Finally got a PS5 or PS5 Pro? Congratulations, it only took you what, four years? Now you have to move your entire digital life from PS4 to PS5 without losing the 200-hour save file or having to re-download your complete game library on WiFi. Luckily, Sony allows data transfer from old-gen to new-gen consoles, and there are multiple ways to do it. This guide shows how to transfer your PS4 data to a new PlayStation 5 console.
What Data Can You Transfer Between PS4 and PS5?
Your PS4 games, save data, screenshots, video clips, and system settings can all be moved, including the game progress. That one screenshot from 2017 you forgot to delete can also move to the new system.
What data doesn’t transfer is PS4 themes, trophies (these sync automatically through your PlayStation Network account, so don’t worry), folders you organized games into, and any sense that you’ll play through your backlog this time. The PS5 has its own UI that looks nothing like the PS4’s, so your carefully curated home screen layout is toast anyway.
Transfer Games and Save Data Between Consoles Over Wi-Fi
First, connect both your PS4 and PS5 to the same network. Ethernet cables improve the speed, so it’s recommended—WiFi works, but it will have you wait. Make sure your PS4 is updated to the latest software version. Sign in to your PlayStation Network account on the PS4.
Next, log in with the same PlayStation Network on PS5, go to Settings > System > System Software, select Data Transfer, and click Continue. The PS5 will scan your network for nearby Sony consoles and will show the detected ones.
When prompted, hold the power button on your PS4 until it beeps. You can pick and choose the game files and data; maybe you don’t need that 50GB title you haven’t played since 2021. Select what you want, confirm, and the console will restart and start the transfer process.
Transfer times will depend on your data size and network speed, and likely take hours for large libraries. 100GB of data will take 2-3 hours over WiFi, though less over Ethernet. Go watch a movie. Touch grass. Do anything except hover over these consoles and check the percentage every 30 seconds. You can use PS5 until the transfer continues on the side, and can even play completely moved games, when their thumbnail appears.
Transfer Data Using External USB Storage
If you’ve been using an external hard drive or USB for PS4 games, plug it into your PS5. The console will catch it instantly, and you can play compatible PS4 titles right off that drive with no transfer required.
For saves, you can manually move files via USB:
- On PS4, go to Settings → Application Saved Data Management → Saved Data in System Storage → Copy to USB Storage Device.
- Copy the game saves you want to transfer to PlayStation 5, eject the drive, and plug it into your PS5. Now, go to Settings → Saved Data and Game/App Settings → Saved Data (PS4) → USB Drive → Copy to Console Storage.
The process is slower than cloud sync, but it doesn’t need an internet connection or a subscription. Make sure the external drive is formatted as exFAT and has enough free space, as most AAA games take up more than 40GB to 50GB each.
Transfer Games Data Using Cloud Storage Via PlayStation Plus
Being a PlayStation Plus subscriber, your save data has been backed up to the cloud. This method is good for saving files, but it doesn’t transfer actual games, and you’ll need to re-download them.
On PS4, verify that automatic save data uploads are enabled. Go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage, and then select Upload to Cloud Storage. You can manually select which saves to upload or let the system handle it automatically.
The cloud storage gives you 100GB with PlayStation Plus, which sounds reasonable until you realize some game saves are inexplicably massive. While most save files are small, regularly check your storage space. Delete old saves from games you no longer play to free up space.
On PlayStation 5, head to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage and choose Download to Console Storage. Sign in with the same PlayStation Network account if you haven’t already, and download the saves.
The PS5 keeps PS4, and PS5 saves separate, so you don’t accidentally overwrite the Demon’s Souls progress with your Infamous Second Son save from 2014. Then re-download all these games from your library.
- Related: How to Connect AirPods to PS5
Your trophies sync automatically once you sign into your PSN account on the PS5, and the same is the case with your friends list, payment methods, and account settings. Screenshots and video clips are transferred via the WiFi or external storage, but most people forget they even have these until the storage is full. If you used ShareFactory on PS4 for video editing, these projects won’t transfer cleanly. Export the videos before you switch to PS5, or risk losing the montages nobody watched anyway.
