How to Open and Clean a PlayStation 4

Written By: Carsten Frauenheim
  • Comments: 3
How to Open and Clean a PlayStation 4

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

11

Time Required

30 minutes - 1 hour

Introduction

Use this guide to open up and clean dust and debris out of the fan, grilles, or vents of a PlayStation 4.

If your console is loud, overheating, or underperforming, it may have built-up dust in the cooling fan, heatsink, or main vents.

If your PS4 lives in a TV cabinet with limited airflow, consider opening the door while gaming or moving it out to open air. If your PS4 is on the ground, it may suck in extra dust, dirt, or hair and limit its ability to keep cool.

Eventually, you may need to reapply thermal paste to keep temperatures under control for optimal performance. Read how to do that here.

To fully disassemble your console and remove the fan, follow this guide.

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    • Flip your PS4 upside-down with the back side facing towards you.

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    • Stickers cover the screws securing the PS4's outer case.

    • Use a pair of tweezers to remove the sticker in the center of the back of the PS4, exposing the first screw.

    • Remove the two stickers at the outer edges, exposing two more screws.

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    • Remove the three 7.2 mm-long TR8 Torx security screws on the back of the PS4.

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    • Use your thumbs to lift the lower case up and off the PS4.

    • In addition to the three rear screws, the lower case is held in place by plastic clips. You may need to use significant force to release the lower case.

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    • Use a pair of tweezers to pull the power supply cable straight out to disconnect the power supply unit from the motherboard.

    • Depending on the age of your console, this cable might be very firmly connected. If it feels stuck, don't pull on the cables themselves with much force.

    • Use your fingers to grab the white connector head, and wiggle or "walk" the connector out of its socket to disconnect it.

    • In extreme cases, you might need to use needle nose pliers to get a good grip on the connector.

    • Go slow: pulling on the cables themselves might rip them out of the connector.

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    • Remove three 9.7 mm-long TR8 Torx security screws.

    • Remove two 41 mm-long Phillips screws and brackets.

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    • Lift the power supply straight up and out of the PS4.

    • The power supply is held firmly in place by prongs on the left side. It may take multiple attempts to remove it.

    • During reassembly, ensure the prongs are aligned, then press the power supply into place.

    How do you remove the battery wires? I’ve personally been wiggling it to no effect, is there a certain way i have to pull it out, and should i pull it out of the power supply or the console?

    Tubby -

    Retirar en vertical, derecho hacia arriba. Sino puedes doblar uno de los tornillos largos

    FabianCampos -

    Just got done with this part. It was a struggle for me to disconnect the cable from the PSupply side. It was easier for me to carefully remove the power supply first, using the HDD cover to lift the Power Supply in place and removing the l cable from the Motherboard side. Go slow with your fingers to wiggle it out slowly, when you have enough plastic from the cable casing expose, gently use pliers to wiggle it free. Try hard not to deform the plastic wire casing.

    Justin Tang -

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    • Over time, dust will build up inside the fan and on the fan blades.

    • Use a pair of tweezers to grab loose hairs and dust clumps off of the fan.

    • Use a small dust blower or light compressed air to blow remaining dust off of the fan.

    • Use a finger to keep the fan blades steady—it makes them easier to clean.

    • If there's a layer of grime on the fan blades, use soapy water or isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to wipe them off.

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    • Depending on how dirty your console is, you might need to use a soft bristle brush to dislodge more dust and grime.

    • Using an anti-static brush or a new toothbrush, clean any dust out of hard to reach areas and off of the rear vents.

    • Use a dust blower to blow any loose dust out of the console and a cloth to wipe the vents clean.

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    • The PS4 draws air through the heatsink fins, and they may clog with dust and debris over time.

    • If you can see dust buildup in the heatsink, dislodge debris with a brush and use a dust blower to blow it clean.

    • Remember: use this time to clean any other dirty internal surfaces before you seal your console back up. Happy gaming!

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Disassembly or cleaning didn’t go as planned? Try some basic troubleshooting, or ask our PlayStation 4 Answers community for help.

Author

Carsten Frauenheim

Member since: 10/03/20

130781 Reputation

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