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console transferPATCH 2026.10.18

How to Transfer Your PS5 Games, Saves, and Settings to a PS6 (What Sony Has—and Hasn’t—Confirmed)

By VGSources Team 10 min read

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There is no Sony-documented PS5-to-PS6 transfer procedure as of October 18, 2026. Sony’s current support documentation covers transfers from a PS4 or another PS5 to a PS5 only. That means you cannot yet verify that PS5 game installations, saves, settings, external drives, M.2 SSDs, or discs will work on a PS6.

You can still prepare safely. Keep your account accessible, update and synchronize the PS5, preserve local and cloud save options, retain discs and storage devices, and wait for Sony’s PS6 transfer page and each game publisher’s save-support notice before erasing or selling the PS5. The PS5-to-PS5 process documented today provides a useful model, but every PS6 step remains conditional on Sony publishing and supporting it.

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What Sony officially supports right now

Sony Interactive Entertainment currently states: “You can transfer (copy) data from a PlayStation®4 console or another PlayStation®5 console to your PS5™ console.” The documented destination is a PS5, not a PS6.

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For that supported transfer, both consoles use the same PlayStation Network account, current system software, and the same network. A commercially available LAN cable can make the transfer faster; wireless transfer is also supported. During the process, Sony warns you not to switch off either console or change network settings because data could be damaged or lost. Information already present on the destination console is not transferred.

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The supported PS5 destination can receive several categories of data:

  • User and account information.
  • Supported saved data.
  • Compatible games.
  • Screenshots and video clips.
  • Console settings, including language, login and power-saving settings.

Those facts establish what Sony has implemented for PS4-to-PS5 and PS5-to-PS5 migration. They do not establish that a PS6 will use the same process, file format, storage interface, disc drive, or backward-compatibility policy.

What is still unknown about a PS6

No official Sony source reviewed for this guide confirms a PS6 release date, a PS5 transfer wizard, PS5 game compatibility, PS5 save compatibility, settings migration, external-drive support, M.2 support, or disc support. Architecture assumptions, leaks and anonymous claims are not confirmation.

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Item you may want to move PS6 status as of October 18, 2026 What you should do now
Digital PS5 games Not confirmed Keep access to the purchasing account; do not assume existing installs can be copied.
Disc-based PS5 games Not confirmed Keep the discs and note whether your future console would need a disc drive.
PS5 saved data Not confirmed Maintain local saves and, if subscribed, current PlayStation Plus cloud copies.
PS5 settings Not confirmed Record important preferences and account-recovery details manually.
USB extended-storage drive Not confirmed Keep the drive intact; do not reformat it for another device.
M.2 SSD from a PS5 Not confirmed Preserve the SSD and its installation hardware, but do not assume a PS6 will accept it.
Transfer over Ethernet or Wi-Fi Not confirmed Keep a suitable LAN cable available for a possible future migration.

Until Sony publishes instructions, the accurate answer to “Can I transfer my PS5 games to PS6?” is “Sony has not confirmed how, or whether, that will work.”

Prepare your PS5 before a PS6 announcement

Preparation reduces the chance of losing access when a new console arrives, without relying on an unannounced feature.

1. Update the PS5 system software

Install the latest system software offered by the PS5 before attempting any future migration. Sony’s documented console-transfer workflow requires current software on both the source and destination systems. A fully updated source also gives Sony’s eventual PS6 setup process the best chance of recognizing the account and data correctly.

2. Confirm the account you will use

Write down the email address for the PlayStation Network account that owns your digital games and make sure you can complete its sign-in and security checks. The documented transfer requires the same account on both consoles. If a family member’s account owns a game or save, record that separately; signing in with a different account does not make that content yours.

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3. Synchronize trophies

Synchronize trophies while the PS5 is online. Trophies are associated with the account rather than being a substitute for saved-game backups, so this step should be treated as account housekeeping, not as a way to preserve game progress.

4. Protect important saves

If you subscribe to PlayStation Plus, allow important saves to synchronize with cloud storage and verify that the latest session has completed. Keep the local saves on the PS5 as well. PlayStation Plus cloud storage is a documented way to download saves onto a PS5 after signing in, but Sony has not confirmed that the same cloud behavior will apply to a PS6.

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For PS4 games, Sony also documents copying saves to a USB drive. Sony states that PS5 saved data cannot be copied to a USB drive, so a USB stick is not a general PS5-save backup. Do not delete a local PS5 save merely because a cloud copy exists until you have verified the cloud date and the game’s own account requirements.

5. Keep the physical and storage options

Keep PS5 game discs, any USB extended-storage drive, and any compatible M.2 SSD installed in the PS5. These items may be useful if Sony supports them on a future console, but their PS6 compatibility is currently unknown. Do not reformat a drive or remove an SSD simply to prepare for an unconfirmed migration.

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6. Keep a wired connection available

Have a commercially available Ethernet/LAN cable available. Sony identifies a LAN cable as a faster option for its documented PS4/PS5-to-PS5 transfer, while wireless transfer is also supported. A cable does not prove that a PS6 will offer the same wizard; it simply preserves the most reliable option if Sony provides an equivalent process.

7. Record game-specific behavior

Make a short list of games whose progress matters and note whether each one uses a publisher account, a cross-save service, or a special upgrade path. Sony’s PS5 FAQ says that transferring a save between a PS4 version and the PS5 version of the same game is a developer decision and varies by title. The same caution applies to any future PS5-to-PS6 version change: a console-level transfer cannot override a publisher’s save rules.

How the documented PS5 transfer works

The following is Sony’s current model for moving data from a PS4 or one PS5 to another PS5. Treat it as a preparation reference, not as a confirmed PS6 procedure.

  1. Prepare both consoles. Update system software on the source and destination, connect both to the same network, and sign in with the same account. If possible, connect the consoles with a LAN cable for a faster transfer; Wi-Fi is supported.
  2. Start the transfer during the destination setup or from its data-transfer option. Follow the on-screen instructions to identify the source console and select the available categories. Sony’s documented transfer can include users, account information, supported saves, compatible games, screenshots, video clips and settings.
  3. Leave the consoles alone while data moves. Do not turn either console off and do not change network settings. Sony warns that interruption can damage or lose data.
  4. Check the destination. Confirm that users, settings, saves and media appear as expected. Data already on the destination is not transferred, so do not expect the process to merge every item automatically.
  5. Restore anything outside the transfer. Digital games can be downloaded from the destination’s game library after signing in. Disc games can be installed by inserting the disc. Compatible game data on a USB extended-storage drive can be accessed by connecting that drive. An M.2 SSD from the source PS5 can be moved to the destination PS5 only when it meets Sony’s requirements.

If Sony publishes a PS6 migration wizard, compare its instructions with this checklist rather than assuming that every step, file type or storage device carries over unchanged.

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How games are restored when a direct copy is not available

Digital games

Sony’s ecosystem guidance says digital PS4 games are available in the library on either signed-in console. The same account is therefore the essential thing to preserve. For a future PS6, wait for Sony to state whether PS5 purchases appear in the PS6 library and whether any upgrade fee, edition restriction or publisher approval applies.

Disc games

On a documented PS5 destination, inserting a compatible disc starts installation. A PS6 may have a different disc policy or may be offered in versions with different hardware, but Sony has not confirmed any of that. Keep each disc, its region information and any required account access until you know the PS6 model supports it.

USB extended storage

Sony documents connecting a USB extended-storage drive to access compatible game data on a PS5. This is game storage, not a method for copying PS5 saved data. Whether a PS6 can read the drive, require a reformat, or require games to be redownloaded has not been announced.

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M.2 SSD storage

Sony allows an M.2 SSD installed in a source PS5 to be moved to a destination PS5 when the drive meets Sony’s requirements. That is a PS5-to-PS5 rule, not evidence that a PS6 will accept the same module. Leave the SSD untouched and wait for the PS6 hardware requirements before moving it.

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Do you need PlayStation Plus?

No, PlayStation Plus is not required for Sony’s documented direct console-to-console transfer. The transfer uses the same account, current software and the same network; Sony supports either a wired LAN connection or Wi-Fi.

PlayStation Plus is relevant for a different route: cloud storage. Members can download saved data from cloud storage to a PS5 after signing in. Because Sony has not documented PS6 access to those saves, treat the subscription as a convenient additional copy, not a guarantee of PS6 compatibility. Keep local saves until the new console and the individual games have been tested.

Why a game may not restore exactly as expected

PS4 and PS5 editions can use different save rules

Sony explicitly says that save transfer between a PS4 version and the PS5 version of the same game is a developer decision and varies by title. A future PS6 edition could introduce another conversion step, limit one-way transfers, or omit conversion entirely. Look for a publisher’s save-support notice for every important game instead of treating the console transfer as universal.

Compatibility is separate from ownership

Owning a digital license does not establish that the future console can run the software. Sony’s ecosystem page says more than 4,000 PS4 games are playable on PS5, but that figure has no dated publication year on the page and says nothing about PS6 compatibility. A PS6 compatibility list, if Sony publishes one, will be the authoritative test for each title.

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Settings are not the same as game progress

The documented PS5 transfer can include settings such as language, login and power-saving choices. A game’s own settings, graphics preferences, licenses, downloadable content and account-linked progression may follow different rules. Record unusual configurations manually so you can recreate them if a future transfer includes only system-level settings.

What to do when Sony announces the PS6 process

Use Sony’s official transfer page and the game publishers’ support notices as the decision point. Before erasing, trading in or giving away the PS5:

  1. Read the PS6 transfer requirements, including supported source software versions, account rules and whether setup must still be in progress.
  2. Check the stated scope: games, saves, screenshots, video clips, users and settings may not all be included.
  3. Confirm the network method and whether Sony recommends direct Ethernet, a home network or another connection.
  4. Check storage instructions for USB extended-storage drives and M.2 SSDs, including any requirement to reformat or redownload games.
  5. Confirm whether the PS6 model you are buying has a disc drive and whether PS5 discs are supported.
  6. For each important game, read the publisher’s statement about PS5 saves, PS6 versions, cross-save and downloadable content.
  7. Perform the transfer or restore, launch the games, open the saves and verify screenshots and settings before wiping the PS5.

Troubleshooting the documented PS5-style workflow

The consoles do not find each other

  • Confirm both consoles are on the same network and signed in with the same account.
  • Install the latest system software on both systems.
  • Use a LAN cable if wireless discovery or transfer is unreliable.
  • Do not change network settings after the transfer begins.

A transfer stops or appears incomplete

  • Do not power off either console during an active transfer.
  • Wait for the process to finish before checking the destination.
  • Remember that data already on the destination is not copied again.
  • Restore digital games from the library, disc games from their discs, and compatible game data from supported storage as separate steps.

A save is missing

  • Verify that you signed in with the account that created the save.
  • Check the game’s edition and publisher-specific conversion rules.
  • If you use PlayStation Plus, check the cloud-save date before downloading.
  • For PS4 saves, use Sony’s documented USB-copy route; do not expect PS5 saves to copy to USB.

An external drive or SSD is not recognized

Do not format it immediately. Sony’s documented compatibility applies to PS5 hardware and specified requirements. A PS6 may require different formatting, firmware or capacity rules. Preserve the data and wait for the PS6 storage instructions.

Practical answers to the key questions

Question Evidence-based answer
Can I transfer my PS5 games to PS6? Not confirmed. Sony currently documents transfers to PS5, not PS6.
Will my PS5 saves work on PS6? Not confirmed. Keep local saves and current cloud copies where available, and check each publisher’s notice.
How do I move PlayStation settings? Settings such as language, login and power-saving options can be included in the documented PS5 destination transfer. A PS6 settings-transfer process has not been published.
Do I need PlayStation Plus to transfer saves? No for the documented direct console transfer. PlayStation Plus is used for cloud storage, whose PS6 behavior is not yet confirmed.
Can I use my PS5 external hard drive on PS6? There is no official confirmation. Sony documents USB extended-storage use on PS5 only.

Until Sony publishes a PS6 guide, the safest plan is preservation rather than deletion: keep the account, saves, discs and storage devices available, and treat every PS5-to-PS6 compatibility claim as unverified.

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Quick Recap

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