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How to Recover Deleted Saves on PS5

Check a PlayStation Plus cloud save first. A prior USB system backup may also help, but restoring it erases current PS5 data.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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First, check PlayStation Plus cloud storage for a copy of the save. If there is no usable cloud copy, a PS5 USB system backup made before the deletion may help—but restoring it erases all data currently saved on the console. Sony’s published instructions do not document a way to undelete a save when neither copy exists.

1. Check PlayStation Plus cloud storage

Close the game if it is running, and make sure the PS5 is signed in to the PlayStation account that uses the save. On the console, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings, then choose Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4). Select Download or Delete from Cloud Storage, open the download option, choose the game’s save, and download it to console storage. Sony also provides a shortcut: highlight the game on the Home screen, press the Options button, and choose Upload/Download Saved Data. Cloud storage requires PlayStation Plus. Sony’s saved-data and storage instructions describe these paths.

Check the sync status and version before downloading. PS5 saves sync between the console and cloud to the most recent data; a cloud copy may therefore not be an older version that predates deletion. Sony says PS4 saves upload automatically, but must be manually downloaded to console storage. The support instructions do not promise a way to roll back an overwritten cloud save.

2. Check for a PS5 USB system backup

If cloud storage has no usable copy, look for a USB system backup created before the save was lost. Sony’s PS5 backup flow includes saved data, as well as games and apps, captures, and settings. A USB restore is only useful if that earlier backup contains the save.

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Warning: restoring a backup erases all data currently saved on the PS5. Sony states, “When you restore your PS5 console from a backup, your console will erase all data saved on your console.” It also warns that erased data cannot be restored. Protect current saves and other important data before proceeding; do not turn off the console or disconnect the drive during a backup or restore. Sony’s backup and restore instructions include the requirements and process.

  1. Connect the USB drive containing the backup to the PS5.
  2. Open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Restore Your PS5.
  3. Follow the on-screen prompts to select and restore the backup. The console’s system software must be the same version as, or newer than, the version installed when the backup was made.

Sony says the backup is linked to the PlayStation account used to create it; use that same account when restoring the data.

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3. Don’t confuse storage or Safe Mode options with save recovery

  • USB extended storage: stores game data, not PS5 game saved data. It is different from a USB drive used for a PS5 system backup.
  • M.2 SSD: Sony does not list it as a storage location for PS5 saved data. Sony’s storage options table distinguishes saved data from game storage.
  • PS4 saves: Sony lists USB storage as an option for PS4 saved data, unlike PS5 game saves. Confirm which version of a game’s save you need.
  • Safe Mode: Repair Console Storage may help with storage problems and does not erase data, but it is not an undelete tool. Rebuild Database scans the drive and rebuilds a database of system content; Sony does not say it restores erased saves. Avoid Reset PS5 and Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) if you are trying to preserve data, because they delete user data. See Sony’s Safe Mode guide before choosing a troubleshooting option.
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4. If there is no cloud copy or prior backup

Sony’s published guidance describes downloading a cloud save or restoring a USB system backup; both depend on a copy that already exists. It does not describe a supported method for recovering a permanently deleted save from the console without one. Reinstalling the game or connecting a new drive is not a documented way to recreate the save. If the PS5 has a storage fault or will not start, use PlayStation’s official hardware support and repair guidance, but repair is not a guarantee that a deleted save can be recovered.

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How to protect saves going forward

  • Enable automatic cloud sync for PS5 games and periodically check sync status. Keep the console connected to the internet; rest-mode networking settings may be needed for syncing while it is in rest mode. See Sony’s saved-data instructions.
  • For an offline copy, use Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5 and a supported FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB storage device. Not every USB device is compatible. A drive formatted as USB extended storage cannot be used for a system backup; see Sony’s backup requirements.

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