Upgrading from a PS4 to a PS5 is exciting until you remember everything you’ll lose if you don’t move it over first — save files, trophies, screenshots, and settings you’ve built up over years of play. The good news is Sony has built several ways to carry that progress forward, whether you’re moving one game or your entire library. This guide walks through every practical method for transferring PS4 data to a PS5, what each option covers, and how to troubleshoot the most common snags along the way.
What You’ll Need
- A PS4 and a PS5, both updated to their latest system software
- A PlayStation Network (PSN) account signed in on both consoles
- Either a stable home Wi-Fi/ethernet connection, or an external USB drive with enough free space
- Optional: a PlayStation Plus subscription if you plan to use cloud backup
Method 1: Transfer Data Directly Over Wi-Fi or LAN
This is the simplest option if both consoles are in the same house and can be turned on together. It moves your data directly from console to console without needing an internet upload/download cycle.
- On your PS5, go to Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
- Make sure your PS4 is powered on (it can be in rest mode) and connected to the same network as your PS5, ideally via a wired connection for speed.
- Follow the on-screen prompts on the PS5 to detect the PS4. Once connected, you’ll see a screen showing how much storage each app and its saved data will use.
- Select which games and applications you want to transfer, or choose to transfer everything if you have enough space on the PS5.
- Confirm and let the transfer run. Depending on your network speed and how much data you’re moving, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours — larger libraries take considerably longer.
- Once complete, sign in to your PSN account on the PS5 (if you haven’t already) so your trophies and licenses sync correctly.
This method transfers game installations, saved data, screenshots, and video clips stored on the console. Trophies do not need to be manually transferred this way — they’re tied to your PSN account and sync automatically once you sign in.
Method 2: Use an External USB Drive
If your consoles aren’t on the same network, or you’d rather not tie up your Wi-Fi for hours, a USB drive works as a physical middle step.
- Connect a USB storage device to your PS4.
- Go to Settings > System > Backup and Restore > Back Up PS4, then select the data you want to include (saved data, screenshots, captures, and so on).
- Once the backup finishes, safely eject the drive and connect it to your PS5.
- On the PS5, saved data restoration is handled through Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > USB Storage Device, where you can select and copy save files back to the console storage.
Note that a full PS4 system backup is meant to be restored to another PS4, not a PS5 — when moving to PS5, focus specifically on copying saved game data rather than a full system image.
Method 3: Cloud Backup via PlayStation Plus
If you have an active PlayStation Plus membership, cloud storage is often the easiest and most flexible option, especially if your PS4 and PS5 aren’t in the same location.
- On your PS4, go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in Online Storage > Upload to Online Storage, and select the games whose data you want to back up.
- On your PS5, sign in with the same PSN account, then go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage to download the saves for games you’ve installed.
- Trophies sync automatically to your PSN profile as soon as you sign in, regardless of which transfer method you use for save data.
Keep in mind that PS Plus cloud storage has a capacity limit tied to your membership tier, so very large save files (common in some open-world or simulation games) may need to be trimmed or transferred via USB or direct transfer instead.
Common Problems and Fixes
The PS5 can’t find my PS4 during direct transfer. Confirm both consoles are on the same network and that neither is connected to a guest Wi-Fi network that isolates devices from each other. Restarting both consoles and temporarily disabling any VPN can also help.
The transfer is stuck or extremely slow. Large game libraries can take hours over Wi-Fi. Switching to a wired ethernet connection for both consoles, or transferring games in smaller batches, usually speeds things up significantly.
My trophies didn’t show up on PS5. Trophies are account-based, not console-based. Double-check you’re signed in to the correct PSN account on the PS5, and give it a few minutes — trophy sync can lag slightly behind sign-in.
Saved data won’t restore from USB. Make sure the drive is formatted to a file system the PS5 supports (exFAT is generally the safest choice) and that the save data matches a game already installed on the PS5.
Not enough storage space on PS5. PS5 consoles, especially the digital edition, can fill up quickly. Consider transferring only the games you’re actively playing first, and add an internal M.2 SSD or use USB extended storage for older PS4 titles that don’t need PS5-level load speeds.
A Note on Data Safety
Before wiping or trading in a PS4, always verify your saved data has actually completed uploading or transferring — don’t rely on a progress bar alone. Open the destination console and confirm the save files are present and load correctly in-game. If your saves include anything tied to a linked account (such as progress in a game with cross-platform save support), it’s worth checking that game’s own cloud save settings as an extra safety net, since PlayStation’s transfer tools only manage PlayStation-side storage, not third-party or publisher-hosted cloud saves.
FAQ
Do I need PlayStation Plus to transfer data from PS4 to PS5?
No. Direct console-to-console transfer and USB transfer both work without a subscription. PS Plus is only required for the cloud storage method.
Will my PS4 games still work after transferring data to PS5?
Most PS4 games are backward compatible and will run on PS5 either through the disc drive (on models that have one) or digitally through your library, with your transferred save data intact.
Can I transfer data from PS5 back to PS4?
Generally no. Data transfer between these consoles is designed to move forward from PS4 to PS5, not the reverse, and some PS5-specific save formats aren’t compatible with PS4 hardware.
How long does a full data transfer take?
It depends heavily on your library size and connection type. A wired direct transfer of a modest library might take under an hour, while a large library over Wi-Fi can take several hours.
Steps and menu labels may change as apps update. Last updated: September 2026.