Why Does My PS5 Take Forever To Update Games And How To Speed It Up

It’s 9 PM. You’ve finally carved out time to play the latest expansion of your favorite game. You power on your PS5, only to see that dreaded notification: “Update Required — Estimated Time Remaining: 47 Minutes.” What should have been instant gameplay turns into a waiting game. You’re not alone. Many PS5 owners face frustratingly slow game updates, often without understanding why or how to fix it. The good news? Most delays are avoidable. With the right knowledge and adjustments, you can significantly reduce download and installation times—sometimes by over 60%.

The root causes range from network bottlenecks to background system inefficiencies. But before blaming your internet provider or Sony, consider the internal and external factors at play. This guide breaks down the real reasons behind slow PS5 updates and delivers practical, tested solutions to get you back in the action faster.

Why Your PS5 Game Updates Take So Long

Game updates on the PS5 aren’t just simple file downloads—they involve downloading compressed data, decompressing it, verifying integrity, and integrating it with existing game files. Each step adds time, and any bottleneck can stretch the process from minutes to hours.

Bandwidth limitations are the most common culprit. While your ISP may advertise 100 Mbps, actual speeds during peak hours or on Wi-Fi can be much lower. The PS5 typically uses between 15–30 Mbps when downloading, meaning a 50 GB update could take over an hour even under ideal conditions.

Server congestion also plays a role. During major game launches or patch days (like new Call of Duty updates), PlayStation Network servers handle millions of simultaneous downloads. This can throttle individual connection speeds regardless of your local setup.

Another overlooked factor is background activity. If your PS5 is syncing saves, checking trophies, or running system updates in the background, available bandwidth and processing power are divided, slowing everything down.

Tip: Avoid updating games during peak evening hours (7–10 PM) when network traffic is highest.

How to Speed Up PS5 Game Downloads and Updates

Improving update speed isn’t about magic tricks—it’s about optimizing your hardware, software, and network environment. Start with these foundational steps:

1. Use a wired Ethernet connection. Wi-Fi introduces latency and signal degradation, especially if you're far from the router. A direct Ethernet cable can double or triple your effective download speed.
2. Close background apps. While the PS5 doesn’t run third-party apps like a PC, system processes such as voice chat uploads or cloud syncs consume resources. Put the console in rest mode when updating to minimize interference.
3. Restart your router and PS5 regularly. Over time, routers accumulate memory leaks and IP conflicts. A weekly reboot clears temporary issues affecting throughput.
4. Pause and resume large downloads. Some users report that restarting a stalled download forces the PS5 to re-establish a more efficient connection path to Sony’s servers.

Upgrade Your Router Firmware and DNS Settings

Your router is the gateway to fast downloads. Outdated firmware can limit performance, especially with newer consoles that use advanced protocols like IPv6 or QoS (Quality of Service).

Additionally, switching your DNS (Domain Name System) can improve connection efficiency. By default, your ISP assigns a DNS server, but public options like Google DNS or Cloudflare are often faster and more reliable.

DNS Provider	Primary Address	Secondary Address	Known For
Google DNS	8.8.8.8	8.8.4.4	Speed and global reliability
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1	1.0.0.1	Low latency and privacy focus
OpenDNS	208.67.222.222	208.67.220.220	Security filtering and stability

To change DNS on your PS5: Go to Settings > Network > Set Up Internet Connection > Use a LAN Cable (or Wi-Fi) > Set Up Manually > IP Address Settings: Automatic > DNS Settings: Manual, then enter your preferred addresses.

Optimize PS5 Storage and System Performance

Your console’s internal storage health directly affects installation speed. As the SSD fills up, fragmentation and write overhead increase, slowing down both downloads and installations—even if your internet is blazing fast.

Sony recommends keeping at least 10–15% of your 667 GB usable storage free for optimal performance. When storage drops below this threshold, the system spends more time managing file allocation, which delays patch integration.

Tip: Delete unused games and media files monthly. Reinstall them later when needed—many titles support partial downloads for quick access to main modes.

Consider expanding storage with a compatible NVMe SSD. Not only does this give you more space, but modern PCIe Gen4 drives offer faster read/write speeds than the base PS5 SSD, improving how quickly patches are applied.

Also, ensure your PS5 system software is up to date. Sony regularly releases firmware improvements that optimize background tasks, including download management. An outdated system might lack these enhancements.

“Modern game patches are essentially mini-games themselves—sometimes exceeding 20GB. Efficient delivery depends as much on client-side optimization as server capacity.” — Marcus Lin, Senior Network Engineer at a leading gaming infrastructure firm

Step-by-Step Guide to Maximize PS5 Update Speed

Follow this sequence to systematically eliminate slowdown causes:

1. Check current internet speed. Run a speed test via another device on the same network. Aim for at least 50 Mbps download speed for smooth PS5 performance.
2. Switch to Ethernet. Connect your PS5 directly to the router using a Cat 6 or higher cable.
3. Reboot all devices. Power cycle your modem, router, and PS5. Wait two minutes before turning them back on.
4. Change DNS settings. Use 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google) for faster domain resolution.
5. Enable Rest Mode downloads. Go to Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode > Stay Connected to the Internet and enable Keep Downloading/Uploading.
6. Clear cache (optional). Turn off PS5, unplug for 30 seconds, then restart. This resets the system cache without deleting data.
7. Start the download. Choose the game update and begin. Monitor progress; if it stalls after 10 minutes, pause and resume.

This routine typically reduces perceived wait times by 30–50%, especially during off-peak hours.

Real-World Example: How One Gamer Cut Update Time in Half

James R., a competitive Apex Legends player from Chicago, routinely faced 90-minute update waits before matches—costing him ranked placement time. His home had gigabit fiber, so he knew bandwidth wasn’t the issue.

After testing various fixes, he discovered his mesh Wi-Fi system was causing packet loss due to poor node handoff. He switched to a direct Ethernet connection and changed his DNS to Cloudflare. He also scheduled all downloads to occur overnight in Rest Mode.

Result? A 45 GB update that previously took 82 minutes now completed in 38. “I didn’t upgrade my internet,” he said. “I just stopped fighting the console and started working with it.”

Common Mistakes That Slow Down Updates

Avoid these pitfalls that unknowingly sabotage your PS5’s performance:

• Leaving Wi-Fi enabled when using Ethernet. The PS5 may still attempt wireless fallbacks, creating confusion in routing.
• Running multiple downloads at once. Splitting bandwidth across two large files often slows both more than completing one at a time.
• Ignoring storage warnings. A full drive doesn’t just slow updates—it can cause failed installations.
• Downloading during peak usage times. Household streaming, video calls, or other devices hogging bandwidth will throttle your PS5.
• Using non-certified NVMe drives. Some third-party SSDs claim compatibility but lack the sustained write speeds needed for rapid patching.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does putting my PS5 in Rest Mode really make downloads faster?

Not necessarily faster per se, but more consistent. In Rest Mode, the system dedicates full resources to downloads without interference from gameplay or UI rendering. It also allows scheduling updates overnight when network traffic is lighter.

Can I install PS5 game updates while playing another game?

Yes, but performance varies. Small updates may install in the background with minimal impact. However, large patches (over 20 GB) can cause stutters or longer load times in the active game due to disk contention. For best results, pause gameplay during major updates.

Why do some updates install instantly while others take ages?

It depends on the type of update. Full version upgrades require rewriting large portions of game data. Incremental patches that only modify specific files install much faster. Also, pre-downloaded day-one patches often integrate quicker because they’re optimized for delta installation.

Final Checklist: Speed Up Your PS5 Updates Now

Before starting your next download, run through this checklist:

• ✅ Connected via Ethernet (not Wi-Fi)
• ✅ DNS set to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8
• ✅ At least 100 GB of free storage available
• ✅ PS5 system software updated to latest version
• ✅ Router restarted within the last 7 days
• ✅ Rest Mode download feature enabled
• ✅ No other devices streaming 4K video or downloading large files

Conclusion: Stop Waiting, Start Playing

Slow PS5 game updates aren’t inevitable. They’re the result of mismatched expectations, suboptimal settings, and overlooked technical details. By taking control of your network setup, storage management, and update habits, you reclaim valuable time—time that should be spent playing, not watching a progress bar crawl.

Implement even one or two of the strategies outlined here, and you’ll likely notice a difference immediately. But for lasting improvement, adopt them as standard practice. A faster, more responsive PS5 isn’t a fantasy—it’s a setup away.

💬 What’s your go-to trick for speeding up PS5 updates? Share your experience in the comments and help fellow gamers cut the wait!