If I Initialize My PS4 Will I Lose My Account?

Thanks to Sony’s unconventional naming scheme, something as simple as a factory reset seems like a potential data loss threat. However, if you initialize your PS4, you will not lose your account.

Like a typical factory reset option, initializing PS4 restores system settings to their default values. Plus, it wipes out the last bit of data saved on the system storage like games, game saves, images, and videos. But as your account info gets stored on PlayStation servers alongside the local drive, it will be safe after initialization.

What Happens if I Initialize My PS4

The initialization option on the PS4 resembles the factory reset feature found on almost all electronic devices. So, no matter how the term initialization sounds, what it does is restore the default system settings. As a result, your PS4 reverts to the exact state in which you received it brand new.

When you initialize your PS4, it deletes all the settings and information you saved on the system up until that moment. In other words, it wipes out both the locally saved data and all users’ data from the system.  

Hence, there’s no going back once you go through the entire initializing process. Worst of all, you cannot restore the deleted data. Therefore, it will be wise to have secure backups before clicking on the Initialize option.

In addition, keep in mind that you cannot turn off the PS4 system during the initialization procedure. Because, by doing so, you might damage the system altogether, let alone your data.

If I Initialize My PS4 Will I Lose My Account

Though initializing the PS4 deletes all settings and data from your system, it by no means affects your account. To clarify, the games you bought won’t suddenly go back to Sony. Besides, all those hours you had put in to reach a certain level won’t be in vain since your progress gets saved on the cloud.

Moreover, if you had a PS+ subscription, you can get things restored anyway, as initializing does not unsubscribe you from the service. Nintendo consoles, on the other hand, do store everything locally. No wonder where the doubts came from. Luckily, Sony’s no Nintendo, meaning your account info should get restored right after logging in.

Just so you know, you’ll be prompted to choose from two modes of initialization. 

Full Initialization 

Full initializing rewrites the entire PS4 hard drive with random 1s and 0s. The original data gets destroyed once and for all while it becomes technically unrecoverable. With that said, it is better to follow this procedure when planning to sell your PS4.

Naturally, a full initialization is a lengthy process. Depending on the amount of data to rewrite, it can take several hours to complete.

Quick Initialization

Like full initialization, quick initialization resets your PS4 to its default settings. Yet, it takes far less time compared to a full initialization. But why?

When you select quick initialization, PS4 changes the permission on the data rather than deleting it physically. In other words, Therefore, all the data is still on your hard drive. Yet, PS4’s OS refuses to recognize it as valid data anymore, convincing the storage device that it is alright to write over that data in the future.

Although a quick initialization seems like a hassle-free deal, it has its share of limitations. Technically, your data can still get recovered even after performing the initialization.

If you have any tendency to return the PS4 to its original factory setting and keep it for yourself, quick initialization is a perfect choice for you.

How Do I Initialize My PS4 without Losing Data

You might be in a scenario where initialization is a must but not worth losing the data. In that case, there’s this safe mode in the settings panel that helps you restore default settings while keeping the data intact.

Final Words

If you are getting rid of the PS4 entirely, selling it, or storing it, we recommend going for a full initialization. Assuming the PS4 might still have your credit card details, that extra hour’s wait will be worth it. And since initialization, be it full or quick, does not delete your account, you can log back in anytime.