Upgrading from a smaller M.2 drive to a roomier one, or shuffling titles off the console’s internal storage, does not have to mean re-downloading 80–150 GB per game. The PS5 lets you copy installed games directly between its internal SSD and a second drive, and if you plan the moves in the right order you can rebuild a full library in an afternoon instead of over a week of downloads.
Understand the two kinds of PS5 storage
There are two distinct destinations, and they behave differently. The internal M.2 expansion slot holds a PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive that runs PS5 games natively—games there launch at full speed, just like the built-in storage. A USB extended-storage drive (SATA or USB SSD/HDD) can store PS5 games but cannot run them; PS5 titles must be moved back to internal storage before they launch. PS4 games, by contrast, play fine straight off USB.
So the fast path for a real upgrade is a second M.2 drive. A USB SSD is best treated as a holding pen you copy from, not a permanent home for current-gen games.
Step-by-step: internal to a new M.2 drive
Power down fully, unplug, let the console cool, and remove the expansion cover. Seat the new drive (2230–22110 sizes fit; most kits are 2280) with a heatsink under roughly 8 mm tall, then boot. The PS5 formats the drive in a minute or two.
Go to Settings → Storage → Console Storage → Games and Apps → Items to Move, tick the titles, choose the M.2 drive as destination, and start. Internal-to-M.2 copies run at several GB/s, so a 100 GB game typically moves in well under a minute.
Using a USB SSD as an intermediary
If you are replacing the internal drive entirely and only have one M.2 slot, copy games to a USB SSD first, swap drives, then copy back. Expect the USB leg to be limited by the enclosure—usually 400–1000 MB/s over USB 3.2, so a 100 GB title takes 2–5 minutes each way.
| Transfer path | Typical speed | 100 GB game | Runs games directly? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal → M.2 expansion | 2–5 GB/s | 20–60 sec | Yes |
| Internal → USB SSD (3.2 Gen 2) | ~800–1000 MB/s | ~2 min | No (PS5 titles) |
| Internal → USB HDD | ~100–160 MB/s | ~12–18 min | No (PS5 titles) |
| Re-download (300 Mbps line) | ~37 MB/s | ~45 min + patch | N/A |
Avoid the common mistakes
Do not delete a game from the source until the copy verifies as complete; an interrupted move can leave a partial install that must be re-downloaded anyway. Keep the console updated—the M.2 slot and copy tools arrived in system software, and older firmware limits speeds. Finally, leave 10–15% free space on the destination so the SSD’s cache and the console’s database have breathing room.
Frequently asked questions
Do I lose my saves and trophies when moving a game?
No. Copying only relocates the installed game data. Save files live separately (on the console and, for PS Plus members, in the cloud) and are untouched by storage moves.
Can I copy games while the console is in rest mode?
Large copies run while you use the console, but they pause if the system sleeps mid-transfer. For big batches, disable auto-sleep temporarily under power settings so a 400–500 GB migration finishes without stalling.
Bottom line
A second M.2 drive is the only way to both store and play PS5 games at full speed, and copying to it is nearly instant. Use a USB SSD only as a temporary shuttle when you are swapping the internal drive. Plan the order, verify each copy, and keep 10% headroom, and you will rebuild a multi-terabyte library without touching your download quota.
