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If both consoles work, use the PS5’s built-in Data Transfer over the same network. It is the broadest option and can copy users, compatible saves, settings, screenshots, clips and installed games. If the old console is unavailable, PlayStation Plus cloud storage can restore saves that were uploaded beforehand. A USB drive can move PS4 saves, but Sony’s documented workflow does not export PS5 saves from a PS5 to USB.
Choose the right transfer method first
The best route depends on which consoles you still have, whether your progress was uploaded, and whether you are moving saved progress or installed game files. Use this decision table before changing anything on the old system.
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| Situation | Best method | What it handles |
|---|---|---|
| Both the old console and a PS5 are working | PS5 Data Transfer over the same network | Users, compatible saved data, settings, screenshots, video clips and compatible installed games |
| The old console is unavailable, but saves were uploaded | PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Saved data that was uploaded from the source console |
| You have PS4 saves but no cloud copy | FAT32 or exFAT USB drive | PS4 saved data imported to a PS5 or another PS4 |
| You need installed game files from an external drive | Reconnect the compatible USB extended-storage drive | PS4 games can run from the drive; PS5 games must be copied to the PS5 internal SSD before playing |
| You are replacing or selling the old console | Transfer or back up, verify the new console, then initialize the old one | Protects access to saves, trophies, accounts and games before the irreversible reset |
Digital games do not have to be copied if you have a reliable internet connection: sign in on the new console and redownload them from Game Library. Disc games can be installed by inserting each disc. Copying an existing game installation can save download time, but it does not replace transferring or restoring saved data.
Prepare both consoles before transferring
Preparation prevents the most common failures: missing trophies, an outdated system that cannot see the other console, or a reset that destroys the only copy of a save.
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- Sign in to the same PlayStation account on the source and destination consoles. On a PS4-to-PS4 transfer, users who have never signed in cannot have their saved data moved through the supported process.
- Update both consoles to the latest available system software.
- Manually synchronize trophies while the old console is still available. Do this even if you believe synchronization is automatic.
- Connect both systems to the same network. Wi-Fi works; a LAN cable can improve transfer speed when the consoles would otherwise use Wi-Fi.
- Keep both consoles powered on and connected throughout the transfer. Do not change network settings or run an internet connection test while data is moving.
- Make a separate backup when the data is important, especially before selling, shipping or initializing the source console.
- Check that you have enough space on the destination. Large game installations can continue copying after the console first reports that a title is playable.
A transfer copies data; it is not a license bypass. Digital games remain tied to the account that owns them, and disc games still require their discs. Data already on the destination PS5 is not transferred from the source and may remain alongside the incoming data.
Transfer from a PS4 or PS5 to a PS5 over the network
Sony supports copying data from a PS4 or another PS5 to a PS5. This is the broadest method when both consoles operate normally.
- On the source console, sign in with the account you will use on the destination PS5.
- Install the latest system software on both consoles.
- Open the trophy area on the source and synchronize trophies manually.
- Place both consoles on the same network. Use Wi-Fi if necessary; connect them with LAN when you want a potentially faster wired transfer instead.
- During the PS5’s first-time setup, follow the on-screen data-transfer instructions. If setup is already complete, on the destination PS5 open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue.
- Choose the source console and the categories of data to copy, then start the transfer.
- Leave both systems alone until the process finishes. Do not power either console off, alter network settings or run an internet connection test.
- Allow for post-transfer copying. The PS5 can show a game as playable while additional game data is still being transferred.
The destination PS5 restarts automatically as part of the process. A game that appears in the library immediately may still need time before every add-on or installation file is present, so check the download or copy queue before disconnecting the old console.
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From a source PS5, the supported transfer can include user and account information, PS5-playable saved data, screenshots, video clips, PS5-playable games and console settings. Transferable content can be moved during initial setup or after setup through the Data Transfer menu.
What moves from a PS4
During initial PS5 setup, users who have signed in, compatible saved data and PS5-playable games can transfer from a PS4. If the destination PS5 has already completed setup, the supported post-setup process transfers the saves for the user who is logged in rather than every possible PS4 user. Make sure each person who needs a save is handled under the correct account before disposing of the PS4.
What does not need to be copied
Digital purchases can be downloaded again from the destination PS5’s Game Library after you sign in. Insert a disc to install a disc-based game. If your games are already on a compatible USB extended-storage drive, connect that drive to the new PS5 to access its installations, subject to the PS4 and PS5 storage rules below.
Safety warnings during direct transfer
Interrupting the transfer can damage or lose data. Keep the source and destination connected to power, avoid changing cables or network settings, and do not treat the first playable screen as proof that every file has finished copying. Verify saves, trophies and game access on the new PS5 before resetting the old system.
Use PlayStation Plus cloud storage when the old console is unavailable
Cloud storage is a fallback for saved data, not a way to recreate an unuploaded save. The source console must have uploaded the save before it was lost, broken or wiped. On the destination, sign in with the same account and download the cloud copy.
Sony’s current storage overview lists 100 GB of cloud storage for PlayStation Plus members. Plan features can change, so check the storage allowance shown on your account before relying on it for a large migration.
Downloaded and streamed games use different save locations
For a downloaded PlayStation Plus game, saves remain on the console until you upload them. For a streamed game, Sony stores the saves for the streamed version. A save is not automatically transferred between a streamed and a downloaded version of the same game. To change game type, upload the source save to PlayStation Plus cloud storage and download that copy on the destination.
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Upload PS4 saves from a PS5
- Sign in to the account that owns the save.
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Choose Saved Data (PS4).
- Select Upload or Delete from Console Storage > Upload to Cloud Storage.
- Select the games and saves to upload, then wait for the upload to finish before shutting down or resetting the source.
For other supported save types, open the corresponding cloud-storage controls under Saved Data and Game/App Settings and choose the upload option. The exact categories shown depend on whether the save is from PS4 or PS5.
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- Sign in on the new PS5 with the same PlayStation account used for the upload.
- Open the Saved Data and Game/App Settings area and select the relevant PS4 or PS5 cloud-storage category.
- Choose the option to download saved data to console storage.
- Select the game and the cloud copy, then wait for the download to complete.
- Start the game and confirm that the expected progress appears before deleting any local or cloud copy.
Cloud restoration cannot recover a save that was never uploaded. If the old console is dead and there is no cloud copy, the remaining supported route for PS4 saves is a USB backup made before the failure; PS5 saves have no equivalent USB-export workflow in Sony’s documented process.
Move PS4 saves with a USB drive
A USB drive can carry PS4 saved data to a PS5 or another PS4 when cloud storage is unavailable. Format the drive as FAT32 or exFAT, and keep the save folders intact so the destination console can recognize them.
Copy PS4 saves to USB, then import them on PS5
- On the PS4 that still contains the saves, connect a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive.
- Open the PS4 saved-data management controls and choose the option to copy saved data to a USB storage device.
- Select the user and games to copy, then wait for the operation to complete before removing the drive.
- Safely disconnect the drive and connect it to the destination PS5.
- On the PS5, open the Saved Data and Game/App Settings area, select Saved Data (PS4), choose USB drive, and copy the selected saves to console storage.
- Launch each game and check the expected progress. If a game has both PS4 and PS5 versions, confirm which version the save belongs to before starting.
This USB route applies to PS4 saves. Sony’s documented workflow does not let you export PS5 saved data from a PS5 to a USB drive for later import. For PS5 saves, use direct console transfer or PlayStation Plus cloud storage.
Make a full PS4 backup when you need more than saves
The PS4’s full-backup feature can include games and applications, saved data, screenshots, video clips and settings. Use a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive with capacity at least twice the size of the backup file. A full backup is different from copying individual saves: restoring it erases data on the destination PS4, cannot be undone, and an interrupted backup can cause data loss or corruption.
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There is an account-specific limitation. If a user has never signed in to PlayStation Network, a backup containing that user’s data can be restored only to the original PS4. To restore that backup to another PS4, sign in before creating the backup.
Use the full-backup option when you are moving between PS4 systems and want settings, captures and applications as well as saves. For a PS4-to-PS5 move, the PS5 Data Transfer process or individual PS4-save import is generally the more appropriate route.
Move installed games with USB extended storage
Installed game files and saved progress are separate. A USB extended-storage drive can move or expose game installations, while cloud storage and save-transfer tools handle progress.
Sony’s current storage guide lists compatible SuperSpeed USB drives from 250 GB to 8 TB for compatible PS4 and PS5 games. A drive must meet the console’s compatibility requirements; capacity alone does not make every USB device suitable.
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- PS5 games: the drive can store the installation, but the game must be copied to the PS5’s internal SSD before it can be played.
- Saved data: game installations do not guarantee that saves moved with them. Transfer or restore saves separately.
To use an existing drive on the new PS5, connect it and wait for the console to index the installed games. Do not format the drive if you need its current contents; formatting erases the stored games. If a PS5 title is shown as stored externally, use the console’s copy-to-internal-storage command before launching it.
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Transfer between two PS4 consoles
Sony supports wired or wireless transfer between two PS4 systems. Both PS4 consoles need the latest system software. The process can move existing users and settings, games, saved data, screenshots and video clips.
- The source console is not affected by the transfer.
- Data already on the destination PS4 is deleted by the transfer, so copy anything on that console that you intend to keep first.
- Passwords are not transferred; enter them again on the destination.
- Saved data for users who never signed in to PlayStation cannot be moved through this process.
- Unsynchronized trophy information does not transfer. Synchronize trophies before starting.
Use a direct console transfer when both PS4 systems are available and you want more than individual saves. Use the USB-save method when you need selected PS4 saves without replacing the destination’s existing contents.
Sync trophies and verify the account on the new console
Trophies are associated with the PlayStation account, but unsynchronized trophy records on the old console can be lost when that console is wiped. Manually synchronize them before transfer or backup. After signing in on the new console, open the trophy list and confirm that recent achievements are present.
Also verify the account itself before disposing of the source:
- The correct user profile appears on the new console.
- Digital games are visible in Game Library and can be downloaded.
- At least one transferred or downloaded game opens with the expected save.
- Captures and settings you chose to move are present.
- Any USB extended-storage drive is recognized without requesting an unwanted format.
Safely prepare the old console for sale or disposal
Do not initialize the old console immediately after starting a transfer. Follow this order so the only copy of a save is not erased.
- Record the console’s serial number for your records.
- Remove discs and disconnect USB devices.
- Back up or transfer saved data, games and settings as appropriate.
- Synchronize trophies manually.
- Check the new console by opening games, loading saves and confirming digital-library access.
- Remove any M.2 SSD that you intend to keep.
- Only after verification, use the console’s reset or initialize function.
Resetting or initializing deletes saved information and cannot be undone. Removing a disc or USB device does not erase its contents, but it prevents those items from being left with the console. Keep the old console powered off rather than resetting it if verification is incomplete.
Troubleshoot the common migration problems
The PS5 cannot find the old console
- Confirm both systems are updated and signed in with the intended account.
- Put both consoles on the same local network; a guest network can prevent discovery.
- Restart both consoles and begin Data Transfer again from Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue.
- Use a LAN connection when Wi-Fi discovery or speed is unreliable.
A game appears but the save is missing
Check whether you transferred the correct user and the correct game edition. A PS4 save is not automatically the same as a PS5-version save, and streamed and downloaded versions can use different save locations. Restore the appropriate cloud copy or import the PS4 save from USB, then start the game again.
The transfer seems finished, but a game is still incomplete
Open the PS5’s copy or download queue. Some game data continues transferring after the title first becomes playable. Leave the consoles connected until the queue is clear and all required add-ons have installed.
The USB drive asks to be formatted
Cancel the format prompt if the drive contains games or backups you need. Formatting erases its contents. Reconnect the drive to the source console or a computer that can read its file system, confirm that the data is intact, and use a compatible SuperSpeed drive for extended storage. A USB drive containing PS4 saves and a drive configured as game extended storage serve different purposes; do not assume one can be reformatted without consequences.
The old PS4 is broken and there is no cloud save
A USB save copy made before the failure can be imported to the new PS5. If no USB backup and no PlayStation Plus cloud copy exists, the supported transfer methods have no source from which to retrieve the save. Digital games themselves can still be redownloaded after signing in, but redownloading a game does not recreate local progress.
What to remember before you unplug the old PlayStation
Use direct PS5 Data Transfer when both consoles work, because it handles the widest range of users, saves, settings and compatible game files. Use cloud storage for saves that were uploaded before the old console became unavailable. Use USB for PS4 saves, not as a documented export method for PS5 saves. Treat installed games and saved progress as separate data, and remember that PS5 games stored on USB must return to the internal SSD to run. Synchronize trophies, test the new console and only then initialize the old one.
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