How to Get Faster Download Speeds on Your PlayStation 5

Easy ways to resolve slow downloads on the PS5

Co-authored by Shaihiem King and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Getting Faster Download Speeds

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Managing Downloads

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Slowest PS5 Downloads

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If you’re wondering why your PlayStation 5’s download speeds are so slow, the answer can usually be found in your internet connection or settings within the PS5 itself. Anything from network issues to out-of-date software can cause download speeds to start lagging. So, in this article, we’ll walk you through the most reliable troubleshooting techniques to fix those slow download speeds—from optimizing your PS5’s Wi-Fi and DNS settings to using a wired Ethernet connection. Without further ado, let’s get started!

How to Speed Up Your PS5 Downloads

There are plenty of simple fixes to improve download times on the PS5, including adjusting your Wi-Fi settings to use a 5 GHz band (rather than the default 2.4 GHz). You can also use an Ethernet cable, reduce the amount of traffic on your home network, and download games while in Rest Mode.

Section 1 of 3:

Techniques to Get Faster PS5 Download Speeds

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Optimize your PS5’s Wi-Fi settings. Typically, routers have two band speeds—2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Your PS5 may be set to use the 2.4 GHz band by default, when actually, the 5GHz band is faster (and there’s usually less congestion when using it).^{[1]
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Expert Source

Shaihiem King
Gaming, Anime, and Cosplay Expert

Expert Interview} So, when you’re downloading big games, you want your PS5 to use the 5GHz band. To switch bands, make the following change:^{[2]
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- On your PS5, navigate to Settings → Network.
- Under Set Up Internet Connection, hover over the network you want to use.
- Press the Options button on your PS5 controller, and a pop-up menu will appear.
- Under Wi-Fi Frequency Bands, select the 5GHz option.
- Then, just retry your download. Hopefully, download speeds will improve!
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Test the strength of your internet connection. It might also be a good idea to determine if the problem is with your PS5’s internet connection in general. You can get a sense of its current capabilities by running a quick test! Navigate to Settings → Network, then use your controller to select Test Internet Connection. View the results to see if the connection is unusually slow.^{[3]
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- If the connection strength is normal, you can keep following this guide for additional optimization hacks and techniques.
- However, if there’s a problem with your internet connection, you might need to contact your provider (or troubleshoot with the router).
- You could also try unplugging your router or modem, waiting about 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. This may reset things (and get your router/modem working normally again).
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Physical proximity can affect the strength of your PS5’s internet connection (and, subsequently, download speeds). Get your Wi-Fi router and PlayStation 5 console as close together as you can—by moving one or the other, if necessary (or possible). The closer your PS5 is to the router, the better its download speeds will be.
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Use a wired Ethernet connection to download PS5 games. Plugging an Ethernet cable into your PS5 can drastically improve your internet connection and download speeds, whereas Wi-Fi can encounter interference or random fluctuations.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Shaihiem King
Gaming, Anime, and Cosplay Expert

Expert Interview} On your PS5, navigate to Settings → Network → Settings → Set Up Internet Connection → Set Up Wired LAN. Finally, choose Connect to set up the connection between your PS5 and Ethernet cable.^{[5]
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- A CAT6 or CAT6a Ethernet cable should be more than enough to get a fast download speed on your PS5.
- Alternatively, you could upgrade to the more expensive CAT8 Ethernet cable, which supports higher download speeds but probably won’t make a ton of difference for your PS5 overall.
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Change your PS5’s DNS settings. Your PS5 uses the default DNS server given by your internet provider—but there are faster public DNS servers available. Try switching your PS5 to a faster DNS server and see if that speeds up your downloads in turn. Google or Cloudflare’s DNS servers are both popular choices. To do this:^{[6]
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- On your PS5, navigate to Settings → Network → Set Up Internet Connection.
- Choose the type of internet connection you’re using (Wi-Fi or LAN), and then select Custom.
- Enter the primary and secondary address of the new DNS server here! They are:
  - Google: 8.8.8.8 (Primary address), 8.8.4.4 (Secondary address)
  - Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 (Primary address), 1.0.0.1 (Secondary address)
By “traffic,” we’re referring to other devices (computers, phones, smart home devices, and so on) on the same network that might be slowing down your PS5’s connection—especially if those devices are streaming or downloading anything. Disconnect other devices from your home network, if possible; that way, priority can go to your PS5 and its downloads.
Restarting your console can refresh your internet connection (and get rid of any random bugs that might be getting in the way of your downloads). To power cycle your PlayStation, press and hold the power button until its blinking LED light turns completely off. Disconnect the console’s power cable and leave it for 20 minutes, then plug it back in and restart the console.^{[7]
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Keep your PS5’s software up to date. System updates may not always come along at the most convenient times, but they are crucial for optimizing your PS5—including how it handles downloads. That’s because system updates often include bug fixes and features that can enhance the console’s network compatibility (among other things). Be sure to enable automatic updates on your PS5!^{[8]
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- If you need to enable automatic updates, navigate to Settings → System → System Software → System Software Update and Settings.
- There, turn on Download Update Files Automatically and Install Update Files Automatically.
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Download PS5 games in Rest Mode. When you put your PS5 in Rest Mode, it isn’t totally turned off; most of its tasks are simply disabled, giving it more bandwidth and processing power to put towards your downloads. You can set up your PS5 to process downloads even when you’re gone, which is super convenient. To enable this in your PS5’s settings, do the following:^{[9]
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- Navigate to Settings → System → Power Saving
- Go to Features Available in Rest Mode and toggle Stay Connected to the Internet on.
- With that setting enabled, your PS5 can keep downloading games and updates while in Rest Mode.
Did you know that internet speeds can fluctuate throughout the day? When more people in your area are online, that can slow your download speeds. Try initiating downloads when fewer people are online—for example, late at night or early in the morning. You can’t necessarily schedule downloads, but you can at least plan ahead for them!

Section 2 of 3:

Managing Your PS5 Downloads

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Make a point to download one game at a time. The more downloads you have going simultaneously, the more time they’ll take to complete. So, even if you have several games you want to download, handle them one at a time—it’ll ultimately be faster, especially if the games in question have a large file size. Multiple downloads basically clog up your PS5’s bandwidth, slowing everything down.
- Additionally, try not to play other games while you’re downloading files. The more power your PS5 has to dedicate to running a game, the less it has to spare on downloads.
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Enable automatic updates on your PS5 to avoid surprise downloads. Ever booted up your PS5 to play a game, only to discover the game has a multiple-gigabyte update that needs to be installed? By auto-enabling updates, you can get your PS5 to handle those downloads even when you aren’t there (and prevent slower download speeds because multiple updates are queued up). Just do the following:^{[10]
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- Navigate to Settings → Saved Data and Game/App Settings → Automatic Updates.
- From this page, toggle the Auto-Download and Auto-Install in Rest Mode options on.

Section 3 of 3:

What are the slowest games to download on the PS5?

Generally, games with the largest file size take longer to download. Gone are the days when even the biggest AAA game was less than 30GB in size. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to download a game ranging from 50GB to 150GB in size, often due to factors such as high-resolution textures and large, open worlds to explore. Basically, the more content there is, the longer it’ll take to download.
- For instance, Destiny 2 clocks in around 87GB in size—and that’s without all the DLC.
- Meanwhile, the single-player game Final Fantasy XVI requires a massive 110GB of storage space on PS5.
- So, depending on your internet connection, games like the two above could take some time to download!