October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run ScanOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
World desk3 min

How to Fix a PS5 System Update That Won’t Download or Install

A safe sequence for fixing a PS5 update that will not download or install, including retrying, LAN, Safe Mode, USB, and the data-loss risk of reinstallation.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

If a PS5 system update is stuck or fails to install, retry it once from Downloads/Uploads, then use a wired connection and the normal update screen if you can reach the home screen. If that does not work, Sony supports updating through Safe Mode or from an official update file on a USB drive. Reinstalling system software is a separate, last-resort step: it deletes all data on the console.

Start with the least disruptive fix: retry the download

  1. Press the PS button to open the control center, then select Downloads/Uploads.
  2. Highlight the system software update and select View Error Info, then Try Again.
  3. If it fails repeatedly, stop cycling through retries and move to the wired or USB update steps below.

For the current official instructions and update file, use PlayStation Support’s PS5 system software page. Sony warns that update data from other sources or installation by other methods can cause the console to malfunction and may affect warranty or repair services.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If the home screen works, try the normal update over LAN

Connect the PS5 to your router with a LAN cable if possible. Then go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings and select Update System Software. A wired connection is Sony’s suggested next step when an update is failing over the network.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Update from Safe Mode

Safe Mode offers an update route when normal access is limited. You can try an online update there or use USB storage if the network route continues to fail.

#1 Best Overall
PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)
  • Model Number CFI-2000
  • Includes DualSense Wireless Controller, 1TB SSD, 2 Horizontal Stand Feet, HDMI Cable, AC power cord, USB cable, printed materials, ASTRO’s PLAYROOM (Pre-installed game)
  • Vertical Stand sold seperately
  1. Turn off the PS5 completely.
  2. Press and hold the power button again. Release it after the second beep, which Sony says sounds about seven seconds after the first.
  3. Connect the controller to the console with a USB cable and press the controller’s PS button.
  4. Select Update System Software, then choose the direct download option or the USB option if you prepared a drive.

Follow Sony’s Safe Mode system software update instructions if the on-screen choices differ or you need the latest details.

Install the official update from a USB drive

Use this route if online updates keep failing or the console cannot update online. You need a computer and a USB drive formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. The update file is not the same as Sony’s separate reinstallation file.

  1. On the USB drive, create a folder named PS5 at the root, then create a folder named UPDATE inside it.
  2. Download the current system software update file from Sony’s official PS5 system software page.
  3. Save the file in the UPDATE folder with the exact filename PS5UPDATE.PUP.
  4. Connect the drive to the PS5, enter Safe Mode as described above, and select Update System Software > Update from USB Storage Device > OK.

If the console does not detect the file, check that the drive is FAT32 or exFAT, that the folders are at the drive root in the order PS5/UPDATE, and that the folder names and filename use the specified uppercase letters. Sony’s live instructions specify the current free-space requirement; check that page before downloading because the file size can change.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #2
Sony PlayStation 5 PS5 Disc Version Gaming Console, 4K Blu-ray Player, 16GB GDDR6 Memory, Ultra-High Speed 825GB SSD, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, 120Hz 8K Output
  • CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 8 Cores / 16 Threads at 3.5GHz.GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine.
  • 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Memory; 825GB SSD Storage Capacity
  • Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
  • HDR technology, 8K output, 4K TV gaming, Up to 120 fps with 120Hz output, Tempest 3D AudioTech
  • What's Included: Sony PlayStation 5 Disc Version; Wireless controller; USB cable, HDMI cable, AC power cord. Nogtox PVT HDMI_cable

Do not confuse updating with reinstalling

Reinstallation deletes all data on the PS5. Sony’s warning is explicit: “Reinstalling the system software on your PS5 console will delete all of the data on your PS5 console.” Back up what you can before proceeding, and use reinstallation only after the ordinary update routes fail. It requires Sony’s separate reinstallation file and the Safe Mode option Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software); do not substitute the ordinary update file.

Other Safe Mode choices have different effects. Read the description shown for each option before selecting it, especially any reset or reinstall option. For the menu’s explanations and data-loss cautions, see Sony’s Safe Mode guide.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Keep the console powered on during installation

Once installation begins, do not turn off the console. PlayStation Support warns: “Don’t turn off your console during the installation. Interrupting the installation can cause your console to be damaged.”

Rank #3
Playstation 5 Digital Edition PS5 Gaming (Disc Free) Console (Renewed)
  • 🚀 CPU: 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2
  • 🚀 Storage: Custom 825GB SSD
  • 🚀 RAM: 16GB GDDR6
  • 🚀 GPU: 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU

Check the exact error code or contact support

Note the complete error code shown on screen and look it up in Sony’s PS5 error-code index. The index includes CE-113338-9 for an error while updating PS5 system software and CE-109737-7 for USB storage not being recognized. A different download, account, or network error does not by itself show that system software is corrupted.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

If the official USB update also fails, the PS5 cannot enter Safe Mode, or the problem persists, use PlayStation Repairs diagnostics and support. Repair options depend on your situation and region.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)
PlayStation®5 Digital Edition (slim)
Model Number CFI-2000; Vertical Stand sold seperately
$598.98
Bestseller No. 2
Sony PlayStation 5 PS5 Disc Version Gaming Console, 4K Blu-ray Player, 16GB GDDR6 Memory, Ultra-High Speed 825GB SSD, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, 120Hz 8K Output
Sony PlayStation 5 PS5 Disc Version Gaming Console, 4K Blu-ray Player, 16GB GDDR6 Memory, Ultra-High Speed 825GB SSD, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, 120Hz 8K Output
16GB GDDR6/256-bit Memory; 825GB SSD Storage Capacity; Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T), IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1
Bestseller No. 3
Playstation 5 Digital Edition PS5 Gaming (Disc Free) Console (Renewed)
Playstation 5 Digital Edition PS5 Gaming (Disc Free) Console (Renewed)
🚀 CPU: 3.5GHz, 8-core AMD Zen 2; 🚀 Storage: Custom 825GB SSD; 🚀 RAM: 16GB GDDR6; 🚀 GPU: 10.3 teraflop RDNA 2 GPU

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Wire

  1. World desk4 min
    How to Spot an AI Voice Scam Before Sending MoneyDon’t rely on how a caller sounds. Pause, call back through a known number, and verify the emergency with another trusted person before sending money.
  2. Mountain View desk4 min
    Google’s SynthID Detector: How to Check AI-Generated Images, Video and AudioGoogle’s SynthID Detector looks for an embedded watermark in supported images, video and audio. Here is what its results do—and do not—show.
  3. Redmond desk20 min
    How to create a link to File or Folder in Windows 11Windows 11 gives you several ways to point to a file or folder without moving or duplicating it. You can create a desktop shortcut,…
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.