How to Transfer Your PS4 Storage and Games to Your PS5

Less than a week before the PlayStation 5 officially launches, we thought it would be a good time to prepare for the transition. Sony has assured gamers that 99% of thousands of PlayStation 4 titles are playable on the PlayStation 5 thanks to backward compatibility. So if you still have part of your back catalog ready, Sony has created a simple guide to help you ensure that your PS4 backup data is safely transferred to your new PS5 console in due course.

DATA TRANSFER

• Make sure your PlayStation 4 console is updated to the latest software and that you are signed in to the same PlayStation account that you plan to use on your PS5.
• Connect your PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 to the same network. If you use Wi-Fi, you can reduce transfer times by connecting your two consoles with an Ethernet cable.
• Once connected, follow the simple instructions on your PlayStation 5 console to prepare for the data transfer.
• The process runs in the background so you can continue to use your PlayStation 5 while your PlayStation 4 apps and data are transferred.
• This method allows you to transfer both your game files and your saved data.
• Please note that the ability to transfer game memory between a PS4 version and a PS5 version of the same game is a developer decision and varies from title to title for cross-generational games.

PLAYSTATION PLUS

• If you’re a PlayStation Plus member, you can download the saved data to your new console using the PS + Cloud.
• Sign in to your PSN account on your PlayStation 5 and go to [Settings] > [Application Saved Data Management] > [Saved Data in Online Storage] > [Download to System Storage]

DISCOUNT

• If you have a PS4 game on disc, just insert the disc into your PS5 and it will install automatically.
• Games that are only playable on PS4 will be marked as “Only playable on PS4” on the PlayStation Store. We have a list of games that are only playable on PS4 and additional backward compatibility information.

External hard drive

• Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’ve transferred any of your PS4 games to an external hard drive before trading in.
• You can play PlayStation 4 games stored on an external hard drive by plugging it directly into your PlayStation 5 console. Sony recommends this to free up space on the limited internal hard drive for your PS5 games.

PLAYSTATION STORE

• If you have purchased PS4 games through the PlayStation Store in the past, just log into your PSN account and download your games from the Store or your games library.

PlayStation 5 will launch on November 12, 2020. We’ve had the chance to pick up the new console over the past few weeks and you can read all we have to say about it on our official PS5 launch hub right here.