PS5 error CE-100028-1 — what it means and how to fix it

Sony's message: There is not enough free space on the SSD.

This one is exactly what it says. The useful part is knowing why it appears when the console claims to have space left.

Why it appears when space looks available

An update needs room for the existing files and the new ones at the same time, then removes the old. So a 20GB update can need 40GB or more free. The console is not wrong.

How to free space usefully

1. Delete games you have finished. Digital games can be redownloaded any time from your library — deleting is not losing them.

2. Delete the large ones first. Sort by size in storage settings. One sports title often frees more than ten small games.

3. Move games to an external drive instead of deleting. PS4 games run directly from an external drive, and PS5 games can be stored there and copied back quickly — far faster than redownloading.

4. Clear video captures. Gameplay clips accumulate silently and can take a surprising amount of space.

5. Delete unused game data — some titles keep large optional packs installed.

The longer-term fix

Add an internal M.2 SSD. The PS5 needs a PCIe Gen4 NVMe drive with at least 5,500 MB/s read speed and a heatsink no taller than 11.25mm in total. Not every M.2 drive qualifies.

See our guide to adding storage, or bring the console to a branch and we will fit it for you.

If nothing works

If the error persists after all of the above, the console may need inspection. We repair consoles at all our branches except Alexandria, usually within one to three days, and everything is tested before it goes back to you. If it is still under warranty, bring it in rather than opening it — an unauthorised repair attempt voids the cover.

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