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Free Up PS5 or Xbox Storage Before a Huge Game Install

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Free Up PS5 or Xbox Storage Before a Huge Game Install

This guide walks you through clearing space on your PS5 or Xbox Series X|S before installing a large game, such as a 100+ GB title. You’ll learn quick ways to delete old games, move captures to external storage, and manage add-ons. No special tools are needed—just your console and a few minutes.

What You’ll Need

  • Your PS5 or Xbox Series X|S console
  • An internet connection (for checking game sizes and updates)
  • Optional: an external USB drive (USB 3.0 or later) for moving games or captures

Step-by-Step

  1. Check your current storage. On PS5, go to Settings > Storage. On Xbox, go to Profile & system > Settings > System > Storage devices. Note how much free space you have.
  2. Find the size of the game you want to install. On the PlayStation Store or Microsoft Store, look at the game’s details page. If it’s already downloaded, check its size in your library. This tells you how much space you need to free.
  3. Delete games you no longer play. On PS5: highlight a game on the home screen, press the Options button, and select Delete. On Xbox: go to My games & apps > See all > Games, highlight a game, press the Menu button, and select Uninstall. Confirm the deletion.
  4. Remove old game captures and screenshots. On PS5, go to Media Gallery, select clips, and delete them. On Xbox, open the Capture & share app, select captures, and delete. You can also move captures to an external drive or cloud storage to keep them.
  5. Manage game add-ons and DLC. On PS5, go to the game’s hub, select the three dots, and choose Manage Game Content to see installed add-ons. Delete any you don’t use. On Xbox, go to My games & apps > See all > Games, highlight a game, press Menu, and select Manage game & add-ons. Uncheck unwanted add-ons and save changes.
  6. Clear saved data you no longer need (if you have cloud backups). On PS5, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS5) and delete old saves. On Xbox, go to My games & apps > See all > Games, highlight a game, press Menu, and select Manage game & add-ons > Saved data. Delete local saves if you have them backed up to the cloud.
  7. Move games to an external drive. If you have an external USB drive, you can move games instead of deleting them. On PS5, go to Settings > Storage > Games and Apps, select a game, and choose Move. On Xbox, go to Settings > System > Storage devices, select your internal drive, then choose games to move to the external drive.
  8. Rebuild your database (PS5 only) or restart your console. After deleting a lot of content, restart your console to clear cache. On PS5, you can also boot into Safe Mode and select Rebuild Database—this doesn’t delete anything but can help performance.
  9. Install your game. Once you have enough free space (the game size plus a little extra for updates), start the installation. On PS5, insert the disc or download from the library. On Xbox, insert the disc or download from the Microsoft Store.

Common Mistakes

  • Not checking game sizes before deleting. You might delete a small game and still not have enough space. Always check the size of the game you want to install first.
  • Deleting saved data without cloud backup. If you delete local saves and don’t have cloud saves enabled, you’ll lose progress. Always confirm cloud backup is on.
  • Forgetting about updates and patches. A game may require an additional 10-20 GB for day-one updates. Free up more space than the base game size.
  • Deleting captures permanently. If you have precious clips, you might want to move them to an external drive or cloud before deleting.
  • Not restarting after deletion. Sometimes the console doesn’t immediately free up all space until a restart.

Tips

  • Use the ‘Sort by size’ feature. On PS5, in the Games and Apps storage menu, you can sort by size to see which games take up the most space. On Xbox, in the games list, you can sort by size as well.
  • Consider an external SSD. If you often run out of space, an external SSD (USB 3.0 or later) can store PS4 games and Xbox games (including Series X|S optimized games on the Seagate expansion card for Xbox). This lets you keep more games installed without deleting.
  • Enable automatic cloud saves. On PS5, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Uploads and enable it. On Xbox, go to Settings > System > Backup & transfer and enable cloud saves. This makes deleting local saves safe.
  • Delete old game clips from the capture gallery regularly. Over time, these can take up many gigabytes.
  • Check for ‘Install all’ vs ‘Install only needed’ options. Some games let you choose which modes (e.g., campaign vs multiplayer) to install. Choose only what you need.

Troubleshooting

  • You still don’t have enough space after deleting games. Check if you have any ‘Other’ or ‘Miscellaneous’ files taking up space. On PS5, go to Settings > Storage > Other and see if there’s a large chunk. This can be cleared by rebuilding the database or restarting. On Xbox, go to Settings > System > Storage devices and look for ‘Other’—this is often system cache, which can be cleared by restarting.
  • The game won’t install even with enough space. Sometimes the console needs a bit more free space than the game size. Try freeing an additional 10-20 GB. Also, ensure your console has the latest system update.
  • You deleted a game but the space isn’t freed. Restart your console. If that doesn’t work, try rebuilding the database on PS5 (Safe Mode > Rebuild Database) or on Xbox, go to Settings > System > Storage devices and select ‘Clear local saved games’ (this only clears saves, not games).
  • External drive not recognized. Make sure the drive is formatted for the console. On PS5, go to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage and format it. On Xbox, go to Settings > System > Storage devices and format it. Note: PS5 games cannot be played from an external drive, but they can be stored there.
  • Cloud saves not working. Check your internet connection and ensure you have an active subscription (PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate) for cloud saves on PS5 and Xbox. Without a subscription, cloud saves may not be available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I play PS5 games from an external hard drive?
A: No, PS5 games must be installed on the internal SSD to be played. However, you can store them on an external drive and move them back when you want to play.

Q: Can I play Xbox Series X|S games from an external hard drive?
A: Only if the game is not optimized for Series X|S. For optimized games, you need the internal SSD or the official Seagate expansion card. You can store them on a regular external drive but must move them to the internal to play.

Q: Will deleting a game delete my saved progress?
A: No, deleting a game does not delete your saved data. Your saves are stored separately. However, if you delete the saved data manually, you’ll lose progress.

Q: How much free space do I really need?
A: At least the size of the game plus about 10% for updates and patches. For a 100 GB game, aim for 110-120 GB free.

Q: Can I pause a download and resume later?
A: Yes, both consoles allow you to pause and resume downloads. If you’re low on space, you can pause the download, free up space, and then resume.

Q: What is ‘Other’ storage on PS5?
A: It’s system cache, temporary files, and sometimes game data that isn’t categorized. It can be cleared by restarting or rebuilding the database.

Related

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.