Is your Xbox Series S storage more blocked than a clown car? Tired of your Xbox Series S throwing tantrums like a spoiled brat every time you try to download another gigabyte of “I swear I'll play this one day”? Are you just one bad game away from throwing your Xbox from the 49th floor of a skyscraper?
Introducing the “Stop Yelling at Your Storage” guide! A revolutionary way to free up space. In this article, I'm going to channel my inner Marie Kondo and walk you through some peaceful, loving ways to whip your Xbox back into shape. And no, I'm not talking about a juice cleanse.
Time to do some digital spring cleaning
Before you rush out to buy an external hard drive, you should take some time to clean up your Xbox Series S's internal storage first. Like any gadget these days, it's easy for your Xbox S to fill up really quickly, thanks to installed games, save files and major system updates. But with some nifty organizational habits, you can actually dig up some extra breathing room:
- Remove unplayed titles: Let's be realistic – do you really cycle through your entire game library on a regular basis? Take inventory and uninstall any titles you haven't launched in months. You don't have to worry about losing progress either, as your save data is stored safely in the cloud and ready to be downloaded if you ever have the urge to play again.
- Clear old media content: You might be surprised how game recordings and screenshots can consume a considerable amount of storage space. Open your Capture & Share settings to review and delete any unimportant clips or images. If you really need space, you can even adjust the settings so that your Xbox automatically saves less media content going forward.
- Clear the cache: We're not saying you'll get a dramatic amount of reclaimed space, but clearing your console's cache can free up some hidden temporary data that gradually accumulates over the course of your use.
So, before you shell out more money for expanded storage, a little digital organization can unlock some quick and easy capacity.
Consider using an external drive
So the easiest way to increase your space is to use an external hard drive. Here's what you need to know:
- You need a device that is at least 128 GB in size and supports USB 3.0 or later. Traditional hard drives are cheaper, and it's a bit tempting, but keep in mind that they have slower data transfer rates. SSDs cost more in comparison, but you can rest easy knowing you've bought yourself much faster load times for games.
- Installation is relatively simple. Simply plug your chosen device into any open USB port on the Xbox Series S. You will be prompted to format the device for use with the console. One thing to note, you can only store and play backwards compatible Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles from the external drive. Next generation Series S/X games will need to be transferred internally to play due to higher bandwidth requirements. That said, you can still store them on the external drive as cold storage until you want to play them.
Use the Seagate Storage Expansion Card
Based on what we just went through, there is actually a solid, officially backed choice if you want to go the SSD route. Seagate's Storage Expansion Card is literally the gold standard for memory choices for the Xbox S. Designed specifically for the console, this card plugs directly into the dedicated slot on the back of your console and delivers the same ultra-fast performance as the internal SSD.
- Why it's worth it: Unlike regular USB drives that require you to constantly move games back and forth, the expansion card allows you to play directly from the storage medium. This seamless user experience takes full advantage of the Xbox Velocity Architecture's fast resume and fast loading capabilities.
- Options and Pricing: Seagate currently offers 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB expanded storage options. Now these come at a premium price, but the convenience and retained gaming performance make them worth considering if your internal SSD space is running low and you want to avoid game lag.
- Plug-and-Play: Installing the card is as easy as inserting it into the expansion slot on the back of your Series S. No formatting required, no fuss – just instant extra storage.
Manage your game installations wisely
Sometimes it's not just about having more storage, but managing what you already have. Here are some quick tricks to make the most of your existing space:
- Selective installations: Many games these days let you choose which components to install. For example, you can choose to install only the single player campaign for a game and leave out the multiplayer if you don't use it. Dig into your game's options to see if selective installation is available. This can end up saving a lot of hard drive space.
- Prioritize high-performance storage: If there's one or two games you play all the time and want to load quickly, keep them stored on your console's internal SSD or high-performance Seagate expansion card. This ensures you have better access and load times. And for games you don't play too often, your external USB hard drive will work just fine.
- Download to the cloud: Take full advantage of Xbox's cloud save feature. While this doesn't directly save storage space on your devices, it does ensure that your game progress is safely backed up online. That way, you can safely uninstall a game to free up disk space if needed, but with the comfort of knowing you can easily reinstall later without losing your saves or progress.
Use Xbox Remote Play and xCloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate)
- Save space with Cloud Gaming: If you have a stable internet connection, this is a game changer. You can try new releases right away without waiting for hefty downloads or limiting your existing library. Playing on the go also becomes convenient, rather than relying on what you've already downloaded to your phone or tablet.
- Remote play for more flexibility: If your console is full, consider using Xbox Remote Play to stream your games from your console to another device. I know it's not a permanent storage solution (or even something a regular gamer would prefer), but it's just another way to keep playing without constantly juggling all these setups.
Stay up to date with Xbox OS updates
Microsoft cares about your gaming experience, so they send out regular system updates for your Xbox to optimize performance and storage. It is important to let these updates install automatically when you are not playing. This keeps your console running without you having to think about it. Just make sure to set your console to download updates automatically when you're not using it. And by the way, your console can also alert you when you're running low on storage space, helping you stay ahead of the game.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I disconnect my external device while a game is running?
You definitely don't want to do that because when you unplug the device while running a game, the game will stop immediately and you'll lose any unsaved progress you've made. Always make sure all your apps and games are properly packed before ejecting your device, or even turning off your console for that matter.
Can I expand the storage with several external devices at the same time?
Sure, the Xbox S lets you plug in multiple external USB devices, but, only one can be specified as the external game storage location, i.e. where you can store your games. Any other connected USB devices can then be used to store media such as music, videos and screenshots, but not games themselves.
How can I check which games are taking up the most space on my Xbox Series S?
To see which games are taking up the most space, go to Settings > System > Storage Devices and select your internal or external drive. From there, select “Manage Storage” and then “Games & Apps.” This will show all installed apps and games, with the biggest space hogs at the top. Scan this list to decide which games you want to unlock from your console…forever.
