Need to reset your PS5 but worried about losing games, saved data, or settings? This guide walks you through safe methods to reset your PS5 without losing data, also including step-by-step instructions on retrieving lost data after resetting the PS5, it the need arise.
When your PS5 malfunctions or you plan to sell it, resetting the PS5 is an effective method that can both resolve system issues and protect your personal privacy. However, improper reset methods may lead to complete data loss on the console. You might be wondering: can I reset my PS5 without losing data? The answer is YES! You can reset your console while keeping your games, apps, and saves intact.
This article will introduce two methods to reset your PS5 without losing any data. Additionally, there will be expert tips both before and after the reset to fully protect the security of your data. This is especially useful if your PS5 is running slowly, experiencing errors, or you just want to refresh the system without wiping everything.
To reset your PS5 without losing valuable data, you’ll need to take a few precautionary steps. This involves backing up your console data first, then choosing the right reset method, either through the system settings or using Safe Mode, and finally knowing how to recover data if something still goes missing after the reset.
Before making any changes, it’s wise to back up your data. This ensures that even if something unexpected happens, you won’t lose important files. The PS5 allows you to back up data from the console using a USB drive. After the reset is complete, you can restore saved game data from it without needing PS Plus.
Step 1. Prepare a USB drive and connect it to your PS5 console.
Step 2. Go to "Settings" > "System" > "System Software" > "Backup and Restore" > "Back Up Your PS5".
Step 3. Select the data in the console storage you want to back up and click "Next".
Step 4. Click "Back up", then your console will restart and begin the backup process.
When the message "Backup complete. Your PS5 will restart" appears on the screen, you can safely move forward with resetting.
Once all data on the PS5 has been backed up, you can safely start the PS5 reset process. The easiest way to reset your PS5 is through system settings. You can follow these steps:
Step 1. Navigate to "Settings" > "System" > "System Software" > "Reset Options" > "Reset Your Console".
Step 2. A prompt will appear on the screen indicating that all data will be erased. Click "Reset" to start the PS5 reset process.
If your PS5 isn’t functioning properly or won’t start normally, you can use Safe Mode to reset it without losing data. This approach is often used when your PS5 is stuck in a loop or showing errors.
Step 1. Turn off your PS5 completely and press the Power button until you hear a second beep (about 7 seconds).
Step 2. Connect your controller to the PS5 console with a correct USB.
Step 3. Press the PS button on the controller to enter Safe Mode.
Step 4. Scroll down and choose "Reset PS5" or "Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software)" based on your needs.
Step 5. Click "Rest" to start the process.
You may see two reset options in Safe Mode: "Reset PS5" and "Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software)".
Even if you carefully reset your PS5, sometimes data may still go missing. If that happens, don’t panic—you can still recover your files. If you backed up all data on the console to a USB hard drive before starting the reset, you can directly restore the lost data from the backup. Although you didn’t back up, you can try using professional data recovery software to retrieve data from the PS5 hard drive.
MyRecover is a professional data recovery software with a simple visual interface design, which simplifies the data recovery process. It can scan all the drives connected to computer and give a chance to recover lost files from the devices, including game console hard drives. MyRecover supports game console hard drives of various brands, such as PS4, PS5, Xbox, Xbox One, Nintendo, etc. You can recover lost data from PS5/PS4 hard drive.
Here are the standout features of MyRecover.
✅500+ Devices Support – Recover files from all types of devices like SSD, HDD, USB flash drive, SD card, cameras, game console drives and more.
✅Handle 500+ Data Loss Scenarios – Recover from deleted partition, formatted hard drive, emptied Recycle Bin, system crash, virus attack, etc.
✅Supports over 1,000 File Types – Including documents, photos, videos, audio, archives, and Outlook data files.
✅Higher Success Rate – Advanced deep scan for NTFS/FAT32/exFAT drives.
✅OS Compatibility – Work not only on Windows 11 /10, but also on Windows 8.1/ 8/ 7 and all Servers.
✅Smart Scan Modes – Choose from Quick Scan for recent deletions or Deep Scan for formatted/corrupted drives.
Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer from a secure channel. Remove the PS5 hard drive and connect it to your computer.
Step 2. Run it and select the PS5 console hard drive to scan, then click "Scan". You can click "Deep Scan" to find more files after the quick scan finished if needed.
Step 3. Choose the files you intend to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".
Step 4. Select a safe location (not the PS5 hard drive) to save the recovered files.
When the process is completed, the message indicating successful recovery will pop up. You can check the recovered files by clicking on the destination folder path or "Browse" button.
If you've backed up data on console with USB drive, you can restore directly from the created backup. Follow these steps to restore data from external hard drive.
Step 1. Insert the USB drive containing the backups into your PS5.
Step 2. Locate to "Settings" > "System" > "Back Up and Restore" > "Restore Your PS5".
Step 3. Choose the created backup to restore saved data from.
Step 4. Click "Restore" to begin the process.
If your controller isn’t working or isn’t available, you can still reset your PS5. You can use a keyboard or mouse instead of a controller to reset PS5, but this way only reset PS5 in Settings. Connect the keyboard to your console with a USB cable. Then you can reset PS5 following the steps in method 1.
Resetting your PS5 doesn’t have to mean losing all your precious data. By backing up first and using the right reset option, you can reset PS5 without losing data and get your console running smoothly again.
If you ever lose files during the process, tools like MyRecover can help you recover lost data. Moreover, MyRecover's Professional edition allows unlimited recovery quota, preview function before restoration, and even restore content from unbootable systems. It’s one of the most reliable solutions for keeping your data safe.