One of the common problems that some PS4 users encounter is the console crashing to the Home screen, or, in some cases, a total system reboot. There can be several factors behind the situation so you’ll have to narrow down the factors in order to resolve your problem. This troubleshooting guide will help you with that.

Reasons why your PS4 may be crashing

Your PS4 may crash, reboot, or become unresponsive for a number of reasons. Below are the common causes for any of these problems.

Dirty or unreadable disc (when using a disc).

If a game you’re playing keeps crashing or rebooting your PS4, it may be due to the disc you’re using it. This can happen from time to time if the disc is scratched or cracked. To see if it’s a game disc issue, insert a different disc that’s known to be working. Make sure that this disc is not scratched or cracked.

If your PS4 plays the game just fine, you can bet the first disc you were using is the cause of the problem.

Random PS4 bug.

Like a regular computer, a PS4 may encounter errors that it may not be able to resolve on its own. In some cases, a bug can force the console to restart or crash to the Home screen. In other situations, a corrupted saved game may result to this issue as well.

Outdated software.

If you use your PS4 sparingly, its software may need an update in order to read or run a game. Outdated software can sometimes result to the system crashing for no apparent reason. Make sure to connect your PS4 to the internet and check if there’s an available update for the software.

Software glitch.

The other possible reason for your PS4 crashing issue can be with an unknown software glitch. If your PS4’s software has been tampered with (jailbroken or modified), the new software may not be fully optimized or designed to work with new games. In most cases, a modified software also prevents a console from connecting so if your PS4 won’t connect, consider reverting to the official software version.

Overheating.

Some PS4 users may encounter this problem because their console is overheating. Overheating can occur due to either a software bug or a hardware malfunction. In most cases though, a console may overheat if it’s not getting good ventilation, been in continuous use for a long time, exposed to direct heat/elements, a combination of these three. If your PS4 randomly restarts, you may have to also troubleshoot for a possible overheating problem.

How to troubleshoot PS4 crashing issue

You’re going to do a number of troubleshooting steps in order to identify the cause why your PS4 is crashing. Below are the steps that you need to perform.

Clean your game disc (if game keeps crashing after inserting it).
Make sure that you only use a good working game disc. Inserting a dirty, scratched, or cracked game disc may damage the console or lead to crashing issue.
Try wiping the surface of the disc with a clean, soft cloth before inserting it. Although a PS4 can read slightly scratched discs, you should avoid using scratched game discs as much as possible. A worse situation is when you use a cracked game disc as it can potentially damage the optical drive.
This solution only applies if you’re using a game disc when playing. If your issue happens with a digital game version, just ignore this.
Reboot the console.
Minor connection issues may be fixed by restarting your PS4. Reboot the console by doing it on your controller first. Alternatively, you can try pressing and holding the Power button in front to restart the system.
If it doesn’t respond, unplug it from the wall outlet or power strip and wait for about 1 minute before turning it back on.
Install game and software updates.
If there’s no game disc issue at all and you’ve already rebooted the console, your next move is to ensure that your console runs the latest software version. The same should be done for your games.
The easiest way to update your console is to connect it to the Internet. Once you try to play a game or go online, the system should tell you to update first (if there’s an available update).
If you want, you can also try an offline update using a USB stick.
Restore software to defaults.
In order to deal with possible software glitches, you can return the software to its default settings. This is an effective way to fix software problems that won’t go away by doing a reboot or update. To restore your PS4 to its factory settings, follow these steps:
-Turn off the PS4 by pressing the Power button.
-Press and hold the Power button. Release it after you've heard two beeps.
-Connect the DUALSHOCK controller with a USB cable that transfers data and press the PS button.
-Select Option 4 [Restore to Default Settings].
Initialize PS4 in Safe Mode.
If your console is still crashing after restoring the software to factory settings, you’ll need to do a more drastic solution by initializing the PS4. This procedure will erase your data and game progress or saves from the hard drive. The digital contents that you’ve purchased can be redownloaded after doing this solution.
Follow these steps to initialize your PS4:
-Turn off the PS4 by pressing the Power button.
-Press and hold the Power button. Release it after you've heard two beeps.
-Connect the DUALSHOCK controller with a USB cable that transfers data and press the PS button.
-Select Option 7 [Initialize PS4].

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How To Fix Game Crashing On PS4 | Unresponsive And Freezing