1. Check the SSD before opening the console

The label “M.2” alone is insufficient. Compare the complete drive specification, including its heatsink, with Sony’s requirements.

• NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4, M-key; M.2 SATA drives are not suitable.
• Capacity from 250 GB to 8 TB; supported form factors 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 or 22110.
• Maximum width 25 mm. Total thickness up to 11.25 mm, including up to 8 mm above the board and 2.45 mm below it.
• Recommended sequential read speed of at least 5,500 MB/s. Heat dissipation is required.

Keep the full SSD and cooling reference. If a dimension is missing, obtain it before installation. An advertised speed does not tell you whether the expansion-bay cover will close.

2. Shut down and prepare the PS5

• Install available system updates before working on the console.
• Turn off the PS5 completely, wait for the indicator to go out and disconnect its cables. Rest Mode is not sufficient.
• Allow the console to cool, place it on the protected table and remove the stand or feet as applicable.
• Discharge static electricity from your body by touching a grounded metal object before handling the SSD. Keep small parts away from children.

3. Remove the cover for your model

Identify the console’s CFI reference first and use the corresponding section of PlayStation’s cover guide.

Original chassis, CFI-1000 family: place the console with the PlayStation logo facing down and the power button toward you. Hold the upper-left corner of the cover without the logo, lift it slightly and slide the cover to the right while keeping the console steady.

Slim and Pro, CFI-2000/7000 families: use the Triangle cover identified in Sony’s diagram. Lift it slightly and pull toward you to release its clips. Do not apply the original PS5’s large-panel movement to this chassis.

If the cover does not match your model’s diagram, stop and check the official instructions again. Do not improvise a prying tool.

4. Seat the SSD in the expansion slot

A small metal cover protects the expansion bay. The linked installation documentation helps identify the spacer before you move it.

• Unscrew the bay cover and set it aside with its screw. Avoid dropping screws inside the console.
• Remove the SSD retaining screw and place the spacer in the position matching the drive’s length, such as 80 for a 2280 drive.
• Hold the SSD by its edges. Align its notch and insert it fully at an angle. Do not use the retaining screw to pull an incompletely inserted drive into place.
• Gently lower the free end onto the spacer and secure it with the screw. The board should rest level, without the heatsink obstructing the mounting point.
• Replace and screw down the metal cover. If it resists, check the heatsink clearance instead of forcing it.

Refit the console cover using the model’s procedure: slide and click for the original chassis, or align clips and press into place for Slim/Pro covers. Refit the stand or feet. Close the console before powering it on.

5. Format and verify the additional storage

Reconnect and start the PS5. For a new SSD, follow the formatting prompt. This erases the added drive, so do not confirm if files still need recovering from it. Let formatting finish without interrupting power.

Open Settings → Storage → M.2 SSD Storage and check the available capacity. Game installation data and saved progress are different categories; adding an SSD is not a complete console backup.

Expected result: the M.2 SSD is recognised, its capacity appears and a game can be installed there. Launch that game to check actual use.

PS5 games can run from a compatible M.2 SSD. External USB storage has a different role for PS5 titles: it can keep installations that need to be copied back to playable storage. Understand that distinction before buying for a specific purpose.

If installation does not go as expected

• The cover will not close: do not power on an open console. Recheck seating and dimensions, including cooling hardware.
• The SSD is absent or formatting fails: note the message and exact model, check compatibility, then inspect the installation after fully shutting down and unplugging. Contact the manufacturer or PlayStation if it persists.
• A game behaves incorrectly after moving: Sony recommends trying it on console storage for comparison.
• The SSD already comes from another PS5: Sony documents moving it without formatting again. Read that specific procedure before erasing anything.

No startup error is only one checkpoint. Also inspect storage and launch a game. If the mechanical fit is uncertain, stop rather than tightening more forcefully.

Sources and scope

Translated from the French guide based on official documentation checked on 2026-10-15. This guide does not claim physical testing on your equipment. LODEX’s preparation and result checks are practical advice; follow any warnings shown by your device.

• PlayStation — M.2 SSD requirements and installation
• PlayStation — covers by console model
• PlayStation — storage and data types
• Kingston — PS5 NVMe SSD installation (French)