The PS4 NW-31449-1 error message comes up when gamers are trying to download large games or patches/updates. The PS4 comes up with a message saying the file/game cannot be downloaded, or something similar. What ways are there to fix this error code?

This error can have a couple of different causes, but it mostly relates to having either insufficient space or a corrupted file system on your PS4’s hard drive. Deleting some large games or apps and rebuilding your PS4’s database in Safe Mode are the two main ways to fix these problems respectively.

PlayStation themselves released some advice to simply power cycle your network devices and try again. This basically means fully unplugging your router and PS4 for 10-15 minutes and then plugging them back in and trying again. On occasion, even just quick restarting the PS4 and resuming any downloads can also fix the error – see this video for an example.

On many occasions though, these solutions don’t work and you need to either free up some space on your PS4 or repair the database. Let’s run through each of these solutions in turn.

Solution #1 – Delete Some Games to Free Up Some Space on Your Hard Drive

Unfortunately, even if you have what you think is plenty of space still on your PS4’s hard drive, this still often isn’t enough, as the PS4 is notorious for requiring huge amounts of free space on the hard drive to properly install games, far more than the actual size of the game being installed.

As a rule of thumb, aim to have at least double the amount of free space on your PS4 than the size of the game to be installed. For example, if you are about to install a 20 GB game, aim to have at least 40 GB still free on your PS4 hard drive to make sure the download/install is successful.

Here are the steps to follow:

• Go to Settings…..System Storage Management
• The Free Space displays on the bottom. Aim to have at least double the amount required for the game you want to install free.
• Applications is where games tend to be stored. Click on it.
• Move down to a game you want to get rid of and press the Options button (small button just to the left of the four main PS button, square, x etc)
• Select Delete.
• Boxes will appear on the left hand side for you to select all the games you want to get rid of. Select all the ones you want to delete and then select Delete in the bottom right corner. Press OK.
• The game deletes and the free space on your PS4 hard drive should go up as a result.
• Capture Gallery can also amount to quite a bit of space if you record gameplay. Delete any videos you don’t need from there as well.
• If you have any external hard drives connected to your PS4, also make sure they are 1) properly connected; and 2) have enough space free on them as per above.
• See the video just below for a visual demo of how to do this.

 

This is an unfortunate weakness in the PS4 system’s hard drive and it shouldn’t be this way, but there isn’t really a way around it for now. Maybe the upcoming PS5 will have a better hard drive, but the PS4 has a hard drive it is very difficult to fully use in terms of the supposed available space. Sometimes you may have to delete games you’d rather not.

Solution #2 – Rebuild the Database on Your PS4

Another possible cause of this PS4 NW-31449-1 error code is that the file database on your console has become corrupted and is preventing the new game or patch from downloading. Thankfully, you can rebuild and repair it from the Safe Mode on your PS4, and this sometimes fixes the problem.

Here are the general steps to do this:

• Power your console off then power it back on in Safe Mode. To do this, press and hold the power button on the PS4 for 7 seconds. It will then boot in Safe Mode.
• To use your controller in Safe Mode you need to plug it in with the USB cable. The Bluetooth doesn’t work in Safe Mode.
• Once in Safe Mode, you need to move down to Option 5 – Rebuild Database.
• Move through the steps to rebuild the database. It does not delete any files except corrupted ones.
• The process may take up to an hour depending on how much you have stored on your hard drive.
• Once finished, try re-downloading the games/patches.
• See the video below for a demonstration of how to use PS4 Safe Mode.

 

If you have tried both of these major solutions, plus the quick reset and power cycle options, and still can’t resolve this error message, then you may have to contact PlayStation Support (notoriously unhelpful) or send your PS4 in for repair or replacement.

As a very last resort, you could try Options 6 and 7 in Safe Mode – the Reinitialize and Full Reinstall options, but these will delete all existing games and data and restore your PS4 back to “out the box” brand new settings. Only do this if you are prepared to lose everything you have on your PS4 and start all over again.