How to transfer your PlayStation 4 game saves to PS5

The PlayStation 5 is right around the corner and soon players will be able to not only jump into all the new games it has to offer, but also continue playing the games from their PS4 thanks to backward compatibility. Now, according to a new video from Sony, we know exactly how this process will work.

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One of the main selling points of the PS5 is that players will be able to play their PlayStation 4 games on the next-generation sequel. Backward compatibility wasn’t available on the PS4, so the addition of the feature on the new hardware is a welcome one.

While playing your PS4 games on the PlayStation 5 is important, transferring your saves over to the new console is just as imperative, as it’ll allow you to continue playing where you left off. But how do you do such a thing? Luckily, PlayStation has offered a definitive way on how to move that data across generations and it’s not as hard as you might think.

How to transfer PlayStation 4 data using both consoles

There are a few ways to transfer your PS4 save data to the PS5. The first of which requires you to have both consoles next to each other. This is the fastest method and allows you to transfer everything, including game saves and actual applications, over to the new console at one time.

1. Make sure both the PS4 and PS5 are up to date on their software updates and signed into the same PSN account.
2. Connect both consoles to the same Wi-Fi signal or attach an ethernet port to each console.
3. Transfer will begin automatically.

As previously mentioned, this requires both consoles next to each other so if you already got rid of or sold your PS4, this won’t work. Luckily, there are other methods to transfer saves.

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How to transfer PlayStation 4 save data over a USB device

Players can also use a USB device like a thumb-drive or some other storage device that uses a USB port to transfer over any save data they want to to a PS5. Given that this method only transfers data, you’ll still have to install your actual PS4 game separately, either through a download in the PlayStation Store or with a disc install.

1. Sign into the same PSN account on both the PS4 and PS5.
2. Insert a USB device into the port on the PS4.
3. Scroll over to the Settings icon on your PS4 and select “Application Saved Data Management.”
4. Select “Saved Data in System Storage.”
5. Select “Copy to USB Storage Device.”
6. Select which pieces of save data you’d like to transfer over and press “Copy.”
7. Insert the same device into the PS5 and transfer the data over.

While this method only allows you to transfer save data, it does mean that, so long as you transferred the data from PS4 before hand, you don’t need the console near your PS5 in order to complete the process. So if you’re planning on selling your PS4 when the PS5 comes out, this is your best bet if you download the data onto a USB drive now.

Other methods of data transfer

Right now, the only other way to transfer your data from PS4 to PS5 is if you’re a PS Plus member and you take advantage of the cloud storage feature. The steps remain the same as the above, except you should choose to upload the data to the cloud when given the option, rather than click “Copy to USB Storage Device.”

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It’s important to remember, however, that if you’re selling your console, you MUST transfer your data to the cloud or a USB device before you get rid of it, otherwise, you’re going to be out of luck and will have to start your games all over again, which probably isn’t ideal.

All in all, it’s nice for Sony to finally explain, in a simple but detailed way, how these transfers are going to work, as it’s been a question for a while now.