PlayStation 5 Digital Edition slim games crash, freeze or close

A PS5 Slim Digital that crashes, freezes or restarts has a short ladder of fixes, and Sony's own Safe Mode contains the strongest. First update the system software and the game, and check that the console is not overheating: keep the console upright with its vents clear. If the console crashes in one game, delete and reinstall that game and look for its latest patch. If it crashes in many, boot into Safe Mode: switch it off, then press and hold the power button until you hear a second beep after about seven seconds, and connect the controller by cable.

In Safe Mode choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database, then Rebuild Database, which scans the drive and rebuilds the content database without erasing games, and fixes many slowdowns and freezes. If crashes continue, check the storage for errors, replace an M.2 SSD that is not properly seated, and use the Restore Default Settings option before any full reset. A full Reset PS5 erases data, so back up saves first. The Slim Digital has an M.2 expansion slot behind the side cover, and a drive fitted there that runs hot or sits loose causes crashes in games installed on it. If the crashes began after installing storage, test by moving a crashing game to internal storage and playing it there, which tells you whether the drive is at fault.