Yes, your Playstation 4 Console can download games while it’s turned off.
Automatic downloading is a great feature for those that work away from home and want to download games while at work.
There’s a couple of settings that you need to change first, but once you’ve done it, your PS4 will install games while in rest mode.
Here’s everything you need to know so that you can install games while on the move.
How To Download & Install PS4 Games In Rest Mode
Having your PS4 In rest mode will also reduce the power consumption, allowing you to download games without actually having to have the console fully powered up.
Here’s exactly how to set up automatic downloads while in rest mode.
Power Saving Settings
The first thing you’ll need to do is configure your power saving settings.
To do this, on the PS4 Home menu navigate to [settings] > [power saving settings] > [set features available in rest mod]
Once you’re on this screen you’ll be able to change 4 settings for when your Playstation console is in rest mode.
- Supply Power to USB Ports
- Stay Connected To the Internet
- Enable Turning on of PS4 From Network
- Keep application suspended
The most important feature on this list is “Stay connected to the internet”, you want to make sure that’s ticked if you want to download update files and games without your console actually being powered on.
For most, Turning on of PS4 from network isn’t important or even possible. So I’m not going to cover this in-depth.
However, supplying power to the usb ports while in rest mode is a nice feature, letting you charge your controller while the console is switched off.
I also like the keep application suspended feature, which holds your previous session in short term memory, allowing you to pick up from where you switched off the console. (I imagine overtime, this will slowdown your console though.)
Enable Automatic Downloads
We all hate coming home from work, loading up the console and seeing a 20gb+ update for our favourite games. Thankfully enabling automatic downloads and keeping your PS4 in rest mode will prevent this from happening ever again.
To enable automatic downloads, on the PS Home menu navigate to [Settings] > [System] > [Automatic Downloads]
The automatic download screen will have 4 options:
- Download Featured Content
- Download System Software Update Files
- Restart Your Console On Update
- Download Application Update Files
In my case, I have the bottom 3 features ticked. I don’t pay attention to the “featured content” on Playstation so that’s irrelevant to me.
However, automatically downloading system software updates and allowing your console to restart and install the files itself will ensure that your console stays updated and is always ready to play.
The same goes for application update files. Enabling this feature will automatically download updates while your console is turned on.
Unfortunately, the PS4 will only download files in rest mode if you’re a PS Plus member.
Initiate The Download
Once you’ve applied the correct settings, the next step is to begin downloading the content.
I’m sure you already know how to do this.
If you have automatic download turned on, you can also initiate downloads through the mobile app and web browser.
Simply navigate to your download list, hit download and the game will begin to download to your PS4, as long as its switched on or in rest mode.
Put Your PS4 Console Into Rest Mode
To put your console into rest mode, all that you need to do is press the home button, navigate to power and select the “Enter Rest Mode” option.
Entering rest mode will allow the console to operate at a low power, while also enabling you to charge controllers, download games and keep applications stored for quicker loading when you next turn on the console.
To confirm that your console is in rest mode. Look at the power LED. If it’s an amber/orange color this means that it’s in rest mode.
Whatever you do, don’t unplug the power cord while in rest mode. This could corrupt your data, or much worse.
Does Having Your PS4 In Rest Mode Download Games Faster?
While there’s no conclusive evidence, for as long as I can remember, it’s always been thought that putting your PS4 into rest mode will make games download quicker.
I remember doing this way back on PS3 and I’ve done it many times on PS4.
This isn’t fact, it’s more of a theory, however the logic behind it is pretty sound.
Because the PS4 is in rest mode with low power consumption, it allows the console to focus on downloading and installing the game.
Since you’re not using any other applications or network features, both your hard drive write speed and network speed will be dedicated to downloading the game.
Again, this is nothing more than a theory, but you should try it out yourself. If you see a significant increase in speeds, you’ll never download a game with the console turned on ever again.
Does Your PS4 Install Disc Games While In Rest Mode?
Unfortunately, for those with physical copies, the Playstation console doesn’t install disc games while in rest mode.
To install a physical copy of a game the console will need to be switched on. This is probably because the disc drive doesn’t run in rest mode and they dont have any plans to change it either…
