Is Your PS5 Crashing? 5 Quick Fixes to Try!

While the popularity of the PS5 (Playstation 5) is indisputable, its users are not exempt from experiencing certain frustrating technical issues with the console.

One particular pain point results from a situation where the PS5 keeps crashing, seemingly for no valid reason.

These crashes happen for various reasons, including bad configuration, software bugs, and bad console positioning.

No gamer wants to deal with a crashing PS5, so we have put together a list of tips to stop the various issues that cause these crashes.

Reboot Your PS5 Console

The fastest, simplest, and most common way to overcome most software glitch-related issues with the PS5 is to restart it.

A console reboot allows the system to start fresh, run its initialization protocols, and clear any potentially problematic cache.

The restart process is very simple. All it requires is pushing the PS Power button on the DualSense controller. From the pop-up menu, select the Power icon and choose to Restart the PS5.

If the PS5 freezes and then crashes, hold the Power button on the console until you hear two beeps emitted.

This will force a full shutdown of the PS5. Once it is completely off, power the PS5 up again and see if the issue has been resolved.

Update PS5 Firmware

Many issues are resolved with updates that Sony puts out as packages during their periodic service release versions.

It is important to stay current with these updates as they include potential fixes for newly discovered causes of the crashes.

To update your PS5, follow these steps:

Select the PS5’s Settings from the top of the home screen.
Go to the System tab.
Select System Software.
Select System Software Update and Settings.
Choose to Update System Software from the list of update options.
Finally, choose Update Using Internet.

If, for some reason, there is no current internet connection for the console, you can download the files manually from Playstation.com’s System Software page.

Copy them to a USB drive, plug the drive into the PS5, and select Update Using USB Drive instead.

Update Your PS5 Games

Many crashes are not issues with the PS5 system itself but rather bugs in certain games.

Just as it is important to keep the PS5 firmware updated, it is a good idea to take the latest game updates to avoid potential performance issues.

If you’re experiencing crashes while playing a specific game on PS5, follow these steps:

Select the game from the PS5’s game choice interface.
Press the Options button.
Then, choose “Check For Updates.”

If the game has an update available, it should begin downloading and installing now.

To avoid constantly checking for these updates, you can automate the process to load new game updates as soon as they become available.

Go to Settings.
Choose Saved Games and Game/App Settings.
Select the Automatic Updates tab
Then, toggle the Auto-Download slide bar to an “on” status.

You can also try refreshing a particular problematic game by uninstalling and reinstalling it.

Select the game in question from the PS5 home screen, press the Options button, and choose Delete. Confirm the deletion; the game will be removed from your PS5 system.

If the game is on a physical disc, simply remove the game from the console and put it back in, launching a reinstall. You can head to the game library to re-download it if it is a digital copy.

Protect PS5 From Overheating

One particularly prominent issue that causes PS5s to start experiencing problems is bad ventilation.

If the PS5 is located in a place that does not allow the heat that the console running fans to dissipate adequately (such as in a tight space surrounded by shelving or walls), it can quickly overheat.

To prevent overheating, the temperature monitor shuts down the system if it gets too hot, protecting the delicate electronics inside. Good ventilation helps prevent this by allowing heat to escape.

Disabling Rest Mode

“Rest mode” on a PS5 is designed for power conservation, but it has also been reported to be susceptible to crashes.

If this is the case, rest mode can be disabled. You can prevent the PS5 from entering rest mode by following these steps:

Go to Settings.
Select the System tab.
Choose Power Saving.
Select the Set Time Until PS5 Enters Rest Mode.
Change all members of this list to the Don’t Put In Rest Mode.

Rebuild PS5 Database

Many crashing issues stem from SSD fragmentation. However, this can be overcome by rebuilding the PS5 database.

After connecting your DualSense controller to your PS5, power the console down, then, hold the power button down until the PS5 initializes in Safe Mode.

From the available options:

Select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
From there, select Clear System Software Cache and Rebuild Database.

Factory Reset Your PS5

One of the above steps should have certainly helped to overcome the issue, but if not, you may need to take a more drastic measure of resetting the PS5 to its default settings.

Keep in mind that while this will likely fix the crashing issue if you did not experience it with the console out of the box, it will also revert any configurations.

With that in mind, you can revert your PS5 to its default settings by following these steps:

Go to Settings.
Select the System tab.
Choose System Software.
Select Reset Options.
Select Reset Your Console.
Confirm the restart by selecting Reset.

Wait for the PS5 to fully reboot

Wrap Up

We are confident that one of the above options helped to address your crashing PS5 issues.

If not, there might be something wrong on a hardware level. In that case, you should contact Sony Playstation reps directly.

They will instruct you on any other troubleshooting techniques or issue guidance on how to proceed next.

If you have any feedback or questions, please don’t hesitate to comment below.