The invention relates to a method for operating a hydraulic press used for the primary shaping, reshaping, punching or processing of materials or workpieces such as plastic molding compounds, deep-drawing sheets, forged pieces or the like, said hydraulic press comprising a hydraulic drive unit for lifting and lowering a press ram. The invention also relates to a device, in particular for carrying out said method. In the disclosed method, the piston chamber of the cylinder (3) of the drive unit is or can be connected to a hydraulic accumulator (25) formed by at least two groups (25a, 25b, 25c, ...) of storage bottles, the connection being established by means of hydraulic pipes (22) via a proportional valve (23) and an on-off valve (24) in such a way that an expandable volume stored in the groups (25a, 25b, 25c, ...) of storage bottles in the form of compressed gas directly, or indirectly via a piston accumulator, supplies the energy required for the press to perform a working stroke, the energy being supplied in the form of a volume flow and pressure. Also according to the disclosed method, different filling pressures are or can be established in the groups (25a, 25b, 25c, ...) of storage bottles. A hydraulic accumulator (25) which, according to the invention, can preferably be adjusted to three operating modes and consists of at least two groups (25a, 25b, 25c, ...) of storage bottles makes it possible for a press controller to, preferably automatically, analyze the utilization once production has started and then accordingly block individual groups (25a, 25b, 25c, ...) or compartments of storage bottles (operating mode 1), transfer the gas between the storage bottles during a charging process at the end of the cycle (operating mode 2), or adjust the individual groups of storage bottles to different pressure levels adapted to the working stroke characteristics (operating mode 3). Advantageously, none of the three scenarios entail any waiting time or transfer time.