Yes, you can add external storage to increase the capacity of an Xbox One. The Xbox One has a built-in hard drive for installing games, apps, and storing saved games and other files. However, as your game library grows, you may need more storage space. The Xbox One allows you to use external USB 3.0 hard drives to expand the available storage space.
Quick Answers
Here are quick answers to common questions about adding external storage to Xbox One:
- What types of hard drives can be used? – External USB 3.0 HDDs and SSDs from 256GB up to 16TB capacity.
- How is the external drive formatted? – The Xbox One will prompt you to format the drive when connected.
- What can be stored on the external drive? – Games, apps, saved games and other files can be stored.
- Can you play games directly from the external drive? – Yes, games can be played directly from the external drive.
- Can you use multiple external drives? – Yes, you can use up to two external drives at once.
Benefits of External Storage
Adding external storage offers several benefits:
- More capacity – External drives allow for terabytes of extra storage space for games.
- Store more games – You can install more games than would fit on the internal drive.
- Faster installs – Games install faster thanks to the USB 3.0 interface bandwidth.
- Quick transfers – Games and content can be moved between external and internal storage quickly.
- Easy portability – Bring your external drive to a friend’s house and play your games there.
Choosing an External Drive
There are some guidelines to follow when choosing an external drive for Xbox One:
- The drive must connect via USB 3.0 – Older USB 2.0 drives are too slow for Xbox One.
- 256GB to 16TB capacity – Larger drives store more but come at increased costs.
- Powered hard drive – Must have dedicated power from wall socket, not just USB.
- Solid state drives (SSD) will load games faster than hard disk drives (HDD).
- Any brand of drive will work fine, from Western Digital, Seagate, etc.
- Avoid portable USB powered drives – These may not work consistently with Xbox One.
Compatible External Drive Types
These external drive types are compatible with Xbox One:
- External USB 3.0 hard drives
- External USB 3.0 solid state drives (SSD)
- RAID 0, 1, and 5 arrays that meet the above requirements
Drives must have a dedicated power connector and minimum 256GB capacity. Portable USB powered drives are not recommended due to inconsistent performance results.
How to Add an External Drive
Adding external storage follows these general steps:
- Connect your formatted external USB 3.0 drive to a USB port on Xbox One.
- A notification will prompt you to format the drive for Xbox One use. Accept this prompt.
- The drive will format and then be available for use by Xbox One.
That’s it! Your external drive will now show up as available storage space on your Xbox One. You can begin installing games, apps, and storing files on the expanded storage.
Game Install Locations
With external storage added, you can choose where to install your games and apps:
- By default, new games and apps install to internal drive
- You can change the default install location to the external drive
- Alternatively, you choose the install location when you begin a new download
If your external drive becomes full, you can easily move games between the internal and external drive as needed.
Playing Games from External or Internal Drive
Games play identically whether they are installed on the internal drive or an external drive. The gameplay performance is unaffected by the location. You can play the same games from either location seamlessly.
Using Multiple External Drives
The Xbox One will support up to two external drives at once. You can daisy chain multiple drives off a single USB port with a USB hub. Having two drives allows for tons of extra game storage.
With two drives attached, games and apps can be freely moved between all three storage locations – the internal drive and two external drives.
External Drive Speed Considerations
While any external USB 3.0 drive can be used, the speed of the drive will impact performance. Some guidelines:
- SSDs load much faster than HDDs, both for games and system updates.
- HDDs with 7200 RPM speed platters can improve performance over slower 5400 RPM drives.
- Larger capacity external drives typically have faster data transfer speeds.
- USB powered portable drives connected through just one USB cable can sometimes cause lag or stuttering issues. Use powered external drives with a dedicated power connection.
If you play games with long load times off an external drive, an SSD or fast HDD will provide the best performance.
Game Data Versus Game Files
When you install a game, there are two major components written to the drive:
- Game data – This contains critical data like game configs, saves, updates, DLC.
- Game files – These are the primary visual and audio assets that make up the bulk of a game’s size.
When you move a game between drives, only the large game files get transferred. The smaller game data remains untouched and in place.
This allows you to copy or delete large games much faster by moving just the huge block of game files around.
External Drive Failure Warnings
If your external drive starts showing signs of failure or impending failure, the Xbox One will warn you with a message saying the drive needs to be replaced. This gives you a chance to take action before you perhaps lose access to all games and content stored on the failing external drive.
Some warning signs of external drive failure:
- Unusual noises coming from the drive (clicking, beeping, grinding)
- Much longer load times for games on the drive
- Game graphics or content glitches/errors
- External drive not being recognized by Xbox One
If you receive a warning message about drive failure, start making plans to replace the drive. Continue using the drive minimally until you can copy your games and files to a new replacement drive.
Formatting a New External Drive
When you connect a new external drive to your Xbox One for the first time, you will be prompted to format the drive for use with games and apps. The formatting process is quick and easy:
- Connect your new external drive to a USB port and power it on.
- A message will appear asking if you want to format the drive. Accept this prompt.
- The Xbox One will complete the format process, which only takes a few moments.
That’s all it takes! Your drive will now show its available storage capacity in your Xbox One settings. You can start installing games, apps, and storing files right away.
Choosing Format Type
When formatting a new drive, you have a choice of two formats:
- Xbox Game Drive – This format is optimized for Xbox One game storage. It allows games to be easily copied between drives.
- Media Drive – This format is for storage of media like music, videos, pictures. It does not allow game installation.
In most cases, you will want to choose the Xbox Game Drive format. This allows storing and running games off the drive.
Checking External Drive Status
You can check the status and manage your external storage drives from the Settings app on Xbox One:
- Go to Settings > System > Storage
- Here you will see status on both internal and external storage capacity
- You can also transfer or delete items from this screen
If an external drive does not appear here or under Manage Storage, there may be a connection issue with the drive.
Deleting Items from External Storage
To delete games, apps, or media files from the external drive:
- Go to Settings > System > Storage.
- Select the external drive.
- Select the items you want to delete and choose Uninstall or Delete.
This will delete selected items from the external drive to free up space.
Troubleshooting External Drive Detection Issues
If your Xbox One is not detecting an external drive, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Reboot the console by powering it down and unplugging for 30 seconds.
- Try connecting the drive to a different USB port.
- Check that the drive is formatted as NTFS and not another file system.
- Make sure the drive does not have any USB hub or extender cables.
- Try testing the drive on a PC to see if it is functional.
- Check for loose connections and damaged ports or cables.
If the drive functions fine on PC but not Xbox One, you may need to reformat the drive before the console can detect it.
Conclusion
Adding external storage is an easy way to increase the capacity of your Xbox One. Any USB 3.0 external HDD or SSD from 256GB up to 16TB is compatible. The Xbox One makes it simple to add a drive and begin storing games and apps on the new storage space. With an external drive added, you can install more games than ever and gain the ability to bring your games and content to other consoles with ease.