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Playing a PS4 game on a PS5 and importing its save into a separate PS5 edition are different operations. A supported PS4 game can run on PS5 through backward compatibility, but Sony leaves cross-version save conversion to each game’s developer. A PS4 save may therefore work perfectly in the PS4 edition on PS5 and still be rejected by that game’s native PS5 release or remaster.
Before upgrading, identify the edition you intend to launch, confirm the publisher’s current transfer instructions, and make a backup using one of Sony’s supported PS4-save routes: console-to-console transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or USB copying. None of those platform-level methods, by themselves, proves that a different PS5 edition can read the save.
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Three separate questions you must not confuse
Most save problems happen because “backward compatibility,” “moving a save,” and “importing a save” are treated as synonyms. They are not.
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Sony’s backward-compatibility support page says more than 4,000 PS4 games are ready to play on both PS4 and PS5 (the figure was current when accessed on October 13, 2026). If your title is supported, the PS5 runs the PS4 edition and uses that edition’s PS4 save data. You do not need to own or install a native PS5 edition simply to continue playing the PS4 version.
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Can the PS4 save be moved to the PS5 console?
Yes, Sony documents several ways to move PS4 saved data between consoles. This is a file-transfer question: the save is copied from one console or storage location to another while remaining a PS4-game save.
Can the PS5 edition or remaster read that save?
Only if the game supports it. Sony’s PlayStation Blog FAQ, published November 9, 2020, states: “The ability to transfer game saves between a PS4 version and a PS5 version of the same game is a developer decision and will vary title by title for cross-generational games.” A native PS5 release may use a different save structure, progression system, trophy setup, or server process. Treat compatibility as unconfirmed until the game’s own current instructions say otherwise.
What each transfer route actually does
| Route | What it is good for | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Backward compatibility | Running the supported PS4 edition on PS5 and continuing with its PS4 save path | Does not guarantee that a separate PS5 edition accepts the save |
| Console data transfer | Moving supported PS4 saved data from a PS4 to a PS5 over the same network | The same account must be used on both consoles; after PS5 setup, a PS4 transfer is limited to the logged-in user’s saved data |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Uploading and downloading saves between supported PlayStation consoles | Requires PlayStation Plus and has separate PS4 and PS5 save areas; cloud transfer does not convert a save for a different game edition |
| USB copying | Copying PS4 saved data from a PS4 to a USB drive, then placing it on a PS5 | Applies to PS4 saves only. Sony says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from the PS5 console to USB |
| Game-specific import | Using the publisher’s own upload, server, or in-game conversion workflow for a PS5 edition or remaster | Supported slots, software versions, regions, accounts, and subscription requirements differ by title |
Prepare before you upgrade or move a save
- Identify the exact product. “PS4 game running on PS5,” “PS5 upgrade,” and “remaster” can be separate applications with separate save rules.
- Check the developer’s current support page. Sony’s platform guidance establishes the transfer methods, but the developer decides whether a PS4-version save can enter the PS5 version.
- Keep the original PS4 save untouched. Make a copy before uploading, downloading, or selecting an overwrite destination. A failed import is easier to recover when the source remains available.
- Use the same PlayStation Network account. Console transfer and most game-specific systems associate progress with the account that created it.
- Check edition and region conditions. Disc-based upgrades can require a disc-drive PS5, and some publishers restrict transfers by country or account region.
- Update both applications when the publisher specifies versions. Import tools can be added or changed by a patch and may not appear on an older build.
Move a PS4 save with console data transfer
Sony’s console-transfer route is intended for moving supported data from a PS4 to a PS5 over a shared network. It is the broadest platform-level option when both consoles are available.
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- Connect both consoles to the same network and keep them powered on. A wired connection can be preferable when the consoles and router support it, but Sony’s requirement is that the systems be connected for the transfer process.
- On the PS5, open the system’s data-transfer feature during setup or from the system settings after setup. Follow the on-screen prompts to detect the PS4.
- Select the PS4 saved data you want to move and start the transfer. The PS5 copies the data; it does not rewrite it into a native PS5 save format.
- Launch the PS4 edition on the PS5 and verify the save in the game’s own load menu before changing or deleting anything on the source console.
If the PS5 has already been set up, Sony limits a PS4 transfer to saved data belonging to the user currently logged in. That restriction is separate from the game’s own cross-generation import policy.
Use PlayStation Plus cloud storage
Cloud storage is useful when the PS4 and PS5 are in different places or when you want an additional copy. Sony documents separate storage areas for PS4 and PS5 saves. The stated allowance is 100 GB for PS5 saved data and 100 GB for PS4 saved data; the cloud guidance also allows up to 1,000 PS4 saved-data files.
- On the PS4, upload the relevant save to PlayStation Plus cloud storage using the saved-data upload controls.
- On the PS5, sign in to the same account and open the saved-data controls for PS4 games. Download the save from the PS4 cloud area, not the PS5 area.
- Start the PS4 edition on the PS5 and confirm that the save appears.
- If you are moving to a native PS5 edition, perform the title’s separate import procedure, if one exists. Downloading a PS4 save from the cloud does not automatically make it a PS5-edition save.
PlayStation Plus is required for this cloud route, but it is not a universal requirement for every PS4-to-PS5 move. Console transfer, USB copying, and some publisher-operated import systems use different requirements.
Copy a PS4 save with a USB drive
Sony’s USB instructions cover PS4 saved data. On the PS4, copy the selected saved-data files to a USB drive, then connect that drive to the PS5 and use the PS5’s saved-data controls to copy the PS4 data into console storage. A USB flash drive is an optional storage device for this purpose; Sony’s guidance does not establish a universal capacity requirement for every user.
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This method is deliberately limited: Sony says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from the PS5 console to USB. USB is therefore a one-way platform backup option for PS4 saves, not a general backup system for native PS5 progress. After copying, the save still belongs to the PS4 edition until the game’s developer supplies an import or conversion process.
Game-specific imports are the exception that matters
A remaster or PS5 edition can implement its own transfer service. The game may upload a selected PS4 save to a publisher server, associate it with your account, and expose it for download in the PS5 application. It may also limit which save slots, modes, or progression types can move. These rules are not standardized across remasters.
Documented example: Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Insomniac’s support instructions, updated November 24, 2025, describe a server-based route from the PS4 game to Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered on PS5:
- Sign in to the same PlayStation Network account in both applications.
- In the PS4 game, select the save slot you want to move and choose the in-game upload option. The save is sent to Insomniac’s servers.
- Open the PS5 remaster, choose an empty save slot, and use the download option to retrieve the uploaded save.
- Load the imported slot and verify the expected progress before making new changes.
For this procedure, Insomniac specifies at least version 1.19 on PS4 and version 1.001 on PS5. It also says PlayStation Plus is not required because the transfer uses the game’s own server workflow. Those version and subscription details apply to this title and should not be generalized to other remasters.
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Insomniac’s upgrade instructions add conditions for a physical PS4-disc upgrade: the PS5 must have a disc drive, and the disc must be from the same country as the PlayStation Network account. The support page says the save can be transferred to the remaster, but the disc, account, and hardware requirements remain specific to that upgrade path. A digital purchase, a disc from another country, or a digital-only PS5 can follow different rules.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a copied save can still fail in the PS5 edition
The PS4 and PS5 applications use different save formats
Platform copying preserves the file as PS4 saved data. A PS5 application must deliberately parse or convert that data. Without developer support, the PS5 game may show no saves even though the file is correctly present on the console.
The title expects an in-game upload first
Some remasters do not scan console storage for PS4 saves. They require you to open the PS4 application, select a slot, upload it, and then download it from inside the PS5 application. Copying the file by USB or cloud can therefore be necessary for backup but insufficient for import.
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The save slot or mode is unsupported
A publisher may permit only certain slots or campaign modes, or require an empty destination slot. If the game reports that no save is available, reread its instructions for slot selection rather than repeatedly copying the same file.
The software build is too old
Import controls can depend on a minimum patch. In the Spider-Man Remastered example, the specified minimums are PS4 version 1.19 and PS5 version 1.001. Install the required updates before troubleshooting the account or storage path.
The account or region does not match
Cross-generation progress is commonly tied to the account that created it. Disc upgrades can add country requirements, as Insomniac documents for Spider-Man Remastered. Verify the signing account and edition before assuming the save is corrupt.
Troubleshooting by symptom
“I can play the PS4 game, but the PS5 version starts from the beginning.”
This is consistent with Sony’s developer-by-developer rule. Confirm whether the publisher offers a separate import tool. If it does, follow that workflow from the PS4 application; if it does not, the PS4 save may remain usable only in the PS4 edition.
“The PS4 save is on the PS5, but the remaster cannot see it.”
Check that you launched the correct application, downloaded the file into the PS4 save area, and completed any required in-game upload. A platform transfer alone does not establish remaster compatibility.
“I expected to back up my PS5 save to USB.”
Sony’s current transfer guidance says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from the PS5 console to USB. Use the available PS5 cloud or console-management options instead; do not treat a USB copy of a PS4 save as a backup of native PS5 progress.
“The cloud option is unavailable.”
Cloud storage requires PlayStation Plus. If you do not have that service, use console transfer or the USB route for PS4 saves when both the source data and the game support those methods. A publisher’s own server import may have separate requirements.
“The transfer overwrote the wrong slot.”
Stop playing the destination version, preserve the original PS4 save or another backup, and repeat the process only after identifying the correct source slot and an empty destination slot. The Spider-Man Remastered instructions specifically call for downloading into an empty PS5 slot.
Quick Recap
A practical decision tree
- Want to keep playing the PS4 edition on PS5? Confirm backward-compatibility support, then move the PS4 save by console transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or USB.
- Want the native PS5 edition or a remaster? Find the game’s current publisher instructions before buying, upgrading, or deleting the PS4 installation.
- Does the publisher provide an import tool? Meet its account, patch, slot, region, disc, and subscription conditions exactly.
- No import tool is documented? Keep the PS4 edition and its save available. Do not assume that a copied file will become readable simply because both applications are installed on the same PS5.
What to verify before deleting the PS4 version
- The PS5 edition has successfully loaded the intended progress, not merely detected a file.
- Your trophies, downloadable content, and edition-specific features behave as expected; save transfer does not automatically establish entitlement to every add-on.
- You retain a recoverable PS4 copy through the method you used, especially if the publisher’s import process uploads or consumes a slot.
- You know which application to launch when returning to older progress: the PS4 edition and the PS5 edition can remain separate save environments.
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