How to transfer your PS4 data to your PS5

💡 Need to know

• Your PS4® saves don't automatically appear on your PS5®—You'll need to transfer them using a network transfer, cloud storage, or an external drive.
• Use the same PlayStation™ account on both consoles—That's the easiest way to access your games, saves, and purchases.
• A wired connection is usually faster—Large game libraries can take hours to transfer over Wi-Fi.
• Don't wipe your PS4 just yet—Make sure your games and save data made it to the PS5 before resetting or selling the old console.

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Ready to upgrade your PlayStation®? Looking to switch over from a PS4™ to a PS5®? You'll probably want to transfer your saved games and data to your new console so you can pick up where you left off. (If that happens to be your fifth play-through of The Last of Us®, we're not judging.) Don't worry, it's easy. We'll show you how.

At Asurion, we help you get the most out of your tech—including phones, gaming systems, computers, and more. Here's how to transfer PS4 data to a PS5.

How to transfer data from PS4 to PS5

There are a few ways to transfer data from your PS4 to PS5. They include:

• Use your Wi-Fi network.
• Use cloud storage.
• Use an external storage drive.

Not all PS4 games are compatible with the PS5. So there may be some files that don't transfer. We'll walk you through each option, so you can decide which one is best for you.

Transfer your data over your Wi-Fi network

The fastest (and easiest) way to transfer PlayStation data is with a network connection. When you turn on your new console for the first time, your PS5 will walk you through its setup process—including how to transfer data from PS4 to PS5.

If you skipped that part or want to go back to transfer more data, you can follow these steps:

1. Turn on both your PS4 and PS5 consoles, ensure they are connected to the same home Wi-Fi network, and sign into the exact same PlayStation™Network (PSN) account on both machines.
2. On your PS5 dashboard, navigate to Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer and select Continue.
3. Select your PS4 console from the detected device ledger grid on the screen.
4. When the PS5 screen prompts you, press and hold down the physical Power button on your PS4 for one full second until you hear a sharp beep. This authorizes the hardware handshake.
5. On your PS5 screen, select the specific user save databases and game installation files you want to copy across, then select Start Transfer.
6. Keep both consoles powered on and undisturbed. Your PS5 will automatically reboot once the initial system data is saved, while heavy game installations will continue downloading safely in the background.

Transfer your data using cloud storage

If you have a PlayStation Plus account, you can transfer data through cloud storage. Cloud storage is a way to automatically save games online, and it gives you easy access to your data.

If you want to back up your PS4 files one last time before transferring them to your PS5, go to Settings > Application Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage and select the games you want to back up.

To retrieve that data from the PlayStation cloud and download files onto the PS5:

1. Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
2. Select Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage.
3. Select Download to Console Storage. You can select individual game files—or all of them—for download.

Transfer your data using an external storage device

Don't have a PlayStation Plus account? You can still move data from one console to the other by using an external hard drive or a USB flash drive. Most games take up an average of 40GB of space on your console. The more games you play—and intend to transfer over—the more space you'll need. When transferring over to the external hard drive, just make sure to have ample storage space available.

Here's how to transfer data with an external storage device:

Prepare the old drive safely

1. Ensure your PS4 is completely turned off (do not leave it in a blinking orange Rest Mode state) before pulling out its external USB hard drive. Unplugging a live drive can permanently scramble your game directory index.

Mount the drive to the PS5

1. Plug your external hard drive directly into one of the blue or black high-speed USB ports located on the back panel of your PS5. (Note: The front USB ports do not support extended game storage speeds).
2. On the PS5 dashboard, navigate up to Settings > Storage > USB Extended Storage.
3. The console will automatically detect your library. You can launch and play your legacy PS4 titles straight off the external drive instantly.

Pro tip: If you want to expand your storage for native PS5 titles, an external USB drive will not work for gameplay. Instead, you must install an internal M.2 NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 4) inside the console's physical expansion bay slot, which can then be managed under Settings > Storage > M.2 SSD Storage. Read more about expanding storage space on your PS5.

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FAQ

What's the fastest way to transfer data from PS4 to PS5?

For most people, a direct network transfer between the two consoles is the fastest option, especially when both are connected with Ethernet cables.

Do PS4 game saves transfer to PS5?

Yes. You can transfer saves using a network transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or a USB drive.

Can I play my PS4 games on a PS5?

Yes. Most PS4 games are compatible with the PS5 through backward compatibility.

Do I need PlayStation Plus to transfer my data?

No. A direct console-to-console transfer doesn't require PlayStation Plus. However, PlayStation Plus is required if you're using cloud storage to move save files.

How long does a PS4-to-PS5 transfer take?

It depends on how much data you're moving. A few save files may take minutes, while a large game library can take several hours.

Should I keep my PS4 after transferring everything?

Yes. Wait until you've confirmed your games, save files, screenshots, and account data are available on the PS5 before resetting or selling the PS4.