How to Boot Up a PS4 in Safe Mode

The PS4 is one of the best consoles out there for not only playing games but also streaming. Regardless, things can still go wrong. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, your PS4 crashes or becomes stuck, and when it does, you’ll need to boot your PS4 in Safe Mode.

Starting your PS4 via Safe Mode should be seen as a last resort. If you cannot turn on your console the usual way, Safe Mode may be the only solution. For those with a Mac or iPhone, the console is equivalent to holding down the power button and hoping for the best. Here’s how to boot your PS4 in Safe Mode.

How to Start a PS4 in Safe Mode

1. Ensure that the PS4 is completely off. Press the power button as usual, and it should blink a few times before your console powers down.
   
2. Press and hold the power button. You should hear a beep when pressed and another one seven seconds later. Once you hear both, release the power button.
   
3. Your PS4 should have booted up in Safe Mode. To control your PS4 from here, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve got a DualShock controller connected to your console via USB.
   

How PS4 Safe Mode Works

Once your PS4 has booted in Safe Mode, you’ll see a few options. Selecting ‘Restart’ will make your PS4 boot normally (if possible) while ‘Change Resolution’ will force your PS4 to boot up in 480p next time around. If you’d like to update your firmware via a USB drive, the internet, or a disc, select ‘Update System Software.’

‘Restore Default’ settings will put your PS4 back to its factory settings, but keep your data, while ‘Rebuild Database’ will scan the drive and essentially re-index its contents. ‘Initialize PS4’ is by far the most drastic action, as this will wipe ALL of your data from the console and essentially roll it back to the day you took it out the box.

Safe Mode is especially useful if your device has an issue during an update. Rebooting your PS4 in Safe Mode should allow you to proceed, but it doesn’t always work that way.

PS4 Stuck in a Safe Mode Boot Loop

Several users have reported that their PlayStation 4 is looping in Safe Mode. This scenario means it will not boot up in the normal mode. If this problem occurs for you, there are a couple of steps to try.

Option #1 when the PS4 is stuck in Safe Mode

The first thing to try when your PS4 won’t exit Safe Mode, whether you reboot or not, is to connect a USB controller to the game console using a charging cable. After the controller is securely attached, select the option to exit Safe Mode.

Sometimes, the USB cable fails to make a proper connection to the console, mostly due to inferior parts or wear and tear. Try using a different PS4 controller cable to see if Safe Mode can exit successfully.

Option #2 for PS4 Safe Mode Boot Loop Problems

A PS4 Safe Mode boot loop problem can be frustrating, no matter who you are. When a direct connection to the console does not solve the problem, power the PlayStation down for 20 minutes. Sometimes, the console just needs a good rest to reset everything and cool off. You should also check for new updates, which may contain fixes to common problems, new features, and better performance. In some cases, an update is all the Playstation 4 needs to solve common issues.