How to Factory Reset Your PS4 Step-by-Step

The team at History-Computer specializes in creating friendly, easy-to-follow tutorials for the latest consumer electronics and gaming guides. In this article, I‘ll be outlining a complete walkthrough on factory resetting your PlayStation 4.

Here‘s what we‘ll cover:

• What happens during a PS4 factory reset
• Why you should reset your console and expected benefits
• Step-by-step instructions to safely wipe your device
• Things to do after resetting to get up and running again
• Expert advice for advanced users around best practices

I‘ll be explaining each concept in-depth while providing visual aids, recommendations, and troubleshooting tips tailored to newcomers and experienced PS4 owners alike.

Let‘s get started! This process only takes about 30 minutes and I‘ll guide you through it.

Overview: Inside the PS4 Factory Reset Process

So what exactly happens when you factory reset your PlayStation 4? At a high level:

1. The initialization process wipes all user accounts along with associated game saves, settings, etc.
2. Any installed game discs, digital downloads, or updates get completely erased.
3. The console operating system gets reinstalled fresh, as if booted up for the very first time.

Essentially, your PS4 reverts to a brand new, out-of-the-box state. This gives you a "clean slate" to work from.

Benefits of Factory Resetting

Before we dive into the step-by-step, let‘s discuss why resetting to factory settings is useful:

• Clean out old junk data causing sluggish performance
• Resolve errors from failed system updates
• Prepare your device for sale by wiping personal data

I always recommend resetting your console before selling. Not only does it protect your privacy by removing accounts and payment info, but also maximizes resale value since buyers will receive an ideal "like new" system.

Now that you know what this process involves under the hood, let‘s walk through it together. I‘ve broken the instructions down into six easy-to-follow steps complete with visual examples of what you‘ll see on-screen.

But before we start mashing buttons, I have a critical warning for you…

Back Up Your Game Saves Before Resetting!

This process will permanently delete all of your saved PS4 games and achievement data.

So I implore you, please connect an external USB drive and back up anything you want to keep before we proceed with resetting your console!

Here is Sony‘s official support guide on properly backing up your game save files and character profiles from your PS4 memory:

Alright, now that your memory card is protected, let‘s continue.

Step 1: Turn On Your PS4

Let‘s start by powering up your PlayStation 4…