When was the last time you did a database rebuild on your PS4? If you don’t know what that is or can’t remember, chances are it’s been too long. Luckily the process is simple and safe, and while it will take longer if you haven’t done it before (or ever) there’s no harm in improving your console maintenance now. Following these steps will remove corrupted data and reorganize your files, improving your system’s performance.
How to rebuild your PS4’s database
Power off your PS4 and do not use rest mode.
Hold the power button down until you hear two quick beeps. This will alert you that you have entered Safe Mode.
Connect your DualShock 4 controller to the USB-A slot in the front of the PS4.
Scroll down in the menu until you reach option 5, Rebuild Database.
Press the X button to start the rebuild.
Rebuilding your PS4’s database may take minutes or hours depending on how full your console is and how often you install and delete games. Rebuilding actually reorganizes your hard drive to make it easier and quicker for the system to access your files. A properly organized database can load data faster, decreasing the chances of having your game freeze or experiencing frame rate drops.
Database rebuilding is a fairly simple task that should be done every few months — doing it once a quarter is best. The more frequently you do it, the less time the process should take.
Is it dangerous to rebuild your PS4’s database?
Database rebuilding sounds like cleaning — and cleaning sounds like getting rid of things — but the process shouldn’t actually delete any data unless a file is corrupted. Corrupted files will be deleted, but you probably weren’t going to be able to use them even if they were still there. You can always back up your system to an external hard drive or USB storage device before you perform a database rebuild if you’re worried. You’ll also be protected if you have auto-upload enabled on your PS4, which keeps up to 100GB of your gaming data safe in online storage.
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