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PS4 Lagging Fix: Why Is Your PS4 Slow & How to Fix It?

Is your PS4 lagging and working slowly? If yes, no worries, as you are not the only one facing this situation. Laggy PS4 is no fun, and you should try to fix this problem by any means. 

PS4 can lag due to overheating, slow internet, corrupt or outdated software, and hard drive issues. You can solve these issues by providing proper ventilation, using an ethernet connection, regularly updating the PS4, and clearing up hard disk space. 

Numerous factors can slow down the PS4. Minor issues like improper ventilation can also cause it to lag. You should know all the reasons causing this lag. So, let’s learn all about it!

Why Is Your PS4 So Laggy?

PS4 Freezing Up

Everyone loathes game lags. Lags during a game ruin the whole experience, and the users can lose the game too. Because no matter how good a player you are, a game lag can affect your performance. 

Lags in PS4 are common, but you don’t have to live with them. There are possible solutions that can prevent the lags. But, before going into the solutions, we must learn what causes the lag so you can use a suitable solution. So, let’s dive right in!

Heated Setup

If your console is getting too hot, it could be causing the lag.

For example, improper ventilation causes heating in the device. When the heat doesn’t find ways to dissipate, the machine starts consuming more power. Eventually, the system starts getting slow and causes lags.

Malfunctioning or hardware issues could also be causing heating problems.

Internet Connectivity Issues

Slow internet and signal disturbance between the router and the PS4 can impact the performance of your games. If your PS4 isn’t receiving strong enough signals from the router, it will work slowly as most of the things on PS4 require a stable internet connection. 

Barriers between the PS4 and the router can be a cause behind an unstable internet connection. Therefore, your router and your PS4 shouldn’t be placed too far away from each other. 

Dust and Debris

The inside and outside of your PS4 should always be clean and dust-free. Too much dust trapped inside the console can cause poor ventilation, making the console slow and laggy. Also, dust stuck on different components of your PS4 can disturb the working of those components leading to slowness in the system. 

Hard Drive Issues

If your hard drive is displaced or misaligned from its place in your PS4, it could cause lagging. Even if the hard drive moves slightly, it will stop working correctly and cause issues. Therefore, you need to make sure that the hard drive is secured in its place in your PS4. 

Also, if your hard drive has become faulty due to some physical damage, it may stop working fully or work very slowly, causing lags in the PS4. The hard drive can also become faulty when it has some bad sectors.

Moreover, a full hard drive is one of the most common causes of a slow and laggy PS4. It’s not uncommon as games keep coming up with new and improved updates that keep filling your hard drive space, so you should clear your hard drive now and then.

Corrupted Software or Bugs

Errors in the installation of software can corrupt it. Corrupted software makes the PS4 slow, similar to a PC. This can disturb the installation of future updates too.

Outdated Firmware of PS4 

The purpose of updates is to fix bugs and make the console faster and faster. So, if you don’t install new updates, the system will start becoming slow eventually. 

Crowded Home Screen

Little things like too many files on the home screen of your PS4 can also cause a lag in your device. Files should be managed and kept in an organized way. The home screen isn’t the best place to store everything. 

How Do You Get Your PS4 to Stop Lagging?

After learning the possible causes behind a slow and laggy PS4, you must be curious about the solutions. The solutions to make the PS4 stop lagging include both quick fixes and elaborated steps. 

Things as little as restarting the PS4 can make the lag go away. However, sometimes due to more significant issues, the lag won’t go away by DIY methods, and you might need a repair. So, let’s learn about the fixes without wasting further time!

Restart the PS4

If your console is overheating and you’ve been playing games for hours, you might need to restart it.

Overheating due to playing games won’t occur in an hour or two as the PS4 is a sturdy and robust device. However, it can happen when you continuously use it for hours, especially when playing heavy games.

Restarting the PS4 will cool it down. Shut it down for a few minutes and give it a break to let it cool off before you start using it again. 

Fix Your Internet Connection

Your internet’s download speed should be at least 10 MB for the PS4 games to work without lagging and slowing down.

First, you need to check if your internet is the culprit behind your PS4 lagging and working slowly. You can check this by using the internet on another device.

You can use an ethernet connection for faster internet instead of a wireless one. For example, you can get the AmazonBasics Snagless RJ45 Ethernet Cable (on Amazon).

Change your DNS and MTU for faster internet. The DNS on your primary should be 8.8.8.8, and the secondary should be 8.8.4.4. Change the MTU to 1476.

Provide Proper Ventilation

Proper ventilation is crucial if you want to avoid overheating your PS4. The PS4 has built-in fans to keep it cool, but you should give it enough space to prevent overheating on your part. Place the PS4 in such a space where the heat can escape from all sides. 

If you are playing games on your PS4 in the summer, make sure that the room you are sitting in is cool enough. Too much heat from outside sources can make the PS4 overheat and slow down.

Clear your Hard Disk

Deleting unnecessary content and clearing up caches regularly from your PS4 will free storage space and keep your device running optimally.

To clear out content:

  1. Go to “Settings” and select “System Storage Management.” 
  2. Select the content you want to delete and click the “Options” button.
  3. Select “Delete” from the available options. 
  4. Repeat for every content you want removed from your PS4.

Keep the PS4 Updated

You should keep checking if any system updates are available for your PS4. Once there are new updates, download and install them. The more you wait to download an update, the slower your console will get. 

To install updates:

  1. Download the latest updates from the PlayStation website and copy them to a USB.
  2. Connect the USB with your PS4.
  3. Boot the PS4 into “Safe Mode” by pressing the power button for a few seconds. 
  4. Select “Update System Software” in the safe mode. 

Place the Hard Drive the Right Way

Make sure that your hard drive is placed in the right way. For this, you have to check the hard drive manually.

Before checking the hard drive, ensure the PS4 is turned off and all the cables are disconnected. Then take the hard drive off from the PS4 and check if there is any physical damage to it, making sure it’s set on the bay cover correctly.

If the hard drive is intact, put it back on the PS4 and ensure it is securely attached. But if your hard drive has become faulty, get a new one. 

Rebuild PS4 Database

If the contents of your PS4 have gone corrupt over time, rebuilding the database is a great option. It will make the system faster, and you might be able to get rid of all the lags.

To rebuild the database in safe mode, you will have to connect the controller through a USB cable instead of Bluetooth. This is because Bluetooth doesn’t work in safe mode.

To rebuild the database:

  1. Turn off the PS4 and boot it in safe mode by long-pressing the power button for a few seconds.
  2. From the safe mode, select “Rebuild Database.”
  3. Wait for the console to complete the rebuilding process.

Update All the Games

If you face lags in a specific game, you should look for game updates. Games should be regularly updated as the new updates provide bug fixes and improvements.