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How to Set Up a PS5 and Transfer Games and Data From Your Old Console

A practical guide to setting up a PS5 and moving eligible games and data from an old PS4 or PS5, with alternatives for saves and storage.
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You can transfer eligible games and data to a PS5 over your network, either during first-time setup or later through Settings. The exact options depend on whether your old console is a PS4 or another PS5: games, saved progress, user information, settings, and captures do not all follow the same rules. If a network transfer is inconvenient, you can redownload digital games, reinstall disc games, or use supported storage and save-transfer options.

Set up the PS5 first

  1. Follow the instructions for your PS5 model to attach its base or feet, then connect it to a display and the internet.
  2. Install the latest system software when prompted.
  3. Sign in to PlayStation using your existing account. If the PlayStation App is already configured, Sony also supports signing in with the app.

If you plan to transfer from an old console, prepare it before starting the transfer.

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Prepare the old console and network

  • Update the source PS4 or PS5 and sign in with the same PlayStation account you will use on the destination PS5.
  • On the source console, manually synchronize trophy information.
  • Connect both consoles to the same network. Wi-Fi is supported. Commercially available LAN cables can also be used; Sony says a wired connection can speed up transfer when the consoles would otherwise use Wi-Fi.
  • Keep both consoles powered on throughout the transfer. Do not change network settings or run an internet connection test while it is in progress. PlayStation Support warns: “Do not change your network settings or run internet connection tests during data transfer. Doing this may cause data to be damaged or lost.”

Sony limits a transfer to one source PS4 or PS5 for each destination PS5. If both consoles are already connected to the network by Ethernet, you do not need to run an extra cable directly between them.

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Transfer data during setup or afterward

During first-time setup

Follow the PS5’s on-screen prompts and choose the data-transfer option when it appears. Keep the source console on and follow the instructions on both screens.

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After setup is complete

  1. Turn on the source console.
  2. On the destination PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue.
  3. Follow the on-screen prompts to select and transfer the available data.

The destination PS5 may restart automatically. Some content, including game data, can continue transferring after the restart. Check Downloads/Uploads in Control Center for progress; a game thumbnail appears on the Games home screen when that game is ready to play.

What transfers from PS4 or PS5?

Sony’s transfer options vary by the source console and whether initial setup has finished.

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Source During initial PS5 setup After PS5 setup
PS4 User/account information for users who have signed in on the source, console settings, eligible saved data, and games playable on PS5. Eligible saved data and games playable on PS5. Saved-data transfer is limited to the user signed in on the PS5; user/account information and console settings are listed for initial setup, not post-setup transfer.
PS5 User/account information, eligible saved data, screenshots and video clips, games playable on PS5, and listed console settings. The same listed categories: user/account information, eligible saved data, screenshots and video clips, games playable on PS5, and console settings.

Data already stored on the destination PS5 does not transfer over itself. Login passcodes from the source also transfer, so you may need the same passcode when signing in on the destination.

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Choose another route for games or saves

What you need Available route Important limits
Purchased digital games Download them again from the game library on the destination PS5. A network transfer is not required to access eligible purchases.
PS4 disc games Insert the disc into a PS5 with a disc drive and install the game. The disc must stay inserted to play. PS4 discs do not work with PS5 Digital Edition.
PS4 games on an extended-storage drive Connect the drive already used as PS4 extended storage to the PS5 to access its PS4 game data. PS5 games cannot be played from USB extended storage; move those game files to console storage or an M.2 SSD to play them.
Saved data with PlayStation Plus Download saves from cloud storage. Requires access to the relevant cloud saves.
PS4 saved data without cloud storage Copy PS4 saves to a USB drive, then copy them to the PS5. This route applies to PS4 saves, not PS5 saved data.
PS5 saved data Use supported transfer or cloud-save options. Sony says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from a PS5 to USB.

USB extended storage for PS4 games

Sony specifies USB 3.0 or later, a minimum capacity of 250 GB, and a maximum of 8 TB for extended storage. Not all USB devices are supported. Formatting a drive deletes its data, so do not format a drive until anything you need from it has been backed up.

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Check PS4 game compatibility and disc requirements

Sony says the majority of PS4 games are playable on PS5, but some titles are marked “Playable on: PS4 only” in its compatibility list, which can change. Check the specific game before relying on it. For a supported PS4 disc game, insert the disc, install any required update, and leave the disc in the console whenever you play. A PS4 disc requires a PS5 model with a disc drive.

Troubleshoot a failed or slow transfer

Error CE-112069-9 or a transfer that will not complete

For error CE-112069-9, Sony recommends switching both consoles to wired network connections, or connecting them directly with Ethernet if they were using Wi-Fi. Another suggested step is to turn off the router for at least five minutes, restart it, and retry Data Transfer. If you only need saved data, use an alternative such as online storage or USB where supported.

Transfer continues in the background

Do not run Network Test or manually put the PS5 into Rest Mode while background transfer is underway. Use Downloads/Uploads in Control Center to check progress.

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