Summary:
- Identifying the causes of the “Copying in Progress” problem on PS4
- Technical optimization to speed up copying on PlayStation
- Choosing a faster hard drive: SSD vs. HDD
- Specific solutions for problematic games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Storage space management and its impact on copy speed
- Keeping your PS4 up to date to avoid slowdowns
- Recommended brands for a high-performance hard drive on PS4
- FAQs about copy speed and how to improve the PS4
Identifying the causes of the “Copying in Progress” problem on PS4
The “Copying in Progress” phenomenon affecting the PlayStation 4 remains a major issue for the gaming community. This problem often results in a significant waiting time, up to 30 minutes or more, each time a game is launched. This represents a backdoor for frustration, deteriorating the overall experience. Here’s a look at the main factors behind this real headache. The issue primarily arose in connection with a recent update, particularly for iconic titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone. This update causes large files to be systematically recopied, often around 27 to 28 GB. This phenomenon isn’t limited to a single game, but affects several major titles in the franchise, impacting tens of thousands of players. Here’s a list of the main consequences: 🕒 Long waiting times before accessing the game ❌ Inability to access multiplayer mode due to “interrupted installation”
🔌 Frequent server disconnections 🚨 Recurring crashes and bugs, particularly on certain multiplayer mapsIt’s worth noting that the PlayStation 5, although more advanced, sometimes experiences the same issues, particularly with PS4 emulators. The lack of clear communication from Activision about this issue amplifies uncertainty and frustration. For gamers, this is a conundrum that must be resolved without losing patience. Main Cause ⚠️ Effect on Gameplay 🕹️Games Affected 🎮
Recent Large Update
- Repeated “Copying in Progress” Phoneme
- Call of Duty MW/Warzone, Other Call of Duty Titles
- Full or Faulty Hard Drive
- General Slowdowns
Almost All Games
| Unstable Internet Connection | Failures in Updates and Synchronizations | Online Services |
|---|---|---|
| For further information, several online resources offer in-depth analysis of this topic, such as the guides available on | Astuce Jeux PS4 | or |
| PlayStation-4.fr | . | Discover our Copy Speed service, designed to optimize the speed of your printing and copying while ensuring exceptional quality. Ideal for professionals seeking efficiency, Copy Speed combines performance and reliability for all your printing needs. |
| Technical Optimization to Speed Up Copying on PlayStation | There are several avenues to explore to improve copy speed on a PS4. Although you can’t fundamentally change how the console processes data without hardware intervention, certain adjustments can help limit slowdowns. | The priorities for this optimization are threefold: storage, network connection, and active process management. Here are some best practices to adopt: |
🔧 Check the hard drive: An aging or full hard drive significantly slows down operations. The console’s native tool allows you to run a disk diagnostics via the system menu. 🖧Prefer a wired connection:

📴
Close applications:
All background applications should be closed before starting the copy. This frees up memory and processor resources.
- 🛠 Rebuild the database: This process optimizes system files by reorganizing the structure of stored data and can help streamline file copying. Please note: this requires starting the PS4 in Safe Mode.
- Procedure to rebuild the database: Turn off the PS4 completely. Put the PS4 in Safe Mode by holding the power button until you hear two beeps.
- Connect a controller via USB cable. Select Rebuild Database
- from the menu. Technical Action ⚙️ Expected Impact 📈 Difficulty 🎯
Hard Drive Diagnostics
- Identifying Errors That Could Slow Down Copying
- Easy
- Wired Ethernet Connection
- Increased Stability and Improved Transfer Speed Medium Closing Background Apps
| Freeing Up System Resources | Easy | Rebuilding the Database |
|---|---|---|
| Optimizing and Reducing Slowdowns | Medium | To complement this guide, detailed advice and other tips are regularly featured on specialized sites such as |
| LeFilDeLau | or | Galius |
| . | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICtYbh9La6U | Choosing a Faster Hard Drive: SSD vs. HDD for Your PlayStation |
| One of the key ways to speed up the “copy in progress” process on PS4 is to improve the storage medium. By default, the console is equipped with a mechanical hard drive, often rated at 5400 rpm. This classic component is the bottleneck for large copies and fast game launches. | Opting for a solid-state drive (SSD) is a serious upgrade. This type of storage offers significantly higher read/write speeds, drastically reducing wait times. However, installing an SSD requires some caution, particularly in terms of compatibility and space. | 🎯 |
SSD: Near-instant access times, faster copying and loading, reduced power consumption. ⚙️ HDD:Large capacity at a lower cost, but limited performance, more susceptible to mechanical failure. To help you choose, here’s a simple comparison table:
SSD (Samsung, Crucial, Kingston)
HDD (Seagate, Western Digital, Toshiba, ADATA, Sandisk)
Read/Write Speed 🔄
- 3-5 times faster Standard, slower Durability 🔋
- Shock resistant Sensitive to mechanical wear Available Capacity 💾
Usually 500GB to 2TB
| Often 1TB to 4TB | Price 💰 | More expensive to purchase |
|---|---|---|
| More affordable | Brands like | Samsung |
| , | Crucial | and |
| Kingston | are known for their reliable SSDs, while | Seagate |
| , | Western Digital | , |
Toshiba ,ADATA and Sandisk dominate the market for high-performance HDDs for consoles. An internal SSD installation is the leading recommendation to reduce the slow copy speed problem. For more details on replacing the hard drive, tutorials are available on Reddit r/PS4 orSOS Ordinateurs .Learn all about copy speed: tips, techniques, and tools to optimize your data transfers. Accelerate your productivity and master your files in no time! Specific solutions for problematic games like Call of Duty: Modern WarfareThe issue of blocked or slow copy speeds is particularly noticeable with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare/Warzone. Several specific actions have been shared by the community and can help restore a smoother situation. Among these, the targeted installation or reinstallation of missing packs plays a crucial role. These are generally campaign packs 1 and 2, which are very light (around 1 MB each). This is an easy step that can streamline the process. A more thorough procedure, a complete installation of all multiplayer, campaign, and special operations packs can correct persistent installation errors. This approach is a little more time-consuming and labor-intensive. Finally, a complete reinstallation of the game remains the most radical solution, but these cases are the most restrictive, especially when the internet connection is limited or unstable. Here’s a summary table: Solution 🎯 Description 📝 Difficulty ⚙️ Install missing packsInstall or reinstall Campaign Packs 1 and 2 (~1 MB each)

Full installation
Install all missing multiplayer, campaign, and special operations packs
Medium
Full game reinstallation
Uninstall and reinstall the entire game
| Difficult and time-consuming | For feedback and detailed tutorials, forums such as | Mes Potes Geek |
|---|---|---|
| and discussions on | JeuxVideo.com | provide a wealth of relevant information. |
| Storage space management and its impact on copy speed on PS4 | Another often overlooked factor is storage space management. Hard drive saturation is an obvious obstacle to the console’s performance. The PS4 requires a minimum amount of free space to run smoothly, especially during installation and file copying. | Here are some best practices to help you stay on track: |
| 🗑 Regularly delete unused games and apps. | 💾 Use an external hard drive or SSD to offload data. | 🧹 Clear the console’s cache to prevent the accumulation of temporary files. |
Hard drive data fragmentation can also impact copying speed, but this issue is generally better managed by recent consoles. Regardless, maintaining a large amount of free space, greater than 20% of the total capacity, is a tried and tested rule. Management Actions 🛠️ Practical Effects 🚀 Deleting Unused Games Frees up space and increases speed
Using an external hard drive/SSD
Increases capacity without overloading the internal system
Cleaning the Cache
- Reduces annoying temporary files
- This approach is also discussed in specialized articles such as on
- GameXmentor
or
| Krusell France | . Proper maintenance prevents many inconveniences and keeps the console secure. |
|---|---|
| Keeping Your PS4 Up to Date to Avoid Slowdowns and Bugs | Installing manufacturer updates is anything but trivial. These patches are often responsible for optimal resource management and bug fixes, and improve overall stability. Neglecting Sony PlayStation updates is a mistake that can lead to significant slowdowns, particularly when managing copies and installations. |
| Always remember to: | 📥 Download and install the latest available version of the system software. |
| 🔄 Regularly check for new updates. | ⚠️ An offline update is preferable, via USB stick, if the connection is unstable. |
Regular software maintenance reduces the risk of encountering backdoors related to slow copies and installation errors. Note that optimizations regularly appear in the patches Sony deploys. Operation Type Key Benefit Recommended FrequencySystem Software Update
Bug Fixes, Improved Stability
With Each New Version
Offline Update (USB Stick)
- More Secure in Case of Unstable Connection
- As Needed
- Regular Restart
Freeing Cache Memory
| Weekly | This section is covered in more detail by some SEO and IT optimization experts, such as those on the website | Kevin Grillot |
|---|---|---|
| . | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOsT5uhDLyM | Recommended Brands for a High-Performance Hard Drive on PS4 |
| The storage component market is crowded, but some manufacturers have distinguished themselves through their robustness and reliability. For a PS4 that runs at full capacity, here are the essential recommendations in 2025: | 💡 | Samsung |
| : SSD expert, it offers fast and durable models. | 🔷 | Seagate |
: specialist in traditional HDD hard drives, efficient and affordable. ⚡Western Digital
🔍
ADATA
- : emerging brand, particularly competitive in SSDs. 🛡 Crucial
- : recognized for its high-performance and stable SSDs. 🔒 Kingston : Offers a good price/performance balance in SSDs.
- 🎯 Toshiba : Specialist in reliable HDDs with good performance.
- 🌟 Sandisk : Popular for its compact and fast SSD solutions.
- These brands cover a wide range of budgets and needs. However, you should ensure that the model you choose is compatible with the PlayStation 4, particularly in terms of size (2.5 inches recommended) and maximum supported capacity. Brand 📦 Storage Type 💽 Strong Points ⭐
- Recommended Price (€) 💶 Samsung SSD
- Reliability and Speed 90 – 180 Seagate
- HDD Capacity and Affordability 50 – 120
Western Digital
| HDD/SSD | Versatility | 60 – 160 | ADATA |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSD | Competitive Price | 80 – 150 | Crucial |
| SSD | Stable Performance | 85 – 170 | Kingston |
| SSD | Good Value for Money | 75 – 160 | Toshiba |
| HDD | Reliability | 55 – 110 | Sandisk |
| SSD | Compact Solutions | 85 – 165 | Choosing the right brand will save you a lot of disappointment, especially when it comes to endurance and stability. To learn more about these components, reading forums and reviews like those on Kevin Grillot is recommended. |
| Find out how to optimize your file copy speed with our practical tips and tricks. Improve your efficiency and reduce waiting time during your data transfers. | FAQ on PS4 Copy Speed and Improvements | Question ❓ | Answer 🔍 |
| Why is copying so slow on PS4? | The limited speed of the original hard drive and large updates are the main causes of slowness. | Does an SSD really improve copy speed? | Yes, an SSD significantly reduces access and installation times compared to a traditional hard drive. |
| How do I know if my hard drive is healthy? | Use the PS4’s built-in diagnostics in System Settings to detect errors. | Is it worth rebuilding the database? | Yes, this optimizes file storage and access, reducing copy delays. |
What should I do if the copy freeze persists despite everything? Try reinstalling the missing packs, or as a last resort, completely reinstall the game.

Écrit par
Kevin Grillot
Consultant Webmarketing & Expert SEO.