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Before updating your PS5, sync your saves to PlayStation Plus cloud storage if you have it, then make a USB console backup if you want an offline copy. A USB backup can include saved data along with games and apps, screenshots and video clips, and settings. Use a separate FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive—not a drive formatted as PS5 extended storage—and wait for the console to confirm the backup is complete before starting the update.
What is the safest way to back up PS5 data before updating?
For the most complete pre-update protection, use both available routes: cloud sync for saved data and a USB console backup for a broader snapshot. Cloud storage requires PlayStation Plus; a USB backup does not require a subscription. These options cover different needs, so a cloud sync alone is not a full console backup.
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- Sync saves to the cloud if you have PlayStation Plus. Sony documents automatic syncing when a game closes or the console enters rest mode once the required settings are enabled. Confirm that cloud syncing is configured for your console and games before relying on it.
- Prepare a separate USB drive. Format it as FAT32 or exFAT. Do not use a drive currently formatted as PS5 extended storage for game data; Sony says that format cannot be used to save PS5 backup data.
- Start the console backup. On the PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5.
- Choose what to include. Select the data categories you want, choose Next, then choose Back Up. The console restarts while the backup runs.
- Wait for confirmation. Leave the USB drive connected until the console displays Backup complete. Do not turn off the console or disconnect the drive during the process.
- Run the system update. Once the backup is complete, open Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and follow the on-screen instructions.
What does a PS5 USB backup include?
Sony says a PS5 console backup can include games and apps, saved data, screenshots and video clips, and settings. You choose the categories during the backup setup, so select saved data at minimum if that is your priority; include the other categories if you want a broader backup.
Trophies are not included in the backup. Update your game status before backing up if you have trophies you want recorded.
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Can I use my PS5 extended-storage drive for a backup?
No. A USB drive formatted as PS5 extended storage for game data cannot also be used to save a PS5 console backup. Use another USB drive, or repurpose one only after accounting for the data already on it and formatting it as FAT32 or exFAT for the backup.
| Option | Availability | What it covers | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB console backup | Does not require a subscription | Can include games and apps, saved data, screenshots and video clips, and settings | Requires a FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive separate from PS5 extended storage; restoring erases data currently saved on the console |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Requires PlayStation Plus | Saved data | Does not replace a broader console backup of settings, media, games and apps |
What should I know before restoring a backup?
A restore is not a harmless way to check a backup: Sony warns that restoring a backup erases all data currently saved on the console. Check the selected restore carefully and preserve anything currently on the console that you still need before proceeding.
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The PS5 system-software version installed when you restore must be the same as or newer than the version installed when the backup was made. An older system-software version will not meet Sony’s stated restore requirement.
Keep the console powered on and the USB drive connected throughout backup or restore. Sony’s warning is explicit: “Don’t turn off your PS5 console while backing up or restoring data.” Interruptions can cause data loss or corruption, or damage the console or USB drive.
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Why back up before a system software update?
A normal update and a system-software reinstall are different situations, but an update problem may lead to a reinstall. Sony states that reinstalling PS5 system software deletes all data on the console. A completed USB backup—and a cloud sync if you have PlayStation Plus—gives you a way to protect data before that risk arises.
For Sony’s current instructions, see its official PS5 backup guidance and PlayStation Plus cloud-storage guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to back up the PS5 system software itself?
The console backup is for data categories such as saves, settings, media, and games and apps; Sony’s guidance treats system software separately. The restore requirement is that the installed system-software version be the same as or newer than the version present when the backup was made.
Should I rely on a single backup method if my saves matter most?
If PlayStation Plus is available to you, cloud sync and a USB backup provide separate ways to protect saved data. The cloud option is limited to saves, while the USB console backup can include additional categories.
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Will a backup protect trophies earned just before the update?
Trophies are not part of a PS5 console backup. Update the game status before you create the backup so trophy information is recorded.
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