The PS4 is still considered one of the most used game consoles, even after the release of PS5 and the new Xbox series. The PS4 does not require any special settings, as it does with the PC setup. For example, installing or updating drivers. And of course, this is a benefit.
Nevertheless, things can go wrong. It doesn’t happen very often, but sometimes the PS4 crashes or gets stuck, in which case you need to start the PS4 in safe mode.
Safe mode can often be used as a diagnostic tool to troubleshoot software problems or to work through problems without the help of third-party software.
Booting the PS4 in safe mode should be considered as a last resort. If you can’t turn on the console the ordinary way, safe mode may be the only solution. For those who are Mac or iPhone owners, starting the console is equivalent to holding down the power button.
In this article, we are going to tell you how to start and use your PS4 in safe mode.
How to launch PS4 in safe mode
The first thing to do before starting up in safe mode is to make sure that all USB ports work. After the PS4 has booted, you will need to reconnect the controller, so if the USB ports are not working, you must perform a physical repair before reconnecting the controller.
If you want to start your PS4 in safe mode, you have to follow these steps:
- First of all, completely turn off the PS4;
- Press the power button as usual and it should blink several times before shutting down the console;
- Press and hold the power button. You should hear a sound when you press it, and then another beep seven seconds later. When you hear both signals, release the power button;
- Your PS4 should boot into safe mode. Connect the controller to your PS4 and press the PS4 button. To control your PS4 from here, you need to make sure your DualShock controller is connected to your console through USB.
If you want to exit safe mode, you just have to turn off your PS4 and launch it again. It must be rebooted as ordinary.
After booting the PS4 in safe mode, you will see several options. Choosing “Restart” will allow you to boot normally and “Change Resolution” will force the PS4 to boot in 480p the next time. If you want to update the software through a USB drive, Internet, or disk, select “Update System Software”.
The “Restore Default” setting will return the PS4 to factory defaults but will save your data, while “Rebuild Database” will scan the drive and essentially re-index its contents. “Initialize PS4” is by far the most drastic action, as it will erase all your data from the console and essentially return it to the day you took it out of the box.
How to fix PS4 stucks in a safe mode
Sometimes a situation may occur where the PlayStation 4 loops in safe mode. This scenario means that it doesn’t boot in normal mode. If you are experiencing this problem, you can try to follow a few steps to solve it.
First of all, you can try to check whether your DualShock controller is connected to the game console using a charging cable. Once the controller is securely connected, choose the option to exit safe mode. The fact is that sometimes the USB cable can’t connect properly to the console, mostly because of poor quality parts or wear and tear. The connection may appear to be successful, although, in fact, it is not. Try using a different PS4 controller cable to see if it can successfully exit safe mode.
As the second way, you can try to power down your PS4 for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes the console just needs a good break to reset the system and cool down. Then reboot the console in safe mode like you always do. Check for updates. These updates may contain fixes for common troubles, new features, and improved performance. In many situations, an update is all the PS4 needs to fix common problems.
Finally, it’s possible to completely reset the PS4. If it gets stuck in the boot cycle in safe mode, you can perform a factory reset. In this case, everything will be deleted from the console: games, progress, and profile. After restarting the device, log in using your PlayStation user credentials. You will be able to download all your content on your PS4 from the store again.
