The supported way to preserve a PS Vita home screen is a full system backup made with Content Manager and Content Manager Assistant on a Windows or Mac computer. It saves more than icon positions and can be restored after replacing a memory card or moving to another Vita, but the destination system must use the same Sony Entertainment Network account. Sony does not provide a supported export that contains only LiveArea pages and folders.
On a modified Vita, you can additionally preserve ux0:iconlayout.ini and the related storage state. That file-level method is more granular but depends on the firmware, application database, storage mapping and homebrew configuration being compatible.
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What a LiveArea layout contains
LiveArea is the Vita’s home screen: application bubbles are arranged across pages, and folders group those bubbles. Pressing the PS button displays an index of open LiveArea screens. Your page order, folder membership and icon positions are therefore part of the system’s user-interface state, not a separate document that Sony exposes for export.
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Choose the right method
| Approach | What it targets | Account requirement | Support and risk | Hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Manager system backup | Broad Vita system backup, including the environment that stores the home-screen state | Restore must use the same Sony Entertainment Network account linked when the backup was created | Officially documented and generally the most reversible option | Windows or Mac computer plus a USB data cable or a working Wi-Fi connection; a PCH-1000 also needs a PS Vita memory card |
| File-level preservation on a modified Vita | ux0:iconlayout.ini for icon arrangement, plus any complete storage copy you make |
No Sony restore operation is involved, but applications, licensing and database state must still match | Homebrew-dependent and sensitive to firmware, database and storage mappings; keep an untouched full copy | VitaShell and a computer or other storage destination |
If you are replacing a card on an unmodified system, start with Content Manager. If you run homebrew and need to retain an exact arrangement while changing SD2Vita or other mappings, use the file-level procedure only as an additional safeguard, not as a substitute for a complete backup.
Prepare the official computer backup
Requirements
- A PS Vita with enough battery charge to remain powered throughout the transfer.
- Content Manager Assistant installed and running on a Windows or Mac computer.
- Either a compatible USB data cable or a Wi-Fi connection between the Vita and computer. A charge-only cable cannot carry the backup data.
- For a PCH-1000 model, a PS Vita memory card. Sony identifies the card as required for this procedure on that model.
- The Sony Entertainment Network account currently linked to the Vita. Restoration is account-bound.
- Free computer storage for the backup. Sony states that a backup larger than 4 GB cannot be created on a FAT32-formatted hard disk.
Do not rename the backup file or the folder that contains it. Sony warns that changing either name can prevent restoration. Let Content Manager Assistant create and manage the backup directory instead of reorganizing it manually.
Make the backup
- Install and start Content Manager Assistant on the computer. Leave it running for the entire operation.
- On the Vita, open Content Manager.
- Select Copy Content.
- Choose PC as the destination.
- Choose USB cable or Wi-Fi. Follow the on-screen pairing or connection prompts for the method you selected.
- Choose Back Up, review the destination shown by Content Manager, and confirm.
- Wait for the progress indicator to finish before disconnecting the cable, closing the assistant, or powering off the Vita.
The backup is a computer file, not a readable folder of individual LiveArea pages. Keep the computer’s backup folder intact and record which Vita account created it. Sony allows a maximum of 10 backup files across all accounts.
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Restore the layout and system backup
Restore to the original Vita
- Install and start Content Manager Assistant on the computer that holds the backup.
- On the Vita, open Content Manager > Copy Content.
- Choose PC, then select USB cable or Wi-Fi.
- Choose Restore.
- Select the backup shown by Content Manager and follow every on-screen confirmation until the process completes.
- Allow the Vita to restart if prompted, then check the home-screen pages, folders and bubbles.
Restore to a different Vita
Sony permits restoration to another Vita only when that Vita uses the same Sony Entertainment Network account that was linked when the backup was made. Sign in or link the account before attempting the restore. A different model or physical console does not remove the account requirement.
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If the backup is not listed, check that Content Manager Assistant is running, the computer is connected by the same method selected on the Vita, and the backup file and its containing folder retain their original names. Do not copy the file into a newly renamed directory as a workaround; restore recognition depends on the original structure.
Limits of the official backup
- No layout-only export: Sony documents a system backup and restore operation, not a tool for exporting only icon coordinates, pages or folders.
- Account binding: The restore target must use the same linked Sony Entertainment Network account.
- Ten-file ceiling: Sony states that no more than 10 backup files can be created for all accounts.
- FAT32 file-size ceiling: A backup larger than 4 GB cannot be created on a FAT32-formatted hard disk.
- Trophies are excluded: Trophy information is not included in this computer backup. Synchronize trophies with PlayStation Network separately.
- Controls are temporarily unavailable: During backup or restore, the power button, PS button and network features are disabled. This is expected behavior, not a frozen console.
Because the operation is system-wide, it may take longer and require more computer space than a hypothetical layout-only file. Its advantage is that it preserves the surrounding system state that a layout file alone cannot describe.
Replacing a memory card without losing the home screen
Before removing the old card
- Confirm that the Vita is linked to the account you will use after the replacement.
- Run the complete Content Manager backup and wait for it to finish.
- Keep the backup folder unchanged on the computer; do not rename it while the card is being replaced.
- If the Vita is a PCH-1000, verify that a compatible PS Vita memory card is installed before starting the backup procedure.
- Keep the old card and the computer backup until the replacement has been tested.
After installing the replacement
- Install the new card and start the Vita.
- Link the same Sony Entertainment Network account used for the backup.
- Open Content Manager > Copy Content > PC, choose the same USB or Wi-Fi connection method, and select Restore.
- Wait for the restore and any restart to finish before opening applications.
- Check several pages, every important folder and a representative set of bubbles. Confirm that applications launch before discarding the old card or backup.
A replacement card does not make a layout backup unnecessary. The layout is part of the broader system state, so restoring only copied application files may leave page order or folder membership inconsistent.
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Homebrew users have a more targeted option. The Vita Developer Wiki identifies ux0:iconlayout.ini as the icon-layout file. LiveArea’s application database and cache are associated with system storage, including ur0:. VitaShell provides a Refresh LiveArea command that scans ux0:app and adds recognized applications to the database.
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This is not an official Sony restore path. Copying iconlayout.ini alone cannot guarantee an identical result because the application set, database contents, firmware, storage mapping, themes and plugins may differ. A layout entry for an application that is missing, unrecognized or not correctly licensed cannot produce a working bubble.
Cautious file-level workflow
- Open VitaShell and copy
ux0:iconlayout.inito a dated folder on a computer or another storage device. Preserve the file without editing its contents. - Make a complete, byte-for-byte copy of the relevant Vita storage before changing
ux0:,ur0:, SD2Vita or memory-card mappings. Keep this untouched copy separate from the layout file. - Change the storage hardware or mapping and first make sure the intended applications are present in
ux0:appand recognized by the system. - Restore the saved
ux0:iconlayout.inionly after the application set and storage mapping are correct. Do not assume that a file from a different firmware or database state is interchangeable. - In VitaShell, run Refresh LiveArea to repopulate applications that are present and recognized.
- Reboot the Vita.
- Verify page order, folders, bubbles and launches one by one. Keep the original storage copy and the original layout file until verification is complete.
Why the result can differ
- The new storage mapping may expose a different
ux0:orur0:device than the one used when the file was saved. - An application may exist on storage but not be recognized or licensed, so Refresh LiveArea will not add it.
- The database or cache may have been rebuilt, changed by a firmware update, or affected by a plugin.
- Folders and positions can refer to bubbles that are no longer present; those entries cannot be validated until the application set is restored.
Use the complete storage copy as the recovery point. Treat iconlayout.ini as a focused layout aid, not a complete clone of every LiveArea-related state file.
Plan the move before changing hardware
A few decisions prevent avoidable recovery problems. First, decide whether you need a supported whole-system move or only a record of icon placement. The official method requires a computer and either a compatible USB data cable or Wi-Fi; it does not require a special layout utility. A data cable is the clearest choice when wireless pairing is unreliable, but neither accessory independently creates a backup.
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Second, identify the account before you begin. The account linked at backup time is part of the restore condition, even if the destination is a different physical Vita. Write down which account was used rather than assuming that the account currently signed in on another console will work. Third, check the computer’s filesystem. FAT32 cannot hold a backup file larger than 4 GB, so a large backup needs a destination that can store it.
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Finally, preserve two recovery points when possible: the untouched Content Manager backup and, for a modified system, the complete storage copy plus the dated iconlayout.ini. Do not delete the old memory card immediately after a successful transfer. Test several pages, folders and applications first, because a layout that appears restored can still contain bubbles whose application or license state is incomplete.
Troubleshoot common failures
The Vita cannot see Content Manager Assistant
- Confirm that Content Manager Assistant is installed and currently running on the computer.
- Reconnect with a known USB data cable and select USB cable again in Content Manager > Copy Content > PC.
- If using Wi-Fi, reconnect the Vita and computer to the same network and repeat the pairing prompts.
- Do not switch connection methods mid-transfer; cancel the operation and start again with the newly selected method.
The restore list is empty
- Check that you are using the computer containing the backup.
- Make sure neither the backup file nor its containing folder was renamed.
- Verify that the Vita is linked to the same Sony Entertainment Network account used to create the backup.
- Restart Content Manager Assistant and reconnect before trying the restore path again.
The backup will not complete
- Check free space on the computer.
- If the backup exceeds 4 GB, do not use a FAT32-formatted destination; Sony states that this filesystem cannot hold that backup file.
- Leave the Vita connected and powered until Content Manager reports completion.
- Remember that the disabled power, PS and network controls are normal during the operation.
Applications or folders are missing after a modified-Vita move
- Confirm that the intended storage is mounted as the expected
ux0:and that applications are present inux0:app. - Check that the applications are recognized and licensed.
- Run VitaShell’s Refresh LiveArea, reboot, and inspect the pages again.
- If the arrangement is still wrong, restore the untouched storage copy rather than repeatedly replacing database files from a different configuration.
The layout file restores but bubbles do not launch
This usually indicates a mismatch outside the icon positions: the application is absent, the storage mapping changed, licensing is not valid, or the database does not recognize the title. Re-establish the application and database state first, then refresh LiveArea and reapply the layout file.
Verification checklist
- The Content Manager backup completed without an error.
- The backup file and its containing folder have their original names.
- The account on the restore Vita matches the account used to create the backup.
- The computer copy is stored separately from the Vita or memory card being replaced.
- For a modified Vita, both
ux0:iconlayout.iniand a complete storage copy are preserved. - After restoration, several pages, folders and applications have been opened and tested.
- The original backup remains available until the restored layout and application launches are confirmed.
Which approach is safest?
Use Sony’s Content Manager backup whenever you need a supported, repeatable move to a replacement card or another Vita. It is broader than a LiveArea export, but it carries the fewest assumptions about internal database files. On a modified Vita, add a dated copy of ux0:iconlayout.ini and a complete storage image when exact icon arrangement matters. The file-level method can restore positions more directly, yet it succeeds only when the surrounding applications, database and storage mapping are compatible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I back up only my LiveArea pages and folders?
No. Sony documents a system-level Content Manager backup and restore, not a supported LiveArea-only export. The official backup is broader than icon positions.
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Can I restore the backup to another PS Vita?
Yes, but the other Vita must use the same Sony Entertainment Network account that was linked when the backup was created.
Do I need a USB cable?
You can use USB cable or Wi-Fi through Content Manager and Content Manager Assistant. If you choose USB, use a compatible data cable rather than a charge-only cable.
Why must I avoid renaming the backup folder?
Sony warns that renaming the backup file or its containing folder can make the restore fail or prevent the backup from appearing in Content Manager.
Are trophies included in the computer backup?
No. Trophy information is excluded. Synchronize trophies with PlayStation Network separately.
Will copying iconlayout.ini alone restore my modified Vita exactly?
Not reliably. The file preserves icon arrangement, but applications, licensing, the LiveArea database, storage mappings, firmware, themes and plugins must also be compatible. Keep a complete storage copy as the primary recovery point.
What does a PCH-1000 need for the official procedure?
Sony says a PCH-1000 requires a PS Vita memory card before using this backup procedure, including the recommended backup before replacing a card.
The Bottom Line
For a supported move, use Content Manager and Content Manager Assistant, keep the original backup names, and restore with the same Sony Entertainment Network account. On a modified Vita, preserve ux0:iconlayout.ini only alongside a complete storage copy and verify applications, licensing and database state before relying on the restored layout.
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