and beats redownloading a 100GB-plus title.
Which storage do you actually need?
An external drive is enough if
- You mainly want a cheap archive for PS5 games you are not playing now.
- You play a lot of PS4 games, which run from USB directly.
- You want the most capacity per pound and not PS5 play speed.
You need an internal SSD if
- You want to install and play more PS5 games at full speed.
- You dislike copying games back before you can play them.
- Load times and a bigger active library matter to you.
Compatible drives, live prices
See external drives for the PS5, ranked by price per TB
Related comparisons and guides
If this page is not quite what you need, try External SSDs, External HDD vs SSD, USB stick on a PS5?, How to move games.
You may also want PS5 SSD requirements, Which SSD is compatible?, The 11.25mm height rule, With heatsink, 2TB.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play PS5 games from an external hard drive?
No. PS5 games run only from internal M.2 storage. An external USB drive can store them and copy them back to play, but cannot run them directly.
Can the PS5 play PS4 games from an external drive?
Yes. PS4 games run directly from a USB external drive on the PS5, with no copying needed. Only PS5 games are restricted to internal storage.
Why can't PS5 games run from USB?
PS5 games rely on the internal SSD's speed and hardware decompression. USB caps around 1,000 MB/s, too slow, so Sony locks PS5 titles to internal storage.
What is the point of an external drive for a PS5?
It is a cheap archive: store PS5 games you are not playing and copy them back when you want them, avoiding long redownloads, plus it plays PS4 games directly.
Can I move PS5 games between internal and external storage?
Yes. You can copy PS5 games to an external drive to free space and copy them back to internal storage to play. PS4 games can be played from either.
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