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How to Upgrade and Get More Internal Storage Space on an Xbox Console

The Xbox console comes with either a 500GB or 1TB internal hard drive depending on the model. However, as game install sizes continue to increase, reaching over 100GB in some cases, even 1TB can fill up quickly. Thankfully, there are several methods to upgrade and expand the internal storage space on your Xbox.

Check Your Current Storage Usage

The first step is to check how much storage space you currently have free on your Xbox. To do this:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Storage
  2. View the chart that shows your total storage space, space used, and space remaining

This will give you an idea of how much additional storage you need.

Delete Unused Games and Apps

Before upgrading, try deleting old games, apps, and other content you no longer use. This can free up a surprising amount of space.

To manage and delete content:

  1. Go to My Games & Apps
  2. Select unused games and apps and choose Uninstall
  3. Go to the Queue tab to view uninstall progress

Pro Tip: You can re-download anything you delete later if you change your mind.

Use an External USB Hard Drive

One easy option is to use an external USB hard drive for additional storage space. Nearly any USB 3.0 compatible hard drive over 256GB will work.

Benefits:

  • Inexpensive storage upgrades
  • Easy plug and play setup
  • Store Xbox One, 360, and original Xbox games
  • Play media like music, video, and pictures

Limitations:

  • Cannot play Xbox Series X|S optimized games
  • Slower load times than internal SSD

To set up an external drive:

  1. Plug the drive into a USB port on your Xbox
  2. Follow the on-screen prompts to format and name the drive
  3. Select if you want to install future games on this drive by default

Install an Internal SSD

For the fastest performance, you can install an internal Solid State Drive (SSD). This is more difficult but will provide storage speeds nearly as fast as the internal Xbox drive.

Benefits:

  • Faster load times than external drives
  • Play Xbox Series X|S optimized games
  • 1TB-4TB capacities available

Considerations:

  • More difficult installation
  • Console disassembly required
  • Higher cost per GB than hard drives

To install an internal SSD:

  1. Backup saved games and profiles to external drive or cloud
  2. Disassemble Xbox to access internal drive bay
  3. Replace existing hard drive with a compatible SSD
  4. Reinstall Xbox OS and restore backups

Expert Tip: Cloning the original drive instead of clean installing saves having to re-download and reinstall all your games.

Use Storage Expansion Card

The Xbox branded Storage Expansion Card directly increases the internal SSD capacity, offering a seamless storage upgrade.

Benefits:

  • Highest performance
  • Super easy plug and play install
  • Matches internal SSD speeds
  • 512GB-2TB capacities

Limitations:

  • Very expensive per GB
  • Proprietary design limits supply

To install expansion card:

  1. Turn off Xbox console
  2. Insert card into rear expansion slot
  3. Power Xbox back on
  4. Card will automatically sync and increase usable space

Tips to Save Storage Space

Along with adding more storage, you can also optimize space usage to fit more games.

  • Uninstall game campaign modes you have completed if replay value is low. Multiplayer components can be kept.
  • Remove unused languages to save up to 30GB for large games.
  • Delete old save files you no longer need. These can take up significant space over time.
  • Store media like music, video, and pictures on a large external media drive instead of internal SSD.
  • Archive unused games to external drive instead of deleting to easily reinstall later.

Getting the most out of your Xbox storage is easy once you understand the different upgrade methods and tools to optimize space. With a few upgrades and tweaks, you can massively expand your storage capacity.

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