PlayStation error codes for PS5 and PS4, explained: what each code means and the fix steps that work
PS5 error codes and PS4 error codes in one index. Every code below has its own page with the meaning in plain words, the steps in the order that resolves it most often, related codes, and a flag when the problem is on PlayStation Network's side rather than yours.
The codes people look up first
Your console is reporting an error reading the disc or accessing data from the hard drive.
An error occurred during a system software update.
An error occurred during a system software update.
PlayStation Network is not reachable from the console because the service itself is unavailable. The code appears on many consoles at the same time during PSN outages and maintenance and is not listed in Sony's own error-code index.
An error occurred with the game or application you are using.
Your console encountered a problem connecting to the PlayStation Network server.
An error has occurred with the game or application on your PlayStation 4 console.
The console could not complete a request to PlayStation Network because the service was busy or partially down. It shows up in waves during PSN maintenance and outages and is not listed in Sony's own error-code index.
How PlayStation error codes are organised
Embed this chart
| Prefix | Subsystem | PS5 codes | PS4 codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CE | console and system errors: drives, storage, system software | 72 | 100 |
| SU | system software update failures | 4 | 13 |
| WS | web services: PlayStation Network sign-in, store and account | 31 | 21 |
| NP | network platform: PSN connectivity and matchmaking | 24 | 39 |
| NW | network hardware: Wi-Fi, DNS, router | 16 | 23 |
| WV | web browser and embedded web views | 6 | 4 |
| E | account, store and payment (E-8 prefix) | 0 | 24 |
| WC | web commerce: PlayStation Store purchases | 0 | 20 |
Reading a PlayStation error code before you fix it
A PlayStation error code has two parts, and the first one does most of the work. The prefix tells you which part of the console raised the complaint; the digits tell you the exact condition. CE-30005-8 says a console-side read failed (CE) on the disc or hard drive (30005). SU-42481-9 says the system updater (SU) rejected a file (42481). WS-37398-0 says PlayStation Network's web services (WS) are refusing connections, which on a bad evening means Sony's servers, not your console. Knowing the prefix saves the first half hour: a WS or NP code that shows up in a game does not need the game reinstalled, and a CE code does not need the router restarted.
The pages in this index apply that logic to every code. Each one names the subsystem, states the meaning in one sentence, and lists the fix steps in the order that resolves the code most often rather than in order of drama. Restart and update come first because they clear a surprising share of codes; rebuilding the database comes later because it takes time, not because it risks data; initialising the console is last because it does.
PS5 error codes
PS5 error codes follow the same prefix scheme as PS4 error codes with a larger CE range, because the PS5's system software reports storage, M.2 expansion and disc-drive conditions in more detail. The most common PS5 codes on this site are CE-108255-1 (an application crashed), WS-37398-0 and WS-37403-7 (PSN unavailable) and the CE-1xxxxx family that covers system storage. PS5-specific hardware such as the Slim's detachable disc drive and the M.2 expansion slot has its own codes, and the pages say when a code means the expansion drive does not meet Sony's requirements rather than that something is broken.
PS4 error codes
PS4 error codes are the ones with the longest history, and the two most searched, CE-30005-8 and SU-42481-9, are both drive-related in the end. The PS4's mechanical hard drive ages; read errors, corrupted update files and failed installs cluster on consoles that are six or more years old. The fix pages note when a code is a sign of a failing drive so a replacement can be planned instead of repeated rebuilds. The PS4 also keeps the fuller set of NW and NP codes, since much of its online library still runs on the older network stack.
Network and connection errors: NW, NP and WS codes
Three prefixes cover everything between the console and PlayStation Network, and telling them apart is the whole diagnosis. NW codes mean the console cannot get online at all: Wi-Fi signal, DNS, the router or the ISP. NP codes mean the console is online but the network platform behind matchmaking, friends and party chat refused the request. WS codes mean the web services that handle sign-in, the store and account data are unavailable or rejected the session. A quick way to check is the connection test in Settings > Network: if it passes and the code persists, the problem is on the service side; if it fails, start with the router.
Software, update and storage errors: CE and SU codes
CE codes are the console reporting on itself: a game crashed (CE-108255-1), the system could not read from the disc or drive (CE-30005-8), system storage is inconsistent (the CE-1xxxxx family on PS5), or an M.2 expansion drive does not meet the requirements. SU codes are narrower: the system software updater downloaded a file it cannot verify, ran out of space, or was interrupted mid-install. Both groups respond to the same ladder of fixes in the same order, restart, update, reinstall the game, rebuild the database from Safe Mode, initialise as the last resort, and both can point at failing hardware when the code returns after every step. The individual pages say which step tends to clear each code first.
Outage codes and how to tell them apart
A handful of WS and NP codes appear in waves when PlayStation Network has trouble, and the tell is simple: everyone gets them at once. The index flags these codes so the page opens with a pointer to the PSN status page instead of a list of console steps. If the status page is green and the code persists, the steps are there; if it is red, the fix is patience.
What the fix steps are based on
Meanings and steps are checked against the platform holder's own support documentation and written in plain language; each page links to the official reference. Where community experience adds something the official page does not say, such as which step clears a code most often on older hardware, the page says so and keeps the official order recognisable.
PS5 error codes
PS4 error codes
PlayStation on PC and Portal
PlayStation error codes: frequently asked questions
What do the letters in PlayStation error codes mean?
The prefix names the subsystem that raised the code. CE codes come from the console itself (drive, storage, system), SU from the system software updater, WS from PlayStation Network web services, NP from the network platform behind matchmaking and friends, NW from the console's own networking, WV from the browser, and E-8 codes from account and store operations. The number after the prefix identifies the specific condition.
Which PS5 error codes mean PSN is down?
WS-37398-0, WS-37403-7 and NP-34957-8 appear across many consoles at once when PlayStation Network has an outage or is under maintenance. If one of them shows up and the PSN status page confirms a problem, no step on the console fixes it; the service has to recover.
How do I fix PS4 error CE-30005-8?
CE-30005-8 reports a read error on the hard drive or the Blu-ray drive. Restart the console, clean the disc if the game runs from disc, update the system software, then rebuild the database from Safe Mode. If the code persists on every game, the drive is failing; PS4 owners can replace the internal drive themselves.
What is the difference between SU-42481-9 and SU-30746-0?
Both are PS4 system update failures. SU-42481-9 typically means the downloaded update file is damaged or the drive is nearly full; SU-30746-0 means the update could not be applied, often after an interrupted install. The fix for both starts with re-downloading the update in Safe Mode from a USB drive.
Does rebuilding the database delete my games?
No. Rebuild Database in Safe Mode scans the drive and creates a fresh index of the content. Games, saves and captures stay. It can take from minutes to over an hour on a full drive, and it clears many CE and SU codes that come from a corrupted index rather than from damaged data.
Can I look up an Xbox error code here?
The index currently covers PlayStation codes (PS5, PS4, PlayStation on PC and PlayStation Portal). Xbox codes are documented on Microsoft's support site with a lookup by code; Nintendo codes are grouped by number range on Nintendo's support pages. Both are planned for the index.
Why does the same error code appear in different games?
The code comes from the console subsystem, not from the game. A game only triggers the condition, such as reading from a damaged disc or opening a PSN session. That is why the fix steps are the same regardless of which game showed the code.
When should I initialise my PS5 or PS4 to fix an error?
Only after the earlier steps have failed and after backing up saves. Initialising wipes the drive and reinstalls the system software; it resolves codes that come from corrupted system files but not codes that come from failing hardware or from PlayStation Network.
What does an NW code mean?
NW codes point at the console's own network stack: Wi-Fi signal, DNS resolution, the router or the connection to the ISP. They appear when the console cannot reach PlayStation Network at all, as opposed to WS and NP codes where the network is fine but the service refuses the request.
What is the first thing to do when a PlayStation error code appears?
Read the prefix. CE and SU codes are handled on the console; NW codes point at your network; WS and NP codes point at PlayStation Network. Then check the PSN status page before touching anything, because a service outage produces codes that no local step clears. Only after that is a restart worth the time.
How can I look up what a specific PlayStation error code means?
Type the code into the search on this page; every documented PS5, PS4, PC and Portal code has its own page with the meaning and the steps. Sony's support site has the same codes in official wording, and the pages here link to the official reference.
Are PS4 and PS5 error codes different?
They share the prefix scheme but not the numbers. PS5 has a larger CE range because its storage and expansion-drive reporting is more detailed, and PS5-specific hardware such as the detachable disc drive has its own codes. A PS4 code will not appear on a PS5 and vice versa, even for the same underlying fault.
Does restarting the console or the router fix most PlayStation errors?
A surprising share of them, yes. A full restart reloads drivers and clears the store cache the console relies on, and a router restart resets a stale DNS or NAT state. Codes that survive both are worth reading the individual page for, because the next step differs by prefix.
Can a system software update cause new error codes?
Occasionally. An update that fails to apply produces an SU code, and a successful update can expose a marginal drive or a corrupted database that the previous version tolerated. Rebuilding the database from Safe Mode after an update resolves most of those; the fix pages note when a code appeared alongside a specific update.
When should I contact PlayStation Support instead of fixing an error myself?
When a code persists after every step on its page including a rebuild of the database, when the console shows hardware symptoms such as a disc that will not read on any game or a drive that fails to format, or when an account or purchase error involves money. Everything else is faster to resolve at home.
Are error codes on PlayStation Portal the same as on PS5?
Portal uses its own code set for Remote Play and Wi-Fi, listed under the Portal platform. Codes that originate from the PS5 during a Remote Play session show the PS5 code.