Playstation 4: Install update from USB stick
The PlayStation 4 allows firmware updates to be installed via a USB stick. This can be useful if you have problems connecting your PS4 to the Internet or a new hard drive. If your PlayStation 4 has the BLoD error, it can also be useful to install the firmware update in safe mode using a USB stick. Below we explain step by step how to prepare your USB stick and install the update on PlayStation 4.
Step 1: Download firmware update & prepare USB stick
The first thing to do is to download the current PlayStation 4 firmware and copy it to a prepared USB stick. You therefore need a computer with an Internet connection, such as a USB stick with sufficient free space.
- You can download the current PS4 firmware directly from our download portal.
- Create a folder on the UBS stick with the name "PS4". In this directory you create another folder with the name "UPDATE".
- Now place the downloaded firmware update in the "UPDATE" folder. To do this, extract the content of the downloaded archive into the "UPDATE" folder. Compare your folder structure with the picture in the picture gallery below.
Step 2: Enter the safe mode of the PlayStation 4
Safe mode is a slimmed-down version of the settings menu and gives access to basic functions. This also includes installing a firmware update via a USB stick.
- Make sure that the PlayStation 4 is completely switched off. You can tell this by the fact that the light on the top of the PlayStation 4 is off. If your PS 4 lights up orange and is in standby mode, press and hold the power button for about 7 seconds until the console emits a beep.
- Connect the prepared USB stick to one of the USB ports on the front of the PlayStation 4.
- Now press the power button and hold it down for about seven seconds. The PlayStation 4 should emit a beep when it starts up and after seven seconds. You are now in safe mode.
- Connect your PS4 controller with the included USB cable. If you want to install the firmware update on a functioning PlayStation 4, select the third menu item "Update System Software" and follow the instructions on the screen.
- If you have replaced the hard drive of your PlayStation 4 or your console suffers from the BLoD error, select the seventh menu item "Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software)". Now follow the instructions on the screen. Please note that this is like a new installation and all user data and settings will be deleted.
If your PlayStation 4 does not recognize the update file, check the folder directory on your USB stick again. It is important that all order names are capitalized and the update file is named "PS4UPDATE.PUP". If you still have problems, format the USB stick using the FAT 32 format and play the update file again.
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In the picture you can see the necessary folder structure. It is important that you write out the names of the folders in capital letters.
Your finished USB stick should look like this. Make sure that you extract the update data into the folder and that the file is named "PS4UPDATE.PUP". Otherwise the PlayStation 4 cannot recognize the file.
On the picture you can see the Safe Mode menu of the PlayStation 4: Choose between "Update System Software" or "Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software)" (see above).
