How To Replace PS4 CMOS Battery? Step By Step Guide

The PS4 clock battery can run out and cause severe problems. There’re two ways to fix it: you can either take your console to service or learn how to replace PS4 CMOS battery.

In essence, this is a small, round battery that helps the PS4 store month, day, and time data. It also allows the PS4 to keep correct time data every time it powers up. Moreover, it feeds the CMOS chip, which stores firmware settings.  

When the battery begins failing, the PS4 presents various errors. Damages may include the Blue Screen of Death, game crashes, and wrong time data. 

Changing it is a difficult process. It requires some knowledge, proper tools, and about 30 minutes of your time. Moreover, it’s different for the PS4, PS4 Pro, and PS4 Slim, but we’re sharing instructions for either version.

When to Replace PS4 CMOS Battery?

Before you decide to replace PS4 CMOS battery, it’s important to identify its symptoms. These are the signs of a PS4 CMOS battery failure: 

These errors occur because the CMOS chip stops working without CMOS battery power.

How to Replace PS4 CMOS Battery?

CMOS is an acronym for “complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor.” It’s a CR2032-type battery on the PS4’s motherboard. You would identify it as it looks like a silver coin.

Opening up the PS4 to replace the battery can void your warranty. This shouldn’t be an issue if you’re using a years-old device, though.

But if you found symptoms of a faulty CMOS battery, follow our guide to replace the PS4 CMOS battery.

Before you start, here’re the tools you need to disassemble and assemble a PlayStation 4:

Take the Hard-drive Out

First and foremost, we need to take the PS4’s storage drive out. It will save up trouble down the road.

• Turn off the PlayStation
• Unplug all of its cables
• Locate the hard-drive area

• Use your screwdriver to unscrew the hard-drive bay There’s only one screw you need to unscrew, regardless of the console. The position is different on each, though.
  However, you don’t need to take it all out. Instead, lessen its grip just enough to pull the hard-drive cage out.
• Slide the hard-drive cage out

For now, leave the hard drive on its cage in a safe place. Also, don’t put the cover back.

Open the PlayStation 4

The next and most critical step is opening up the PS4. We need to open it because we need to take its motherboard out.

The process is different on each console, but it relies on finding the screws near the warranty stickers.

PS4 Fat

PS4 Slim

The process is different on the PS4 Slim:

• Lift the top cover gently with your hands. There’re no screws, and it’s easy to pull. It’s easier if you lift it with the PS logo and the Sony logo facing you.
• Moreover, some PS4 Slim models may have an extra screw on the back, holding the bottom cover in place. You’d need to unscrew that as well to lift the bottom cover

PS4 Pro

• The top case is similar to the PS4 Slim’s cover. You can remove it, but you need to apply a mix of pressure and force to pull it off.
• Then, flip the console upside-down, and use a T8 screwdriver to remove the three black screws on the back panel. Afterward, remove the lower lid.  

Remove the Power Supply / Power Break

Before going any further, it’s important to remove the power supply. Otherwise, you may damage the console.

The process is different on each model, though:

PS4 Fat

PS4 Slim

PS4 Pro

The process is similar to the PS4 Slim.

Unplug Specific Cables From the Motherboard

The follow-up step is unplugging certain cables from the motherboard. The wires you need to unplug are different on each PlayStation version.

PS4 Fat

PS4 Slim

• First, on the upper side, remove the 31.0mm screw with your T8 screwdriver.
• Next, locate the two wires at the bottom of the motherboard. Remove them with your fingers or tweezers. 

PS4 Pro

You don’t need to remove any extra cables before removing the motherboard on the PS4 Pro.

Remove the Motherboard’s Metal Plate

We’re reaching the end of the tutorial. It means the current step is removing the plate protecting the motherboard and then removing the motherboard itself.

PS4 Fat

PS4 Slim

PS4 Pro

Remove the CMOS Battery

The last steps are removing the motherboard, changing the CMOS battery, and assembling the PS4 back.

The steps are the same for either console:

• Remove the motherboard with your hands You may need to use a spudger or a plastic pry to remove the logic board on the PS4 Fat.
• Find the CMOS battery Search both sides of the motherboard for the coin-sized battery.
• Remove the CMOS battery
  Gently remove the battery with your pry or your spudger. You can also use a flat head screwdriver to push the pin holding the battery in place. 
• Wait for two minutes
  Before putting in the new battery, wait for a couple of minutes. It allows the CMOS chip to drain its power.
• Plug the new battery
• Assemble back the PS4

Follow the steps in reverse to assemble the PS4 back.

What Is the CMOS Chip?

The CMOS Chip is an SRAM chip that stores key parameters for the PS4. It holds time and region data, configuration settings, and firmware settings.

In particular, these firmware settings include boot priority, fan speeds, CPU settings, and storage controller.

In summary, the CMOS battery keeps the SRAM chip working. Without these two, the PS4 starts presenting a wide array of problems, some of which can be severe.

For example, you would have to configure the PS4’s settings every time you turn it on without the CMOS battery.

That said, taking off the CMOS battery will drain power from the SRAM chip, forcing a reset to default. That means it will lose all of its bugged and volatile parameters.

Lastly, the CMOS battery can last for about 10 years, but it can fail at any time.