Will My Game Still Download If I Turn Off My PS5?
As gamers, we often wonder how long it will take to complete a download or update before we can start playing the latest games on our beloved PlayStation 5 (PS5). One common inquiry from gamers is whether their downloads will continue if they shut down their PS5 in the middle of a lengthy download or update process.
Digital Games vs Disc Games
To answer this query, let’s differentiate between two types of games: digital games and disc games.
- Digital Games:
Digital games are pre-installed on your console, and you can store and download them directly from your PS5. When downloading digital games, your console will automatically resume the process from where it left off, even if you power off or shut down the console. - Disc Games:
On the other hand, games on discs require physical disk insertion into your PS5. When downloading games, your console will only make progress when the disk is inserted. If you shutdown your PS5 during this process, the download will come to a halt.
Rest Mode and Downloads:
Now, let’s talk about Rest Mode, a feature that saves your console’s energy without shutting it down completely.
- PS5 Specific: The PS5 lets you configure your console’s settings to stay connected to the internet while in Rest Mode. Enabling this feature will resume downloads and updates even while your console is in Power Save mode.
- PS4 Specific: Owners of the PS4 might be aware that this model also allows for automatic downloads and updates even when in Rest Mode. This feature gives you peace of mind when you need to turn off the console as part of system maintenance.
Sleep and Downloads:
Another confusion arises when we consider using the Sleep button on our PS5s. While the console indeed goes into a dormant state, the download process actually continues in the background to ensure your games and applications remain updated.
Sleep Mode:
In short, if you use your PS5’s Sleep function, your downloaded games will continue to upload in the background. Upon waking your console, downloads will resume from where you left off.
Downloads and Rest Mode: Timing is Everything
Here is a simple table summarizing the information:
| Device | Download Status | Automatic Resumption |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 – Digital | In Progress | Yes |
| PS5 – Disc | In Progress | No, requires restart |
| PS4 | In Progress | Yes, in Rest Mode |
While planning out download durations in regards to shutdowns, let’s highlight the following rules:
- Pause and Resume: Digital downloads can be paused and then resumed later, giving flexibility in your gaming schedule. Disc games, however, require the disk to stay inserted throughout the download and installation process.
- Prioritize Power-Up: Ensure your console reaches the power-up state again to allow downloads to auto-resume. For automatic downloads to work, remember to leave your PS4 or PS5 in the Rest Mode section.
- Don’t Interrupt: Be conscious of shutdowns during mid-download. If you shutdown your PS5 during download, it will halt indefinitely until you restart the game or update process.
Overall, knowing how your PS5 handles downloading games during shutdowns saves you the frustration of needing to restart the process whenever you decide to take breaks or maintain your console for system updates.