How To Reset A Game On Ps5

To reset a game on PS5, you typically need to delete the game’s save data from your console’s storage.

Have you ever wanted a fresh start on your favorite PlayStation 5 game? Maybe a glitch ruined your progress or you just want to experience the game anew. Learning how to reset a game on PS5 is simpler than you might think. This process mostly involves deleting your saved progress, allowing you to begin again.

Clearing the game data brings you back to the very beginning, offering a clean slate. Different games might handle saves differently, but this method is generally effective. Let’s jump into exactly how to achieve this.

How to Reset a Game on PS5

Sometimes, when you’re playing your favorite PlayStation 5 games, things might go a little wonky. Maybe you made a choice you regret, or the game is acting glitchy. Whatever the reason, sometimes you just want to start over fresh. So, how do you actually reset a game on your PS5? It’s not always a simple button press, but don’t worry, we’ll walk through all the ways to do it.

Understanding Game Saves on PS5

Before diving into the reset methods, it’s good to know how the PS5 keeps track of your game progress. When you play a game, it saves your place, kind of like bookmarking a book. These saves are stored on your console’s storage, and sometimes in the cloud if you have PlayStation Plus. This means, to really reset a game, we often need to mess with these saved files.

Local vs. Cloud Saves

Your game saves can be in two places:

Local Saves: These are files that are stored directly on your PS5’s hard drive. Every time you play and the game autosaves, it is adding or updating local data.
Cloud Saves: If you have a PlayStation Plus subscription, your game saves are also often backed up to the cloud, which is online storage space. These act as a backup in case your console gets broken or you need to switch PS5s.

Knowing this difference is key, because we will be tackling both when we’re trying to reset a game fully.

Deleting Game Data on the PS5

The most straightforward method for resetting a game involves deleting the game’s save data. This is like erasing the bookmark, and is a good first step for many games. Here’s how you do it:

Accessing Saved Data Options

First you need to find your saved data on your console. Here’s how:

Turn on your PS5 and go to the main screen.
Go up and over to the settings icon (it looks like a gear) and select it.
Scroll down to “Storage,” and select it.
Next, pick “Saved Data”.
Choose the first option “PS5 Console”.

Finding Your Game’s Save File

Now, you need to find the save data of the game you are trying to reset:

You will see a list of all games that have saved data. Scroll through the list to find the game you want to reset.
Select the game. You will then see all save files for that particular title.

Deleting the Save Data

Once you see the list of saves you want to delete, you can proceed with deleting the data for that game:

Press the option button on the controller. It’s the button with the three lines on it, next to the PlayStation button.
A menu will appear. Select “Delete”.
The PS5 will ask you if you’re sure. Select “Delete” again to confirm and delete the save data for that game.

Important: Once you delete the data, you can’t get it back. So be sure this is what you want to do. This will return the game to its initial state when you load it up again.

Cloud Save Management for PlayStation Plus Users

If you have PlayStation Plus, your saves might be in the cloud too. This means if you just delete local files, the cloud might re-download your old saves when you play again. So, you need to manage the cloud saves as well.

Accessing Cloud Saves

To get to your cloud saves, follow these steps:

Go to settings again.
Go to “Saved Data and Game/App Settings”.
Select “Saved Data (PS5)”.
Select “Cloud Storage”.

Managing Cloud Saves

Once you’ve accessed your cloud saves, you can manage them:

You’ll see a list of your games. Select the game you want to reset.
You’ll have a few options, like “Download to Console” or “Delete”.

Deleting Cloud Saves (and what to expect)

Here’s how to delete your cloud save:

Select “Delete” to remove the cloud saves for that game. Again, be absolutely sure you want to do this as you cannot recover these files.
If you want to start fresh after deleting the cloud save, you can start your game and play. The game will likely sync to the console first, and if there’s no local save the game may present the first play experience. When you get to a save point for the first time, it will create new local save data, and that will be uploaded to the cloud, overwriting the old save data.
Important note: Sometimes, if you delete the cloud save, your console may re-download the old cloud save when you start the game. To prevent this, after deleting cloud save, start the game quickly, play until an auto-save is triggered, and quit again. Then if the PS5 starts downloading cloud data, it will overwrite it again with the empty new save.

By deleting both local and cloud saves, you’re giving yourself a completely fresh start for the game.

Game-Specific Reset Options

Some games offer their own reset options within their settings. These can vary greatly depending on the game, but are something to explore before deleting data. Here’s how to investigate this type of reset:

Checking In-Game Menus

Here are the common steps to find in-game reset settings:

Start the game.
Go to the game’s main menu.
Look for options like “Settings,” “Options,” or “Gameplay.”
Within these menus, check for options that might be called “New Game,” “Reset Progress,” or similar.

Not all games have this kind of in-game reset, but it’s often the easiest if it’s available. Sometimes this option only deletes the progression and not all other in-game settings, so be sure to read through these options carefully before selecting one.

Why In-Game Reset Is Easier (when available)

Using the in-game option to reset can be easier in many ways:

It’s generally quicker than deleting data from the console’s settings.
It often handles all reset steps automatically, including clearing saves.
There’s less risk of accidentally deleting data you didn’t mean to remove.

Always check for an in-game reset option first, it will save you time if it’s available.

Dealing with Glitches and Bugs

Sometimes, you might want to reset a game because it’s glitching or has some bug. Simply restarting the game, or the console itself may address many glitches.

Restarting the Game

Often, just closing and restarting the game can resolve small hiccups. If that doesn’t work, you can try restarting the entire console.

Press the PlayStation button on the controller.
Go to the game you want to close and press the “Options” button.
Choose “Close Game.”
Restart the game to see if it helped.

Restarting the PS5

Sometimes a deeper restart can make a difference:

Press the PlayStation button on the controller.
Go to the “Power” icon on the main screen at the bottom right.
Select “Restart PS5”.

When to Try Other Solutions

If restarting the game and PS5 don’t fix the issue, try these other possible options:

Check for game updates: Make sure that the game is updated to the latest version. Sometimes, game bugs are fixed in newer patches. You can check in the games’ main page on the console to make sure they are up-to-date.
Reinstall the game: If nothing works, uninstall the game and reinstall it from the disc or from the store, this way you can overwrite and hopefully correct any data corruption that may be present.
Contact game support: If you are still having trouble, you should contact the game developers’ customer support for more specific help.

Hard Resetting for Certain Games (Advanced)

Some games have more complicated save systems. For very specific games, you might need a “hard reset”, which involves deleting all data associated with the game, including profile data, configuration settings, or caches. Please be careful when using these advanced techniques.

Hidden Data Locations

Some games save data in other hidden areas which may be trickier to find. These areas can sometimes be accessed through:

System Storage: You may need to clear system cache to remove other data pieces. This is also in the “Storage” section of the system settings, in the same place where you found saves. You may need to explore other tabs or options to find a way to delete other game-related files.
Game specific menus: As mentioned before, look within the game settings itself to find other options. These are often a bit hidden, so explore the settings thoroughly.

When to Use This Method

You should only do a “hard reset” of the game as a last resort. It’s often used when:

A game is corrupted and it will not work correctly with all the other data reset.
You need to clear all records of your progress for a specific reason like a challenge.
The game has saved profile data in areas beyond the standard save locations.

Be absolutely sure before deleting these files that this is what you want to do, because it may disrupt functionality.

Resetting a game on your PS5 is often about managing your game saves. By understanding where these saves are located—either on your console or in the cloud—you can effectively start fresh. Whether you’re dealing with a glitch or just want a new experience, these steps should help you reset the game and return to playing.

How to Reset PS5 Games & Delete Game Progress (Easy Method)

Final Thoughts

To reset a game on PS5, you can often delete saved game data through the console settings. This clears your progress and allows a fresh start. You should find game data options within the “Storage” menu.

Another method involves starting a new game save from the game’s menu. Most games have an in-game way to choose a new save slot. This bypasses the need to delete all progress, letting you restart from scratch. If you want to know how to reset a game on ps5, these are your options.