How to boot in safe mode on PS5

The PS5 has been out less than a week, and in this time, we’ve seen thousands of gamers get their first taste of next-generation hardware.

During most console launch weeks, users will encounter a range of different issues that weren’t diagnosed and addressed during the testing phase of the system’s development. This is usually due to specific actions causing the device to have issues.

While there are a few notable issues right now that users seem to be facing, solutions vary in effectiveness. For users who are facing issues and want a way to diagnose and reset their device, booting into safe mode is going to be integral.

Safe mode is a state in which the PS5 only boots the bare necessities to run the system. Doing this often results in the console being usable despite any issues it may be facing. From safe mode, users can update the software from a USB drive, format their console, or just generally go through the process of elimination to diagnose where the issue may be coming from.

Thankfully, placing the PS5 in this mode is extremely simple.

How to put the PS5 into safe mode

First, ensure that your console is completely powered off. If it’s in sleep mode, this process won’t work. It’s not a bad idea to take the power cable out and give the console a minute to rest before plugging it back in to ensure that it’s not powered on.

Once you’ve confirmed the console is turned off, approach the console and hold the power button on the front of the unit until you hear two beeps. You should hear the first beep as usual when pressing the button, but you must continue holding it in until you hear a second beep several seconds later.

Now you should notice the console has booted into safe mode. To navigate safe mode, you won’t be able to use the controller wirelessly since Bluetooth isn’t enabled. Instead, to use the controller, you’ll be required to plug it into the console through the USB-C port.

While safe mode is a fantastic way to diagnose any issues you may be having on your console, it isn’t a risk-free process. Due to this, we recommend backing up your game save data to a USB so you still have access to it if an error in safe mode results in loss of data.