How to choose the default hard drive for PlayStation 4 game downloads

If you're in the process of switching to a new external hard drive you'll want to get all the memory back onto your original PlayStation 4. Or, maybe, you gave up on the idea of an external hard drive all together. Regardless, here's how you can get all of your precious save files back onto your PlayStation and reset your options to go back to automatically saving to the default hard drive.

Products used in this guide

• Amazon: Seagate 2TB Game Drive ($80)
• Amazon: PlayStation 4 Pro - 1 TB ($518)
• Amazon: 2-Pack PS4 Controller Charging Cable ($10)

How to move games to your preferred storage

1. Select Settings from the main menu of your PS4 Home screen.
2. Select Storage.
3. Press the Options button on your DualShock controller.
4. Select System Storage
5. Select Applications

6. Press the Options button on your DualShock controller.

   

7. Select Move to System Storage.
8. Click the box next to all of the titles you would like to move to your default storage.
9. Press Move and hit OK.

It's far too heartbreaking to spend over 300 hours finally beating Fallout 4 and then having to start over again, so make sure you get all of your existing files off of your external hard drive if you need them.

How to start using your default hard drive once again

1. Select Settings from the main menu of your PS4 Home screen.
2. Select Storage.

3. Press the Options Button on your DualShock controller.

   

4. Select Application install location.
5. Select System Storage.

And, there you have it. Now everything that you download will go right to the external hard drive. If you ever clear out the main hard drive of your console or want to stop using your external, all you have to do it follow the same steps. The second time around just select "Extended Storage" instead of System Storage.

Our top equipment picks

If you're moving back to your default hard drive while you get a new storage device make sure you check this one out.

The best external hard drive

Seagate Game Drive

$80 at Amazon

Expand your gaming library for the PS4

For only $80 on Amazon you can add an extra 2TB to the memory you have available for your PlayStation 4.

The Seagate Game Drive has 3.0 adapters, meaning you can get the best data transfer for smoother gaming. But, if you're working off an older edition of the PlayStation 4, there is a backward compatibility for 2.0 USB as well. The slim and sleep design will match your device perfectly, blending in with the rest of your PS4 battle station!