This post will discuss how to fix ‘Unrecognized Disc’ errors on PS4 consoles, as well as explain the reason why your PS4 is unable to recognize the disc in the first place.
PS4 Unrecognized Disc
You may experience disc failure on your PS4 for several reasons, and the problem may lie somewhere in your console if you are experiencing an issue with more than one disc. There are several reasons why you may be getting the ‘Unrecognized Disc’ error message, preventing you from enjoying your gaming experience:
Causes of PS4 Unrecognized Disc error
Damaged or dirty disc
There’s a good chance that if you’ve had a disc on your shelf for a long time, it has experienced some wear and tear. In the case of deeply scratched or marked discs, or if it appears to have broken edges, the PS4 will not recognize it and display the error’ Unrecognized Disc’.
It is unnecessary to worry about the insignificant scratches, which are inevitable, but the deep or large prominent marks or scratches indicate the disc is damaged.
There is also the possibility of your PS4 experiencing ‘Unrecognized Disc’ errors due to dirty discs. The error may occur if you insert the disc into the drive after it has been out for a while and hasn’t been cleaned.
It is also important to realize that your PS4 may not recognize the disc because it was never designed to do so. That means that if you are using a burned disc or retail CD, PS4 will not recognize it and display the error message as a result.
Updating of system
The ‘Unrecognized Disc’ issue could also be caused by a software glitch that your system is currently experiencing following a recent update. When you have updated your software and have been experiencing this problem, it may result from some unresolved bug in that update.
Update the game
The same goes for the system update and the game update. It is possible that the error ‘Unrecognized Disc’ is being caused by an update in the game, which has somehow caused a glitch that renders the disc unrecognizable by the console.
Aged systems
In addition to the latest system update causing the error, it could also be caused by outdated system software running on the console. Your PS4 might not be able to recognize the disc if you have not updated your OS for too long.
The ‘Unrecognized Disc’ error is not the only one caused by outdated system software. You may also encounter multiple ‘random’ errors, including ‘Cannot Start the PS4’. Make sure your Dual shock four is connected. It would help if you also kept your PS4 updated.
The console has a minor bug
Have you left it running for an extended period? If that is the case, a temporary (and minor) console bug might have occurred. This minor bug is responsible for the PS4 being unable to recognize a disc inserted into the disc drive.
If this is the cause of the error’ Unrecognized Disc,’ the solution is as simple as restarting your PS4.
Disk Drive is dirty
Disk drives sometimes cannot recognize a disc, not because the disc is dirty, but because the industry is tainted. Although it is uncommon, it is possible that you left your disc drive open for too long, causing dust and grime to accumulate on it.
A damaged or malfunctioning disc drive
Has your PS4 recently been in an accident? Has it undergone wear and tear over time? There could be some damage to your disc drive that prevents it from recognizing the disc for whatever reason.
It is also possible that the disc drive may have hardware issues, which are not that common, but which can cause the disc drive to malfunction and therefore cause the error.
PS4 Unrecognized Disc Error- How to fix it?
The PS4 Unrecognized Disc Error can be frustrating for players, but it is often a simple problem to fix. One of the most common causes of this error is a dirty or scratched disc, which can prevent the PS4’s laser from reading the data on the disc. You can clean the disc with a soft, lint-free cloth or a disc-cleaning solution to fix this common issue. Another cause of the error is a damaged disc drive, which can be fixed by checking the disc drive for any signs of damage and potentially having it repaired or replaced. If the error is caused by overheating, you can try cooling down your PS4 to prevent the issue from reoccurring. Finally, suppose a software issue causes the error. In that case, you can try updating the software on your PS4 to the latest version to resolve the problem.
Unrecognized discs on PS4 can be fixed with several solutions. Take a look at each method individually.
Disc Cleaning
When the disc’s surface is dirty, the PS4 may not be able to read it. Therefore, you can use a clean cloth to remove dust and prints from the disc surface.
Read more: A Detailed Guide About Semi-Metallic Vs. Ceramic Pads
Use another disc
You can consider whether the disc is damaged if you cannot get the disc to work using the above method.
The PlayStation 4 does not recognize burned discs or retail/burned audio CDs. Test another game, Blu-ray disc, or DVD on the PS4 to determine whether it can read them. Otherwise, there should be a problem with that disc. The disc needs to be replaced.
If, however, the PS4 is still unable to recognize the disc, you will need to use Safe Mode to resolve the issue.
Use of Safe Mode
If your PS4 is not reading discs, you can use Safe Mode to rebuild the database. This is a step-by-step guide:
- Turn off the PS4 by pressing the Power button. You’ll see the indicator of the device blink briefly. The device has been successfully turned off when the hand goes out.
- Press the Power button, and you will hear a beep. Don’t let go of the control. You can listen to the second beep after holding it for about 7 seconds. After that, you can let go of the button.
- Connect the DualShock4 controller to the computer via USB cable and press the PS button on the controller.
- Click Rebuild Database under option 5. Once you have scanned the disc, you can create a new database for all the content. In other words, all the data on it will be reorganized.
- You can, however, use option 7: Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software) if Rebuild Database doesn’t work.
Conclusion
It might be extremely aggravating if you see an unrecognized disc problem on your PlayStation 4. Identifying whether the issue is software- or mechanical-related is the first step. If you discover the issue with the software, reboot in safe mode and perform a system update. Rebuilding the database after entering safe mode has been known to fix problems in the past. The PS4 software should then be fully initialized, which is known to resolve disc issues.
