Sony PlayStation 5 CE-35694-5 Error Code Fix Guide

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What This Error Means

CE-35694-5 on a PS5 means the system failed to start or install the game/app cleanly — the console hit a problem with the data, the license, or the storage it’s sitting on.

Plain English: your PS5 tried to verify or load that game/app, didn’t like what it saw, and bailed out instead of running it.

Official Fix

Sony’s playbook for stubborn CE errors is basically: power cycle, update, fix licenses, clean up data, then nuke it from orbit if needed.
  • 1. Hard reboot the PS5
    • Hold the power button until it fully shuts down (no orange light, no Rest Mode).
    • Unplug the power cable for 60 seconds.
    • Plug back in, boot up, and try the same game/app again.
  • 2. Make sure PSN isn’t the problem
    • On your phone/PC, check the official PlayStation Network status page.
    • If PSN or game services are down, that’s it. Wait it out and try again later.
  • 3. Update the system software
    • On the PS5: Settings → System → System Software → System Software Update and Settings → Update System Software.
    • Install any update, reboot, and retry the game/app.
  • 4. Restore licenses (for digital games)
    • Go to Settings → Users and Accounts → Other → Restore Licenses → Restore.
    • Wait for it to finish, then test the problem title again.
  • 5. Reinstall the affected game/app
    • Delete it: highlight the game → Options button → Delete.
    • Reinstall from disc or from your library on PSN.
    • Do not hammer the console while it’s installing; let it finish cleanly.
  • 6. Get it off a sketchy external drive
    • If the game is installed on an external USB drive, move it:
    • Settings → Storage → USB Extended Storage → move or reinstall the title to Console Storage.
    • Run it from internal storage only and see if CE-35694-5 disappears.
  • 7. Rebuild the database (Safe Mode)
    • Turn the PS5 off completely.
    • Hold the power button until you hear a second beep (about 7 seconds) → this boots Safe Mode.
    • Plug in the controller via USB and press the PS button.
    • Pick Option 5: Rebuild Database.
    • Let it finish, reboot, then test the game again.
  • 8. Last-resort official move: Initialize PS5
    • Back up your saves to PS Plus cloud or USB.
    • Go to Settings → System → System Software → Reset Options → Reset Your Console (Initialize PS5).
    • This wipes apps and settings. You’ll reinstall your games fresh.
    • If CE-35694-5 survives a factory reset, Sony expects you to contact support for a hardware inspection or warranty repair.

The Technician’s Trick

When the official dance doesn’t kill CE-35694-5, here’s how a working tech corners it.

  • 1. Strip the console down to bare minimum
    • Unplug every USB device: external drives, hubs, headsets, capture cards, VR, everything.
    • Leave only power and HDMI plugged in.
    • Boot the PS5 and try a game that lives on Console Storage only.
    • If the error vanishes, your external drive or some USB junk was the culprit.
  • 2. Beat up the external drive (the right way)
    • If CE-35694-5 only hits games on one USB drive, assume that drive is dirty.
    • On the PS5: Settings → Storage → USB Extended Storage → Safely Remove from PS5, then unplug it.
    • Test the drive on a PC: if it’s slow, clicking, or throws errors, replace it.
    • Otherwise, do a full format, then reuse it as a fresh PS5 extended storage drive.
  • 3. Offline Safe Mode cleanup
    • Disconnect LAN cable / disable Wi‑Fi (pull the plug on the router if you have to).
    • Boot into Safe Mode again.
    • Run Clear Cache and Rebuild Database (if your menu offers both; if not, at least Rebuild Database).
    • Start a disc-based game offline.
    • If discs run fine offline but digital stuff chokes when back online, that screams license/account/PSN issue, not hardware.
  • 4. Account sanity check on another console
    • Log your PSN account into another PS5 you trust (friend/family).
    • Download the same problem game and launch it there.
    • If it runs clean on their console, your account and licenses are okay — your hardware or local data is the problem.
  • 5. Heat and power reality check
    • If the box is jammed in a cabinet or running hot, weird CE errors are common.
    • Pull it out into open air, clean the vents with compressed air, and give it space.
    • Try a different wall outlet or a better surge protector; dirty power can cause random crashes.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Under warranty, or the error only hits one game and goes away after reinstall / storage cleanup.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Out of warranty, CE-35694-5 appears now and then across a few titles but the console still mostly works after a database rebuild.
  • ❌ Replace: Repeated CE-35694-5 on multiple games, even after a full initialize and with no USB drives attached — likely storage or board-level fault, repair cost can start to chase a replacement PS5.

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