How To Use External Hard Drive On Xbox One

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How to expand Xbox 1 storage with an external drive

Xbox One Seagate SSD Source: Windows Central

Games are getting bigger than e'er, but the internal hard drive in your Xbox One is non. The majority of Microsoft'southward Xbox consoles now ship with 500GB or 1TB hard drives, unfit for a sizeable library, which makes information technology increasingly necessary to expand your Xbox One storage.

External drive support comes broiled into Microsoft's Xbox One consoles, now a fast and affordable method to add more storage. Information technology's relatively unproblematic, boasting plug-and-play compatibility across most off-the-shelf USB difficult drives and solid-state drives (SSDs) on the market. That increased chapters ways less time stressing most free difficult drive space and more time playing video games. Yous become more space for the biggest blockbusters out at that place, and with the right drive, you can also expect a drastic reduction in load times.

The most popular video game releases at present decimate any Xbox One drive space, with top franchises like Call of Duty, NBA 2K, and Halo all n of 100GB on consoles. While you lot can juggle your favorite titles, uninstalling and redownloading every bit desired, that'southward inappreciably viable with large file sizes. External hard drives are the remedy, hugely expanding your virtual shelf for games, and incredibly affordable, too.

Xbox One Console Logo Source: Matt Brown / Windows Central

The Xbox I family mandates that all games exist installed on internal storage, a alter from the previous Xbox 360 generation, which allowed games to be played directly from the disc. The aforementioned now applies whether you buy physical discs or digital downloads, and with file sizes steadily growing, hard drive space is at present a valuable resources.

Hooking up an external hard drive is one of the best ways to aggrandize your Xbox One panel when running low on storage infinite. While internal hard drives cannot exist replaced or upgraded without voiding your warranty, external USB storage is simple and hassle-gratuitous.

External hard drives don't require extensive setup, with plug-and-play back up across current consoles. They work with all games available on Xbox Ane, a luxury that doesn't translate to expanding Xbox Serial 10|Due south storage, making the process incredibly simple and affordable.

The consequence is additional space for Xbox games, assuasive yous to install more titles or brand room for larger file sizes. It likewise helps counter the rapidly swelling file sizes across acme franchises, regularly surpassing 100GB. You may too see improvements in loading time and performance, depending on the drive y'all choose.

Xbox One hard drive and SSD requirements

Samsung T7 Source: Richard Devine | Windows Fundamental

Xbox consoles support most mod hard drives on the market place, including the most popular models from top brands like Seagate, Western Digital, and more. The baseline requirements include USB 3.0 support, now standard amongst even budget USB external hard drives. USB iii.0 back up ensures information volition transfer between your console and drive at a relatively fast rate. Compatible external drives work with all Xbox One, Xbox 360, and original Xbox games, unlike the limitations imposed on some games designed for the new Xbox Series X|S consoles.

When choosing a drive, your showtime consideration should be storage space. Drives must also exist at least 256GB to work with Xbox consoles, eliminating some entry-level capacities. The consoles as well have a 16TB limit on external storage, far beyond the reasonable storage chapters of nearly drives on the market place. For most, 1TB externals provide a welcome boost, ideal for those on a upkeep. Making an upgrade to 2TB offers more flexibility, while 4TB and 8TB show overkill for many.

Hard drive speed should besides be considered, roughly estimated past the drive'southward revolutions per minute (RPM). Theoretically, the faster the drive, the quicker games will install, load, and save. For example, seven,200 RPM drives are faster than entry-level five,400 RPM drives, while x,000 RPM drives provide a further boost. For those demanding the best storage speeds, solid-country drives (SSDs) lead the pack, delivering unrivaled operation on Xbox One, albeit at a higher price.

Information technology is worth noting that all consoles, including the Xbox I 10, pack a 5,400 RPM internal hard bulldoze. However, limitations of the console's "SATA II" interface mean its total potential is rarely used, making any external five,400 RPM drive faster than the internal drive in most situations. As for the Xbox One 10, which uses high bandwidth "SATA 3," internal load times are besides improved over Xbox One Due south. While SSDs deliver consequent improvements over the stock internal drive, some external hard drives tin can also bring measurable gains with load times.

How to cull an Xbox Ane external hard bulldoze

Xbox One S Hard Drive Source: Windows Central

When choosing a drive, your first consideration should be storage space. The panel has a 16TB limit on external storage size, making about drives compatible. For most, 1TB externals provide a welcome boost, ideal for those on a budget. Making an upgrade to 2TB offers more than flexibility, while 4TB and 8TB bear witness overkill for many.

While countless external drives come across the requirements for Xbox 1 consoles, nosotros have our favorites. Overall performance, value, and reliability are crucial to choosing the right hard drive or solid-country drive. Our guide to the best Xbox One hard drives and SSDs provides a total in-depth breakdown, including more sizes and price ranges.

Entry-level 1TB and 2TB drives are an excellent upgrade for starting time-time buyers. You're getting a sizeable upgrade that dominates the base of operations 500GB difficult drives in many consoles, providing ample room for new releases. They're too ideal when on a tighter upkeep, with prices starting below the cost of a new video game.

We've rounded up a few of the best-value picks right now, which also join the lineup of best hard drives for Xbox Series X and Series Due south, should you cull to upgrade at a later date.

Upkeep bulldoze

Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB Portable External Hard Drive

Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB portable external hard drive

An affordable upgrade to your Xbox One storage

Toshiba'southward 1TB Canvio Nuts drives are unproblematic, compact, and among the cheapest Xbox-uniform drives. Tripling storage of entry-level Xbox 1 consoles, it's the perfect upgrade to pair with internal storage.

More for your money

Seagate Expansion 2TB External Hard Drive

Seagate Expansion 2TB external hard drive

For those with more games than storage

Leap to 2TB with this Seagate drive, delivering a low-toll storage upgrade for a few actress bucks. It's barebones, cutting surplus software, then it'due south platonic for simple plug-and-play with Xbox One.

Upgrading to an SSD isn't for anybody, with the all-time options ofttimes enervating a hefty premium over their slower difficult drive counterparts. The Samsung T7 lineup is currently a leading option for Xbox One, with high speeds and starting prices on the lower end. It'south also the all-time SSD for Xbox Series X and Series Southward over a USB connexion, with reduced load times even more apparent on these new consoles.

Demand for speed

Samsung T7 500GB Portable SSD

Samsung T7 500GB portable SSD

Become faster than light with this SSD companion

While Xbox-compatible SSDs aren't cheap, Samsung'southward T7 500GB external drive packs top-tier speed for less than $100. Information technology doubles the base Xbox One's storage so that you tin can offload your most-played titles for that extra boost. Encased in a shock-resistant metallic end, it fits stealthily beside any console.

How to use an external hard drive on Xbox One

Xbox One format external drive Source: Windows Central

With an Xbox-compatible hard drive in mitt, it's now fourth dimension to connect it to Xbox One. Microsoft has made the process effortless over the years, with concise on-screen instructions throughout the setup procedure.

Connect the drive to a vacant USB port using the included cable. Once automatically detected, follow the on-screen prompts, permitting the drive to be formatted. By using the external difficult drive on Xbox One, all prior data is erased.

Connect your external hard drive to an Xbox I USB port. An on-screen pop-up will brandish.
Select Format storage device.
Enter a name for the drive using the on-screen keyboard.
Select Install new things hither to automatically install future games on this drive.
Select Format storage device. This will delete all information on the device.

At present configured for Xbox One, future games, and apps automatically install to your external drive. Y'all can as well add additional drives to your Xbox One console, using the same setup process.

How to move Xbox One games to an external hard drive

Xbox One Transfer Source: Windows Central

With your external drive installed and formatted, existing game installations can be moved. This allows games to take advantage of operation benefits without redownloading over Xbox Alive. Nosotros recommend transferring all but the lowest-priority games.

Open up the Settings app on Xbox 1.
Navigate to the System tab.
Select Storage.
Scroll over to the correct to select the drive to move content from.
Select Transfer.
Select items you plan to transfer. If moving all items, choose Select all.

Source: Windows Cardinal
Choose Move selected to move the items between the console and drive.
Choose the external drive.
Press Move to initiate the transfer.

After you're done moving your games, the "My Games & Apps" menu will now brandish the total combined gratis storage and percentage of used storage on the left side of the screen.

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Matt Brown

Matt Dark-brown

Matt Chocolate-brown is a senior editor at Future for Windows Central. Following half dozen years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he'due south focused on the earth of Xbox and Windows PCs. You lot tin can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.