Technologies

Here’s How to Safely Factory Reset Your PS5 or PS4

Selling your PS4 or PS5 without wiping it puts your personal info at risk.

The PS5 might still feel new, but it actually launched back in 2020, which means it’s already well into its life cycle. If you’re not gaming as much or eyeing another console, it may be time to let it go. Whether you’re giving it to a friend or hoping to make some cash by selling it, don’t forget one crucial step before handing it over-erasing your personal data.

Luckily, factory resetting your PS5 or PS4 is straightforward. This step protects your information, removes linked accounts, and ensures the next user starts with a clean slate. It only takes a few minutes and could save you a major headache down the line.

Factory resetting is a crucial step that you should take whenever you’re selling or giving away a piece of technology. Your old PlayStation is no exception. While you might not be storing the same kind of information on your PS4 or PS5 that you would on your laptop or smartphone, this step can save you a great deal of stress by taking care of any leftover information.

Read on for everything you need to know about resetting your PS5 or your PS4. For more, here’s what to know about buying a used iPhone and our picks for the best place to sell your electronics.

Resetting the PlayStation 5

You have a few options when it comes to factory resetting your PS5. To access these options, navigate to the Home Screen and then select Settings > System > System Software > Reset Options.

After selecting Reset Options you will be presented with three options: Clear Learning Dictionary, Restore Default Settings and Reset Your Console.

Clear Learning Dictionary will clear the history of all the terms that you have typed on your PS5.
Restore Default Settings will restore all of the settings on your PS5 to their default setting, but leave your data intact.
Reset Your Console will restore all of the settings to their default options and erase all of the data that has been saved to your PS5.

If you are looking to factory reset your console before selling it or giving it away, select Reset Your Console to fully wipe all of your data from the device and factory reset the console.

Resetting the PlayStation 4

The process for factory resetting your console is a bit different for the PS4. First, you will need to navigate to Settings > Initialization. Much like the process for factory resetting the Playstation 5, you will be presented with three options after selecting Initialization: Clear Learning Dictionary, Restore Default Settings and Initialize PS4.

Clear Learning Dictionary and Restore Default Settings operate the same as they do on the PS5. Initialize PS4 operates in the same way as the Reset Your Console option does on the PS5.

If you are looking to factory reset your PS4 before giving it away or selling it, selecting Initialize PS4 will do the trick.

Technologies

New Speed Test Data Reveals the Nation’s Fastest Internet Service Provider

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for July 29, #779

Get hints and the answers for NYT Connections puzzle July 29, #779 — we’re all betting you’ll need mechanical help with this one.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Card players, today’s NYT Connections puzzle is for you. Need more help? Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Maybe it’s on clearance.

Green group hint: Quit hassling me!

Blue group hint: Ante up!

Purple group hint: Many soap dispensers.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Discount.

Green group: Irritate.

Blue group: Poker actions.

Purple group: Things you can pump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is discount. The four answers are deal, promotion, sale and special.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is irritate. The four answers are bug, nettle, ruffle and steam.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is poker actions. The four answers are call, check, fold and raise.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is things you can pump. The four answers are brakes, fist, gas and iron.

Quick tips for Connections

#1: Say the clue words out loud, pausing before and after each. That helps you hear the words in the context of a phrase. The Connections editors love to group words together that are used in similar phrasing, like ____ Up.

#2: Don’t go for the obvious grouping. These editors are smart. Once, they offered SPONGE, BOB, SQUARE and PANTS in the same puzzle. None of those words were in the same category. If you like, hit the «shuffle» button to give yourself a different perspective on the words.

#3: Break down any compound words and look for similarities. «Rushmore» was once in a puzzle where the connection was that each word started with the name of a rock band.

Technologies

Xbox Game Pass Adds Grounded 2 and Other Games This Month

Game Pass subscribers can also play the new ’90s-inspired horror game Abiotic Factor now.

The award-winning, quirky survival game Grounded is like the game version of the classic ’80s comedy film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. And Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get early access to that game’s sequel, Grounded 2, now.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new ones, including Doom: The Dark Ages, added monthly, plus other benefits such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.

Here are the games Microsoft is bringing to Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service recently, like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4.