The current generation of consoles made a big change in how games are stored. The Xbox Series X and Series S feature SSD storage, which is more lightweight and allows for faster loading times than older consoles with traditional spinning drives. However, SSDs are still more expensive than HDD storage. To keep costs down, Microsoft decided to limit the amount of onboard storage you get with your console.
The Series X launched with 1TB of storage, while the Series S had just 512GB. Revamps of the consoles have introduced a 2TB Series X (but it’s $600) and 1TB Series S. This is certainly an improvement, but Xbox games are huge now—Starfield is 140GB and Halo: The Master Chief Collection is 135GB. Depending on what kind of games you play, your Xbox’s storage drive will likely fill up quickly. If you buy a lot of AAA titles, that SSD could be maxed out by just a handful of games.
Thankfully, Microsoft has provided an easy way to upgrade your storage. Thanks to a simple expansion slot on the console, extra memory is now as easy as plug-and-play, though you’ll still need a compatible expansion card for the best results.
How to Expand Storage With the Expansion Card
Your Xbox Series X/S includes a storage expansion slot on the back of the console. With the right card, you can add extra storage, and games saved to the drive will load just as fast as those on the internal drive. All you need to do is plug the card into the Storage Expansion slot on the back of the console, then select that you plan to use the card with this console (otherwise, it won’t automatically update your games and apps). If you ever wish to change this behavior, go to My games & apps > Manage > Storage devices. Once any updates are installed, you’ll officially have more storage.
(Credit: Carli Velocci)
However, your purchase options are limited. Initially, Microsoft officially licensed only one expandable storage option, the Seagate Storage Expansion Card. This card is listed on the Xbox website in increments of 1TB for $149.99, 2TB for $259.99, and 4TB for $499.99. The 512GB option for $89.99 seems to have been eliminated in favor of the 4TB variety. Yes, this is expensive, but they’re on sale right now on Amazon for 7%, 23%, and 24% off, respectively. That’s $379.99 for 4TB of storage.
Though alternatives are few, Western Digital did introduce its own line of cards in 2023. The WD_Black c50 lineup has gone up in price, so a 512GB card is now $104.99, 1TB is $159.99, and 2TB is $229.99, but you can get one on Amazon for a modest discount. There are more affordable external HDD and SSD options, but they come with some major caveats that may not be ideal for your needs.
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How to Set Up External Storage
If you don’t want to spring for the Expansion Card, you can turn to external storage options. The Xbox Series X/S have three USB 3.1 ports, which is plenty of space for accessories, including an external drive with a minimum of 128GB of storage. There are plenty of great external options on the market that can get you more storage for less than Xbox’s official Expansion Card. For example, the WD Black P10 Game Drive is $79.99 for 1TB, all the way up to $180 for 6TB. Amazon even has it reduced at $80 for 2TB and just $160 for 6TB! However, this route has some caveats.
By choosing an external SSD, speeds will be a lot slower than what you would get on internal storage or an expansion card. And there are some limitations to which games you can play from the drive. Any games optimized for the Xbox Series X and Series S can’t be played on an external drive; you would need to move them over to internal or expansion card storage to play them. However, backward-compatible Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Xbox games will work.
(Credit: Will Greenwald)
Setup is still simple for this route (though more complicated than just plugging in the Expansion Card). Note that if you plan to reuse an old drive, make sure to back up any important data, since this setup process will wipe anything on it. Turn your console on and plug the drive into one of the USB ports. You’ll get a pop-up that asks how you wish to use the storage device. If you want to use it for games storage, select Use for Games.
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(Credit: PCMag / Microsoft)
You can then name the storage device, and you’ll be asked if you plan to use the drive with multiple consoles. If you want to install games on your new storage device by default, choose Keep Current Location. Select Format Storage Device, and you should now have more space for games on your Xbox.
(Credit: Carli Velocci / Microsoft)
You can check to make sure your new drive was installed properly by going over to Settings > System > Storage devices. The new drive should be listed on the page alongside the internal storage. You can also change the default installation location from this menu.
(Credit: Carli Velocci / Microsoft)
To move games to and from your new storage, click the Xbox button and select My Games & Apps. Head over to the game you want to move, select the View button and choose Move or copy. Select the game so the box gets checked, and hit Move selected on the right. Your game will then be transferred over.
(Credit: Carli Velocci / Microsoft)
About Our Experts
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Carli Velocci is a writer and editor who’s obsessed with video games, technology, and culture. She was the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Future, but before that, they contributed to a number of publications, including The Verge, Polygon, Vice, Paste Magazine, and more. Their Twitter handle might remind you of a dinosaur. You can view more of her work at carlivelocci.com.
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Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Help & How To
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As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.
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My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.
My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.
Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.
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