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Transferring an RPG save from PS4 to the PS5 version is a two-stage job. First, copy the PS4 save onto the PS5 using Data Transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or a USB flash drive. Then open the RPG’s own PS5 edition and use its import, carry-over, or data-conversion feature—if the developer provided one. A save that appears on the PS5 does not automatically become compatible with the native PS5 SKU.
The PS5 can run the PS4 edition through backward compatibility, so your original save should work there once it is on console storage. The separate PS5 edition is treated as a different game unless its developer built a conversion path. Confirm that your progress loads in the PS5 edition before deleting the PS4 install, wiping the old console, or selling it.
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Choose based on whether the PS4 is available, whether you have PlayStation Plus, and whether you need to move games as well as saves. All three official methods move the PS4 save; only console-to-console Data Transfer can also copy PS5-playable game installs.
| Method | What moves | What you need | When it is most useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 Data Transfer | PS4 saves and PS5-playable game installs; during initial setup it can also move user information and settings | Both consoles powered on and connected to the same network; a LAN cable can make wireless transfers faster | You still have the PS4 and want the broadest copy |
| PlayStation Plus cloud | Saved data only | An active PlayStation Plus membership and a save uploaded from the PS4 | The PS4 is packed away or unavailable but had already uploaded the save |
| USB flash drive | PS4 saved data only | A regular compatible flash drive, normally formatted exFAT; no Plus subscription | You want an offline, no-subscription save copy |
Cloud and USB copies are saves-only operations. A USB extended-storage drive that contains installed games is a separate game-installation shortcut, not a substitute for copying the save.
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What do you need before starting?
Prepare the account, consoles, and save before choosing a method. These checks prevent the most common failed transfers.
- Use the same PlayStation Network account. Sign in to the source PS4 and destination PS5 with the account that owns the save. After the PS5’s initial setup, Sony limits PS4-to-PS5 saved-data transfer to the user who is logged in.
- Update both consoles. Install the latest system software on the PS4 and PS5 before starting.
- Synchronize trophies. On PS4, open the trophy screen, press Options, and choose Sync with PlayStation Network. This keeps the account’s trophy record current; it is separate from copying save files.
- Connect both consoles to the same network. Wi-Fi works. Sony says a commercially available LAN cable, sold separately, can make a transfer faster when the consoles normally use wireless networking. If both consoles are already wired to the router, a direct console-to-console cable is not required.
- Keep both consoles on. Do not power down either system, change network settings, or run an internet connection test during Data Transfer. Sony warns that interruption can damage or lose data.
- Check child-account restrictions. A child account cannot be used for the destination’s initial setup transfer. Complete that account’s initial setup first, or use an adult account for the initial setup and transfer both accounts during that process.
Data Transfer copies data; it does not erase the PS4. Login passcodes can transfer, but the same passcode must be entered on the destination when prompted. Content already present on the PS5 is skipped.
How do I transfer the save with PS5 Data Transfer?
Data Transfer is the most complete option when the PS4 is still available. During first-time PS5 setup, follow the on-screen transfer stage. If the PS5 has already been configured, use the post-setup path below.
Start the transfer after PS5 setup
- Turn on the source PS4 and leave it signed in to the account containing the RPG save.
- On the PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue.
- Let the PS5 search for the PS4. When prompted, press the PS4 power button for about one second, until it beeps. The discovery window is roughly five minutes, according to Eurogamer and How-To Geek’s explanations of Sony’s process.
- Select the RPG’s saved data. You can also select PS5-playable games and apps if you want their installations copied.
- Start the transfer and leave both systems powered on. The destination PS5 restarts during the process. After that restart, you can use the console while remaining game data continues copying; monitor Control Center > Downloads/Uploads.
- When the RPG’s thumbnail appears as ready, launch it to verify the save. Other selected data may still be transferring.
What moves from a PS4?
During initial PS5 setup, Sony’s transfer table includes user and account information for users who have signed in on the PS4, saved data for games playable on PS5, PS5-playable games, and console settings such as language, login, and power-saving choices. After setup, a PS4 can send only the logged-in user’s saved data plus PS5-playable games; user/account information and console settings no longer move in that operation.
Only saves for games playable on PS5 are eligible in this route. Data stored on a USB extended-storage drive is not pulled into the transfer; copy or reconnect that storage separately. One source PS4 can transfer to one destination PS5, and the original save remains on the PS4.
How do I use PlayStation Plus cloud storage?
Cloud storage moves saves, not installed games. It is the practical route when the PS4 is already packed away, provided the latest save was uploaded before the console became unavailable.
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Upload the PS4 save
- On the PS4, open Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage.
- Select the RPG and choose its save files. For a batch operation, How-To Geek documents the Options > Select Multiple Applications command.
- Wait for the upload to finish. Automatic upload may already have created a copy, but check Online Storage and confirm its date and time are the latest version you intend to use.
Download it on PS5
- On the PS5, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage > Download to Console Storage.
- Select the RPG save and download it to console storage.
- Install or launch the PS4 edition of the RPG and verify that it sees the downloaded progress.
Having a file in cloud storage does not apply it automatically. It must be downloaded to PS5 console storage before the PS4 edition can use it. The cloud path requires an active PlayStation Plus membership; Sony’s published support does not establish a universal storage quota or save-slot number, so do not rely on unofficial quota figures.
How do I copy a PS4 save with a USB flash drive?
A regular USB flash drive is Sony’s official no-subscription save route. Use a normal removable drive, not a drive configured as PS4 or PS5 extended storage. The PS4 may require the flash drive to be formatted exFAT.
Copy from PS4
- Insert the flash drive into the PS4.
- Open Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device.
- Select the RPG and its save files, then confirm the copy.
- Safely eject the drive through Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices > Stop Using This USB Storage Device.
The PS4 will not copy saves onto a drive being used as extended storage for game installations. Use a regular flash drive instead.
Copy to PS5
- Insert the flash drive into the PS5.
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > USB Drive > Copy to Console Storage.
- Select the RPG save and confirm. If a same-game save already exists on the PS5, the USB copy can replace it.
- Launch the PS4 edition and check the save.
If the RPG is not installed yet, the PS5 may list the file under Non-Installed Game or App. You can still copy it to console storage, then install the game later. USB copying works for PS4 saved data only; native PS5 saves cannot be exported to a USB drive.
Can an extended-storage drive move the save?
No. Extended storage can move or expose installed PS4 games, but it does not replace the save-copy step. A USB extended-storage hard drive containing PS4 game installs can generally be unplugged from the PS4 and connected to the PS5, where those installations appear in the library. Pair that with Data Transfer, cloud storage, or the regular-flash-drive method for saved data.
An M.2 SSD can also be moved between PS5 consoles for compatible game data, but that is unrelated to converting a PS4 save into a native PS5 save.
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How do I import the save into the native PS5 RPG?
After Layer 1 puts the save on the PS5, Layer 2 depends entirely on the RPG’s developer. Sony has no universal system command that converts every PS4 save into a PS5-version save; the two versions are normally treated as different games.
- Install the native PS5 edition. Use the PlayStation Store page, insert the game disc, or open the game hub’s upgrade prompt, depending on the title and licence.
- Sign in to the same PSN account. The account used for the PS4 save must be the account running the PS5 edition.
- Look for the game’s own transfer control. Common labels include Import, Carry Over, DATA CONVERT, or a one-time prompt at the title screen. Patch versions can move or rename this command, so consult the RPG’s current support page for its exact wording.
- Complete the upload/download or conversion. Some games send the PS4 save to a game server from the PS4 edition and retrieve it from the PS5 edition; others read the PS4 save directly from console storage.
- Verify the result inside the PS5 edition. Load a save and check the playtime, location, party members, inventory, and quest flags you recognize.
- Only then remove the PS4 edition. Keep the source save until the PS5 version has loaded the expected progress.
If the PS5 edition has no import command and its support documentation does not promise compatibility, the save may work only when you run the PS4 edition through backward compatibility.
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Compatibility is title-specific, not a guarantee for every RPG from a particular publisher. Push Square’s catalogue, last updated 25 November 2024, lists these examples:
| RPG | PS4-to-PS5 save transfer listed | Free PS5 upgrade listed | What the listing establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | Yes | Yes | Both transfer and free upgrade are marked yes |
| Nioh 2 | Yes | Yes | Both transfer and free upgrade are marked yes |
| Yakuza: Like a Dragon | No | Yes | Upgrade exists, but the table marks no save transfer |
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition / Anniversary Edition | No | Yes | Upgrade exists, but the table marks no save transfer |
| Atelier Ryza 2, Elden Ring, GreedFall, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Lost Judgment, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Not marked in that table | Yes | The source confirms an upgrade listing but does not establish a save-transfer yes or no |
Do not infer compatibility from the existence of a PS5 upgrade. Publisher support can also differ between games: Square Enix support pages include a title that allows one carry-over and another that says the saves are incompatible, but the retrieved pages do not identify those titles in their article text.
Example: SCARLET NEXUS
Bandai Namco’s official instructions require version 1.01 or later. On the PS4 edition, choose DATA CONVERT at the title screen to upload the save; on the PS5 edition, choose DATA CONVERT to download it. The download overwrites an existing PS5 save, and progress made on PS5 cannot be carried back to PS4.
One-time conversions need special care
One Square Enix support article states that a save can be carried over once. If you continue playing the PS4 edition afterward, that new PS4 progress remains on PS4 and does not automatically update the PS5 save. A later conversion may require deleting the PS5 save first, so read the specific game’s instructions before continuing on both versions.
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How long does a PS4-to-PS5 transfer take?
Saves alone are usually a minutes-long job, while installed games determine the duration of a full Data Transfer. A 2026 estimate from Networkustad puts a 500GB library transferred over Ethernet at a few hours, with Wi-Fi potentially taking much longer. That is an estimate rather than a Sony guarantee; the actual time depends on the amount of data, network quality, and console storage speed.
Because Data Transfer can continue copying game data after the PS5 restarts, the RPG may become playable before the entire queue is complete. A saves-only cloud or USB operation avoids waiting for a full game library.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should I do if the transfer fails?
The PS4 is not detected
Confirm that both consoles are on the same network, signed in correctly, and fully updated. During post-setup Data Transfer, press the PS4 power button for about one second when the PS5 requests it; waiting beyond the discovery window can require restarting the search. A LAN connection can improve reliability and speed.
The consoles use different PSN accounts
A clean transfer requires the same account on both systems. Sign in to the account that created the save before repeating the operation. After initial setup, Data Transfer will not bring over another PS4 user’s save while you are logged in as someone else.
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Do not turn off either console or alter network settings while a transfer is running. If the process was interrupted, restart both systems, check the destination save, and repeat the copy from the intact PS4 source. Keep the source console and its save untouched until the PS5 version is verified.
The PS4 save is missing on PS5
For cloud storage, make sure the file was downloaded from Cloud Storage to PS5 console storage; an online copy is not automatically usable. For USB, verify that the drive is a regular flash drive rather than extended storage, and look under Non-Installed Game or App if the RPG is not installed.
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The PS4 version loads, but the PS5 version does not
This usually means Layer 1 succeeded but Layer 2 has not been completed or is unsupported. Check the RPG’s title-screen menus, patch notes, and publisher support instructions for an import or conversion process. If no developer-provided path exists, continue using the PS4 edition on PS5 through backward compatibility.
The PS4 is broken or no longer available
Only a previously uploaded cloud save can be retrieved without the source console. If the PS4 never uploaded the save and its storage cannot be read, Data Transfer and USB copying cannot recreate that file; the PS5 cannot manufacture a missing local save.
What should you verify before deleting the PS4 data?
- Launch the native PS5 edition, not merely the PS4 edition running on PS5.
- Open the imported save and check recognizable progress, playtime, inventory, location, and quest state.
- Confirm whether the game’s conversion overwrote an existing PS5 save.
- Make a current cloud copy of the resulting PS5 save when the title supports it. Native PS5 saves cannot be exported to USB.
- Keep the PS4 console, disc, or digital licence available until the PS5 version has been confirmed working.
How we selected the instructions and examples
The procedure follows Sony’s documented PS4-to-PS5 transfer, cloud, and USB paths, then separates those system-level operations from developer-specific PS5 import tools. Examples are limited to titles and support statements that identify a transfer result or a documented conversion flow; a PS5 upgrade alone is not treated as proof of save compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my trophies transfer with the save file?
Trophies are associated with your PlayStation Network account rather than copied as ordinary save files. Synchronize the PS4 trophy information before transferring, then sign in to the same account on PS5 so the account record is current.
Can I keep playing the PS4 edition after converting a save?
You can, but some games treat the conversion as one-time. In those titles, progress made afterward on PS4 stays in the PS4 save and will not update the PS5 save unless the game provides another conversion procedure.
What happens if the PS5 version overwrites an existing save?
A title-specific import may replace the PS5 save already on console storage. Back up any valuable PS5 progress through PlayStation Plus cloud storage or another PS5 Data Transfer before accepting an overwrite prompt.
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Can I move a native PS5 save back to PS4?
Usually not through USB, because Sony does not allow native PS5 saved data to be copied to a USB drive. Whether a game supports PS5-to-PS4 movement is a separate developer decision, and some conversion tools explicitly prohibit the reverse direction.
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