How to Take Apart and Clean Your PS4 Slim

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Remove dust buildup inside your console for better performance

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: December 31, 2025 Fact Checked

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Preventative Cleaning

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Disassembling the PS4 Slim

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Cleaning the PS4 Slim

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Reassembling the PS4 Slim

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Video

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

Sometimes video-game consoles can collect a lot of dust, leading to loud noise from the fan, and a lot of heat generated from the heat sink. This makes it crucial to occasionally dismantle and clean the inside of your console in order to maintain its condition, improve performance, and prolong its life cycle. This process is fairly straight forward with a PS4 Slim. This wikiHow article teaches you how to disassemble and clean a PS4 Slim.

Disassemble and Clean a PS4 Slim

Unlatch the top cover at the corners and remove it.
Remove all the screws and remove the two metal plates.
Use a brush and canned air to clean the dust from the fan and heatsink.
Put the metal covers back in place and screw them down.
Place the top cover back in place and press down to reattach it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Preventative Cleaning

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1
Wipe the outer case with a damp microfiber cloth. Use a microfiber cloth dampened with mild soap and water to scrub the outer case. Then use a dry cloth to dry it. Be careful not to get any liquid inside the PS4 or any of the ports.
- Make sure the cloth isn’t too rough so it doesn’t scratch the outer case.
The vents are along the side of the PS4 Slim in the crevices. Hold the nozzle of a can of compressed air about 3–5 in (7.6–12.7 cm) from the vent at an angle. Spray short bursts of compressed air along the vents to loosen the dust.

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Use the soft-bristle brush or cotton swab to clean out any remaining dust. Clearing the air vents periodically will prevent it from getting dusty on the inside and ensure that you don’t have to open it and clean the inside as often, which risks damaging the console.^{[1]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Disassembling the PS4 Slim

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1
Shut down and unplug the PS4 Slim. Place it on an open table in a clean environment.
- If you have an original PS4 or PS4 Pro, you can follow this guide for help with cleaning.
2
Pull firmly on the front corners of the top cover. Place the PS4 so it is facing away from you and pull up on the front covers of the top cover to unclip them. Then slide the cover back to remove it.^{[2]
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- Keep in mind, newer PS4 Slims which have not been dismantled before may require more firmness when pulling.
- If the fan isn’t too dirty, you can spray some compressed air inside the fan to clean the dust out of it without having to open the PS4 Slim any further.
3
Remove the reflective metal plate. Use a TR8 Security Torx screwdriver to remove the two long screws holding in the reflective metal plate in place. Then slide the reflective plate out.^{[3]
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- As you remove the screws, set them aside in labeled containers or compartments so you know which screws go where during reassembly.
You will need to use a combination of TR8 Torx Security screwdrivers and a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove all the screws holding the metal plate in place.^{[4]
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Cut the plastic rivets (if applicable). Some newer models have black plastic rivets holding the metal plate in addition to screws. If your PS4 has these, you will need to cut them to remove the metal plate. Use a knife, box cutter, or razor to cut the heads of the plastic rivets.
- Alternatively, you can pinch around the heads of the rivets with a pair of threaded needle-nosed pliers. Once you’ve compressed the heads of the rivets enough, you can slip the holes in the plate up over them.^{[5]
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Lift up the battery pack just enough to be able to uncover the lip of the metal plate. This will allow you to remove the metal plate shielding the fan and heatsink.
- Make sure you do not take out the entire battery pack, as there is no need to do so.
Remove all the screws holding the metal plate, and remove the plate to fully expose the fan and heatsink. You may need to wiggle it to get it out. Be careful not to be too rough with it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Cleaning the PS4 Slim

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Use a small brush and canned air to clean the outer vents and intake ports around the sides of the console.
Use the same brush to clean the heatsink, as well as canned air for a deeper clean.^{[6]
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Use canned air and cotton swabs to thoroughly clean the fan and its blades.^{[7]
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If there is a lot of dust inside your PS4 Slim, you can use a handheld vacuum or a vacuum cleaner hose with a nozzle attachment to remove all the excess clumps of dust.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Reassembling the PS4 Slim

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1
Place the metal plate back in place. This is the metal plate used to cover the fan and heatsink back into its proper spot. Use the proper screws to secure it.
- This will be the most tedious part of the process, as it can be difficult to screw back in the screws due to their size.
Proceed to screw in the screws.
Place it on top of the battery pack in its original spot. Once again, use the proper screws to screw it back in place.
Place the top cover in its place and firmly press down on the corners to latch it in place.

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Video

Things You'll Need

Small brush
Cotton Swabs
Rubbing alcohol
Canned air
TR8 Torx Security screwdriver
Phillips screwdriver

Tips

Place all screws in a secure location and organized fashion to ensure you do not lose them and can reassemble as quickly as possible.

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DO NOT flip over the PS4 Slim at any point during this process

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