Simple Steps To Solve PS4 Not Recognizing External Hard Drive Issue

The size of the PS4’s internal storage space is limited. Therefore, users usually prefer to add an external hard drive for PS4 to get larger storage space. However, PS4 may fail to recognize the connected external hard drive due to several reasons. If you encounter the PS4 Not Recognizing External Hard Drive issue, read this article and rectify the problem like an expert.

PS4 Not Recognizing Usb Hard Drive From The Beginning

If your PS4 does not recognize your hard drive from the beginning, try out the solutions listed in this section. If your PS4 suddenly stops recognizing your external hard drive, move to the next section.

CHECK THE FUNDAMENTALS

DAMAGED HARD DRIVE

• If the external hard drive is damaged, PS4 will not recognize it. To check its functionality, follow these instructions.
• Whenever you connect a healthy hard drive to your computer, it will show you the message, “Your device is ready to use.” So, connect your hard drive to your computer and check if it shows this message.



• In case you don’t see any message, go to the Disk Management section and check if your hard drive is listed there. If your hard drive is damaged, you will see the error message “USB device not recognized.” In those instances, you have to give up your hard drive and replace it with a new one.
• In case your external hard drive is working fine, perhaps the issue might be with your PS4 itself. Follow the instructions given in the upcoming section to update the PS4 system software.

UPDATE PS4 SYSTEM SOFTWARE

• Connect your PS4 to the Internet and go to the home screen.
• Navigate to the Settings page and select System Software Update.



• If it shows any updates, click Next and select Update.
• Now, click on Downloads to install the downloaded updates.
• Once you have updated the PS4 system software, connect your external hard drive and check if PS4 recognizes your hard drive.

Continue reading the below section to troubleshoot PS4 Not Recognizing Usb Hard Drive issue.

PS4 SUDDENLY STOPS RECOGNIZING YOUR EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

In some cases, PS4 suddenly stops recognizing hard drive. In those instances, you need to handle the problem from a different perspective. As the first step of troubleshooting the problem, check if your hard drive is working fine. As mentioned in the previous section, connect your hard drive to your computer and check its functionality. If your hard drive is damaged, replace it with a new one. In case you don’t find any fault with it, try out the following solutions.

RESTART YOUR PS4

• Restarting your PS4 can help you resolve the connection issues easily.
• To restart your PS4, turn it off and disconnect the power cord.
• After a minute, disconnect the external hard drive and turn on PS4.
• Turn off your PS4 once again and reconnect the external hard drive.
• Now, turn on your PS4 and ensure that it recognizes your external hard drive.

REBUILD THE DATABASE

• The rebuild database feature scans your PS4 drive and creates a new PS4 database. It also repairs the corrupted database. Follow these instructions to rebuild the PS4 database.
• Turn off your PS4.
• Next, press the Power button on your PS4 and hold it until you hear the second beep.
• Using a USB cable, connect the PS4 controller and the console. Then press the PS button to open PS4 in safe mode.
• Now, click on Rebuild Database and press X for confirmation.



• Once the process gets completed, wait until your PS4 restarts. Connect your external hard drive to PS4 and check if your problem is resolved.

If you still cannot rectify the "PS4 Not Recognizing External Hard Drive" problem, reach our technical experts for assistance.