PS5 issues: All the PlayStation 5 problems and fixes so far

This piece was last updated on December 4, 2020.

The PS5 is finally out in the wild after launching in November. And it’s proven to be an astonishing console with a killer game lineup of games, from Astro’s Playroom to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. But for some unlucky buyers, the PS5 has also been a source of frustration — and not just because it’s hard to find the PS5 in stock.

Rather, some users have run into problems with their PS5s following the system’s debut. Reports of PS5 issues include crashes, software issues, a frustrating whine, and even systems being bricked. While it’s difficult to gauge just how widespread the problems are, anyone who spends $499 on a new console expects it to arrive free of issues.

So that you can get a sense of what problems some PS5 owners are running into, we’ve collected the various PS5 errors, bugs, and issues that you should be aware of, along with whether Sony has issued a fix. (Sony has patched a handful of problems with some update software, but many of them still remain.)

Here’s a rundown of the biggest PlayStation 5 problems and what fixes are available.

PS5 latest system updates

November 25, 2020 system update: Sony pushed through a new system update for PS5 that resolves a litany of issues users had been reporting, including the “Queued for Download” problem that kept many from being able to access the games they had purchased or redeemed via code on the PlayStation Store. 

According to Sony’s patch notes, the Nov. 25 update is meant to improve system performance as well as resolve an issue where disc versions of games were sometimes being deleted. The update also resolves an issue that prevented the PS5 wireless controller from charging while in rest mode when connected to the PS5’s front USB Type-A port via the USB cable included with the console. 

Unresolved PS5 issues

PlayStation Network connectivity issues: Users have reported problems connecting to the PlayStation Network at random in addition to downloading games from the service. It’s unlikely to be an issue localized to the PS5 most of the time, but when it comes to downloading updates for the new console, some users have reported problems across social media that they’ve had issues getting online when receiving their new systems. 

There is no definite fix in place for this PS5 problem at the moment.

Transferring data from PS4 to PS5 via USB or LAN: When you first pick up your PS5, it can be tempting to want to connect straight to your PS4 to get everything moved over to your new system in one fell swoop. You can do this by connecting your PS4 via USB or LAN to PS5, just as the system prompts you when you turn it on. 

However, users have been experiencing system crashes, errors, and additional problems when attempting this. There’s no firmware update to resolve the issue just yet, so you might want to just hold off on the whole thing for now. 

Rest mode crashes console: Though the PS5’s rest mode is hardly a new feature, it’s been giving users fits as of late. Rest mode will suspend your game, keeping the game up to date while you’re away from your system. Some players have experienced crashing and critical errors when attempting to use rest mode resulting in last-ditch database rebuilding. In some cases, the console has even bricked. 

There is no current fix from Sony for this particular issue, but you can always turn off rest mode in the interim to ensure you can’t encounter these problems. Simply go to the Settings menu, find System Settings, then choose Power Saving. Choose Set Time Until PS5 Enters Rest Mode and the select Don’t Put in Rest Mode. Your console should be safe from these frustrations, at least. 

External hard drive corruption: Sony has long paraded the use of external hard drives as one of the PS5’s most useful features. You can store your PS4 games there if you’d like, and you have plenty of extra space in addition to what the system came with. However, users are reporting problems with transferring data from their PS4 system over to PS5 with an external hard drive. Some are seeing corrupted data following the transfer process, while others have lost data previously available on the hard drive. 

There isn’t currently a resolution from Sony just yet, so it’s best to avoid using external storage at the moment. 

Error code CE-108262-9: Users who routinely experience system crashes, failures, and error code CE-108262-9 may be seeing system deterioration and faulty hardware that will necessitate a call to tech support. 

CE-108262-9 is not the type of error code to wait for a firmware fix for. If you see this error over and over again (or even just a few times), consider contacting PlayStation support for a potential resolution. There is currently no known fix for this error code. 

Resolved PS5 issues

Queued for Download errors: Sometimes, when the PS5 attempts to download games from the PlayStation Store, you’ll be met with a Queued for Download message, but your content won’t begin downloading. This can occur when grabbing both PS5 and PS4 titles from the service. 

As of the most recent system update, this problem appears to have been fixed, eliminating the need to perform a factory reset or system rebuild. Luckily, it no longer seems to be plaguing PS5 owners.