Short answer: Sony documents copying a PS2 memory-card save to the internal storage of some PS3 consoles with a dedicated memory-card adapter. Sony does not document a general method for importing PS3 saves into a PS4 or PS5. A PS4 save can move to a PS5 through network transfer, a USB copy, or PlayStation Plus cloud storage. Whether an older save works in a remaster or re-release is always game-specific.
What transfers are actually supported?
The PlayStation generation you are moving from and to determines what is possible. Sony’s published instructions describe three different situations, not one universal backward-compatible save system.
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| Source save | Destination | Documented method | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS2 memory card | Compatible PS3 | PlayStation 2 memory-card adapter and the PS3’s saved-data tools | Copies the save to PS3 internal storage. The PS3 model must support the game if you intend to play it. |
| PS3 internal storage | USB storage | Legacy PS3 instructions describe copying data to USB mass storage | This creates a PS3 backup. Sony’s current PS4/PS5 instructions do not establish that the resulting files can be imported as playable saves. |
| PS3 | PS4 or PS5 | No general Sony-documented console-transfer route | Check the exact game for a proprietary import feature. Do not assume a USB drive converts the save. |
| PS4 | PS5 | Same-network transfer, PS4-save USB copy, or PlayStation Plus cloud storage | These are Sony-supported migration methods, subject to account, storage and game-compatibility requirements. |
Sony’s PS5 transfer guidance specifically covers data from a PS4 or another PS5, while its storage documentation identifies PS4 and PS5 save-data categories rather than PS3 saves. Read the current instructions at PlayStation Support’s PS4/PS5 transfer guide and PS5 storage-management guide.
Move a PS2 memory-card save to a compatible PS3
This is the one documented route involving a physical PS2 card. Sony’s PS3 documentation describes a separately sold memory-card adapter that copies saved data from a PS2 memory card to the PS3’s internal storage. Sony also maintains a support page describing PS2 and PS game saves on PS3: How to save data for PS2 and PS games on PS3.
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Before you start
- Confirm the PS3 model. PS2 software playback varies by PS3 model. A console may accept a copied save even when it cannot run the corresponding PS2 game.
- Use the correct legacy adapter. The adapter is a separate accessory, not a standard USB cable. Verify that the adapter and its connector are in working condition before buying or borrowing one.
- Preserve the original card. Treat the copy as a backup; do not erase or overwrite the memory card until the save has been verified on the PS3.
- Have the game available on that PS3. A save file by itself does not supply the game, unlock PS2 compatibility or make a different release understand the file.
Copy procedure
- Turn on the PS3 and connect the PS2 memory-card adapter to a USB port.
- Insert the PS2 memory card into the adapter. Wait for the console to detect it.
- Open the PS3’s game-area saved-data management screen. The relevant entries are the PS/PS2 saved-data tools and the connected memory-card icon.
- Select the card, highlight the required save and choose the copy command. Select the PS3 internal storage as the destination when prompted.
- Wait for the copy to finish, then open the internal PS/PS2 saved-data area and confirm that the save is listed.
- Launch the compatible PS2 software on that PS3 and test the save. Keep the card untouched until the game successfully recognizes it.
The compatibility warning Sony puts in its guide
The CECHL01 PS3 Quick Reference Guide, version 2.40 (2008), gives a model-specific warning: Even if you copy saved data from PlayStation®2 format software to the hard disk, you will not be able to play games on this model of the PS3™ system using this saved data.
The statement applies to that PS3 model and illustrates the broader rule: copying a card is separate from running PS2 software. Read the guide at Sony’s CECHL01 PS3 Quick Reference Guide.
What a PS3 USB copy can and cannot do
Older PS3 manuals describe copying data stored on the PS3 hard disk to USB mass storage. This is useful for preserving a PS3 save or moving it between PS3 systems that support the same save format. It is not evidence of PS4 or PS5 import support.
Use USB as a PS3 backup
- Connect a compatible USB mass-storage device to the PS3.
- Open the PS3 saved-data utility and select the save you want to preserve.
- Choose Copy, select the USB device and wait for the operation to complete.
- Leave the original save on the PS3 until you have checked the USB copy and confirmed that the destination system recognizes it.
Menus and copy permissions can vary by game. Some protected saves may not offer a normal copy command. A successful export only tells you that the PS3 wrote a backup to USB; it does not change the save’s generation, format or game ID.
Why plugging that USB drive into a PS4 or PS5 is not a conversion
Sony’s PS5 USB instructions concern PS4 saved data. The PS5 storage documentation does not list PS3 saved-data categories, and Sony’s transfer guide does not promise that a PS3 export can be imported and played as a PS4 or PS5 save. Therefore, a USB drive should be treated as a transport or backup medium, not as a converter.
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Do not spend money on an adapter, file manager or converter solely on the assumption that it will make a PS3 save appear in a newer console. The console-level documentation establishes no general PS3-to-PS4/PS5 workflow. If a particular game supports an import, that feature must come from the game’s own developer or publisher documentation.
PS3 save to PS4 or PS5: the practical decision path
If your goal is to continue the same game
- Identify the exact game, region and release. A PS3 disc, a digital edition, a remaster and a remake can use different save structures.
- Search the game’s official support page or manual for terms such as save import, cross-save, cross-progression or transfer from PS3.
- Check whether the feature requires a one-time in-game upload, an account link, a server that is still operating or ownership of both versions.
- Keep the original PS3 save and a separate USB backup until the newer release has loaded the imported progress.
If no title-specific instruction exists, there is no Sony-documented general procedure to follow. The absence of a console-level method does not prove that every individual game is impossible; it means the answer depends on that game’s implementation rather than on the PS4 or PS5 operating system.
If your goal is simply to preserve the save
Copy the PS3 save to USB using the PS3’s own saved-data utility and keep the original console or a compatible PS3 available. Label the backup with the game name, region and date. Do not rename folders or files unless the game’s official instructions explicitly require it, because changing the structure can make a backup unusable on PS3.
Supported PS4-to-PS5 methods
These methods apply to PS4 saves, not PS3 saves. Use whichever matches your equipment and subscription status.
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Method 1: Transfer over the same network
Sony says a PS4’s data can be transferred to a PS5 over the same network. This is the broadest option when both consoles are available.
- Update both consoles to current system software and sign in with the account that owns the saves.
- Connect the PS4 and PS5 to the same local network. A wired connection is preferable when available, but Sony’s transfer process is network-based.
- On the PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to select the detected PS4 and choose the data to transfer.
- Keep both consoles powered on and connected until the PS5 reports completion. Do not disconnect the network or turn off either console during the transfer.
Sony’s official instructions are at Transfer data from a PS4 console or PS5 console to your PS5 console. The page’s quoted scope is explicit: You can transfer (copy) data from a PlayStation®4 console or another PlayStation®5 console to your PS5™ console.
Method 2: Copy PS4 saves to USB, then import them on PS5
This method is useful when the consoles cannot be on the same network or when you want a physical backup. Sony cautions that not all USB devices work with PS5, so use a reliable, compatible mass-storage device and keep the original PS4 save until the import is verified.
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- On the PS4, connect the USB device and open Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device.
- Select the PS4 game saves and start the copy. Leave the files in the folder structure created by the console.
- Eject the USB device safely and connect it to the PS5.
- On the PS5, open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > USB Drive.
- Select Copy to Console Storage, choose the saves and confirm.
- Start the PS4 version of the game on PS5 and check the loaded progress.
This workflow is for PS4 saved data. It does not make a PS3 export eligible for the PS5’s PS4-save import screen. Sony’s storage guide is the reference for the categories and USB behavior: How to manage PS5 console storage space.
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Method 3: PlayStation Plus cloud storage
Cloud storage requires an active PlayStation Plus subscription. Upload the PS4 save from the PS4, then manually download it to PS5 console storage; the save does not automatically become local merely because both consoles use the same account.
- On the PS4, sign in to the account that owns the save and open Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage.
- Select the game and save files, then wait for the upload to finish.
- On the PS5, sign in to the same PlayStation Network account.
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage.
- Choose Download to Console Storage, select the save and confirm.
- Launch the PS4 game on PS5 and verify the progress before deleting any local copy.
Sony’s current cloud-storage page lists up to 100 GB of PS4 saved data, up to 100 GB of PS5 saved data and a maximum of 1,000 PS4 save files. Those are published service limits and may change. See PlayStation Plus cloud storage for PS5 consoles for the current requirements.
Important USB and cloud limitations
- PS5 saves are not copied to USB. Sony states,
You can’t copy PS5 saved data from your PS5 console to a USB drive.
Use PlayStation Plus cloud storage or the console’s own transfer options for PS5-native saves. - PS4 and PS5 save categories are separate. When importing a PS4 save on PS5, choose the PS4 category. A PS5 version of a game may still require its own conversion or may not accept the PS4 save.
- Cloud storage is account-bound. Upload and download with the same PlayStation Network account. A different account will not normally see the first account’s cloud saves.
- Storage capacity is not a success guarantee. The 100 GB figures and 1,000-file limit describe service allowances, not the number of saves that will migrate successfully.
- USB compatibility is not universal. Sony warns that not every USB device works with PS5. If the device is not detected, try a different compatible drive rather than modifying the save folders.
When a remaster or re-release may read an old save
Console generations do not determine save compatibility by themselves. A remaster can include an importer, offer cloud-based cross-progression, or start with a completely new save system. A digital re-release may use the same underlying game, but that is not a promise that it reads a disc-era save.
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- the exact source platform, such as PS3 or PS4;
- the exact destination edition, including remaster, remake or subscription version;
- regional and disc-versus-digital restrictions;
- whether the import is one-time, manual or tied to an online account;
- whether trophies, downloadable content or patches affect the process;
- where the imported file must be placed and how the game detects it.
If the game’s documentation is silent, keep playing on the original platform or retain the old console as the reliable way to access that progress. Do not treat a successful PS3 USB backup as proof that a newer edition will recognize it.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The PS3 does not detect the PS2 card or adapter
- Power down and reconnect the adapter firmly, then test another USB port.
- Inspect the card and adapter contacts for dirt or physical damage.
- Confirm that the accessory is a PS2 memory-card adapter rather than a generic card reader.
- Try another known-good card if available. A failed card can look like an adapter problem.
If the adapter remains invisible, do not format the card or repeatedly write to it. The adapter is a legacy accessory, and its condition and compatibility matter more than the PS4/PS5 settings.
The save copied to PS3 but the game will not load it
- Verify that the PS3 model supports the PS2 game. Sony’s CECHL01 warning demonstrates that storage copy and software playback are separate capabilities.
- Confirm that you copied the correct game save rather than a similarly named file.
- Check region and release differences, especially when the disc and digital versions are from different markets.
- Test the original card on compatible hardware if possible. A damaged source save may copy successfully but fail in-game.
The PS5 does not show a PS3 USB save
This is expected under Sony’s documented categories. The PS5 USB import workflow is for PS4 saves, not a general PS3-save reader. Return the drive to the PS3 and preserve the backup; then look for a game-specific importer instead of changing filenames or folders.
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A PS4 save is missing from PS5 cloud storage
- Sign in to the same PlayStation Network account used for the upload.
- Confirm that the PS4 completed the upload rather than merely starting it.
- On PS5, open the PS4 cloud-save category and choose Download to Console Storage; do not look only in the PS5-save category.
- Check the cloud quota and file-count limits listed by Sony if uploads fail.
Network transfer stops or takes too long
- Keep both consoles on the same network and powered on.
- Prefer a wired connection where practical and avoid interrupting the router during the transfer.
- If the transfer repeatedly fails, use the PS4-to-USB method or cloud storage instead.
- Keep the source console and its saves intact until the PS5 copy has been tested.
Which method should you choose?
| Your situation | Best-supported action | Dependency |
|---|---|---|
| PS2 card and a PS3 that can run the game | Use the dedicated PS2 memory-card adapter and copy the save to PS3 internal storage. | Compatible PS3 model, working adapter and original card. |
| PS2 card but no compatible PS3 | Preserve the card and locate a compatible PS3 before attempting a copy. | Adapter alone does not provide a PS4/PS5 import. |
| PS3 save and a PS4/PS5 | Check the exact game for an official import or cross-progression feature. | No general Sony console-transfer path is documented. |
| PS4 save and both consoles available | Use PS5 Data Transfer over the same network. | Both consoles, current software and a shared network. |
| PS4 save with no convenient network transfer | Copy the PS4 save to USB and import it through the PS5 PS4-save menu. | Compatible USB storage and an intact PS4 save. |
| PS4 save with PlayStation Plus | Upload on PS4, then manually download to PS5 console storage. | PlayStation Plus, same account and available cloud space. |
Protect the original save before experimenting
- Make the earliest copy first: leave the PS2 card or PS3 internal save untouched.
- Create a second backup when the platform supports it, such as a PS3 USB copy or PS4 USB/cloud copy.
- Record the game title, region, edition and save date so similarly named files are not confused.
- Test the destination copy before deleting or replacing the source.
- Do not rename folders, edit files or use unofficial conversion software unless the game’s official instructions specifically require it and you understand the risk.
The reliable boundary is straightforward: PS2 card saves can be copied into the internal storage of certain PS3 systems; PS3 USB exports remain PS3 backups unless a particular game supplies its own importer; PS4 saves have documented PS5 migration methods. Start with the exact game and console model, then choose the supported path that matches them.
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