Is It Bad to Turn Off a PS5 Without Closing a Game First?

While rarely an issue, best practice is to close any open games before shutting down your PS5 properly. However, the convenience of rest mode or abruptly cutting power likely won‘t damage your console.

Below we’ll dive into pros and cons of leaving games open when powering down, how to safely shut down your PS5, rest mode vs full shutdown, and data corruption risks to avoid.

Quick Takeaways

• Force shutting down during a system update risks bricking your console
• Rest mode is safer than full shutdown with games still open
• Close resource intensive games before putting into rest mode
• Use console’s shutdown options; don’t just unplug the power cable

Rest Mode vs Full Shutdown

The PS5 has two main shutdown states – rest mode and full power off.

As you can see, rest mode is all about convenience and quick access back into your gameplay or apps. Full shutdown offers complete power savings for long-term.

Let’s explore…

Is Rest Mode Safe With Games Still Open?

Thanks to advanced suspend features, putting your PS5 into rest mode with an app or game still running poses little risk of issues. I routinely enter rest mode without closing games first.

Your gameplay progress and last status will be cached, allowing you to instantly boot up where you left off. Sony has optimized rest operations to safely cache and maintain suspended processes.

However, rest mode isn’t completely foolproof – a few caveats:

• External storage – Safely eject any extended HDDs or SSDs before entering rest mode. The drives can become corrupted otherwise.

• Open-world games – If you were playing a huge open-world title like Elden Ring with lots background processes, consider fully closing this before resting your console overnight. This lightens workload.

Follow these best practices when using rest mode with games still open:

• Close PlayStation Store before entering rest mode
• End background uploads/downloads first
• Use rest mode in a well-ventilated, moderate temperature area

Sony [] recommends at least 12 inches clearance on all sides and avoiding enclosed TV cabinets. This prevents overheating.

So while I typically have zero issues jumping into rest mode without ending my game first, exercising some caution is wise.

In summary – rest mode is designed to safely maintain suspended gameplay progress. But be smart if dealing with less optimized titles, downloads in progress or enclosed, hot environments.

Can You Safely Power Down PS5 With Games Still Open?

Fully powering off your PS5 when games or apps are still running can also avoid hiccups, provided precautions are taken:

• Finish any Store downloads/installs before shutting down PS5
• Make sure no system updates are underway
• Avoid force shutdowns – use controller or console Power options

Corrupted data from a hard shutdown rarely bricks consoles but can damage game save files or installed content [].

If dealing with serious crashing or overheating issues immediately after turning on your PS5, a prior improper shutdown during an update might be the cause. You‘ll likely need to reinstall the system software.

Otherwise, general glitches or lost progress in the apps themselves point to risky shutdown without properly closing them first.

Setting Your Games Aside First – Best Practice

Even though Sony engineered systems like Rest Mode to prevent issues arising from background processes getting cut off, properly closing software beforehand does avoid edge cases.

Think of it as gracefully exiting programs on a PC before rebooting. You clear out memory, safely preserve data and ensure clean startup next time around.

Plus, powering down with passive downloads or installs still running avoids headaches of paused progress.

Here is a quick procedure I follow before a complete shutdown:

1. Press PlayStation button to enter quick menu
2. Hover over active game/app and press Options button
3. Select Close Application
4. From quick menu choose Power icon -> Turn Off PS5

This safely exits and commits progress before properly shutting down the system.

It only takes seconds to close software beforehand as good practice. Leaving games suspended in rest mode does allow convenient direct resuming.

The Safest PS5 Shutdown Options

To avoid potential data corruption or damage from risky force shutdowns, always use the PlayStation controller or console power buttons:

Via DualSense Controller

1. Press the PlayStation logo button
2. Navigate to Power icon
3. Select Turn Off PS5

Using Front Console Button

1. Tap the power button once (system beeps)
2. Tap again on second beep and hold for 1 second
3. Continue holding until second beep

This safely initiates the full shutdown sequence so all game data and console processes power down cleanly. Never just yank power cables or flip switches with PS5 still turned on!

Abnormal shutdowns outside the main options can have bad effects:

• Damaged game data requiring re-installs
• File system errors needing system software restore
• Lost gameplay progress

Stick to the official routes like controller or console buttons mapped specifically to gracefully power down the advanced PS5 architecture.

Concluding Recommendations

While rare, fully powering PlayStation 5 without closing games can have inconvenient outcomes stemming from data corruption or unfinished updates getting cut off prematurely.

Make it habit of:

• Checking for active downloads before shutting down
• Closing games and apps before selecting Rest Mode overnight
• Using Turn Off PS5 options – avoid force shutdowns

Properly exiting games before OS or hardware level power off ensures clean closes before startup next time around. Safer long-term and less downtime fixing issues.

But modern comforts like Rest Mode do entice conveniently jumping right back into matches, quests or builds exactly where you left off!

Do you obsess over carefully closing software first or casually power down sans prep? Share your PS5 practices below!

References

1. PS5 Help Guide Safe Use & Cleaning [https://www.playstation.com]
2. PS5 Storage Corruption Reported Post-Crash [https://gamerant.com]