Playstation 4: installed games disappear - what to do?
The PlayStation 4 still suffers from some teething problems. In rare cases, installed games disappear from the hard drive of the next-gen console. We'll show you what you can do then. You can find illustrated instructions in our gallery.
PS4 games gone - what now?
In extremely rare cases, installed games and other applications disappear from the PlayStation 4 hard drive. This is particularly annoying when it comes to titles like Battlefield 4, which, thanks to their considerable size, take a long time to download. Unfortunately, in this case you have no choice but to download the game again:
- Don't panic: even if your game has disappeared from PlayStation 4, you can download it again as often as you want - at no additional cost. This also applies to titles from the PlayStation Plus program - even if the titles are no longer available in the Instant Game Collection. Once you've downloaded a PlayStation Plus track, you can download and play it as many times as you want - provided you're still a PlayStation Plus subscriber.
- You can download your tracks again directly from the PlayStation Store. However, it is an alternative and much easier if you select the library on the start screen. The menu entry is at the last position on the start screen.
- All of your purchased PS4 software will be displayed in the library. Here you will also find the deleted title and can download it directly without having to search for it in the PlayStation Store.
How can I avoid the error on PlayStation 4?
So far, Sony has not commented on the problem. This is probably due to the fact that the error has so far only occurred extremely rarely. For this reason, there are no official statements as to how the error occurs and how to prevent it. However, we have a few basic tips for you to avoid similar problems:
- Always keep your PlayStation 4 up to date with the latest firmware version. If you have connected your PlayStation to the Internet permanently, the console will automatically download the update or notify you as soon as an update is available.
- Alternatively, you can check manually in the system settings whether a firmware update is available and then install it.
- Never switch off your PS 4 during storage processes. Do not remove the power cable when the PS 4 is in operation. This also applies when the console is in standby mode. You can recognize this by the orange light bar on the top of the console. In such cases, not only can data be lost: your console can also suffer serious damage. In two other practical tips, we will explain how to get into safe mode or install an update manually using a USB stick.
Don't be afraid for your saved data. If the said error disappears, your installed games will disappear on the hard drive, but the memory levels remain unaffected. However, if you want to make sure that your saves are not lost, the cloud storage of the PlayStation Plus service is recommended.
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In the library you will find everything you have ever downloaded from PlayStation Store. If software titles are deleted, you can download them again from here if in doubt.
Alternatively, you can of course download your software directly from the PlayStation Store, but you may have to laboriously search for it here.
Always keep your PlayStation system up to date with the latest firmware to avoid errors like the ones described here. In the system settings you can check at any time whether a new update is available.
