The most complete method is PS5’s built-in Data Transfer. Keep the old PS4 or PS5 available, sign in to the same account on both consoles, update the source console, connect both systems to the same network, and start Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer on the replacement PS5. A LAN cable is optional; Wi‑Fi works, while Ethernet can improve speed. You can run the transfer during first-time setup or after setup.
Game installations and saved data are separate. Digital games can be downloaded again from your library, disc games can be reinstalled from their discs, and games on compatible USB extended storage or an M.2 SSD can be made available through those drives. PS4 saves can be copied with USB, but Sony does not allow copying individual PS5 saves from the console to a USB drive. PlayStation Plus cloud storage and a full PS5 USB backup are alternative save-recovery routes.
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These instructions reflect Sony’s English-language support guidance accessed October 13, 2026. Menus, account features and service availability can differ by country and system-software version.
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Do these checks while the old console still works. They prevent the most common causes of missing saves, unavailable accounts or an interrupted transfer.
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Use the same PlayStation account
Sign in on the replacement PS5 with the account you used on the old console. If you plan to restore a USB backup, the replacement must use the same account associated with that backup. A direct transfer can include account and user information, but it does not make an unrelated account the owner of another account’s purchases or saves.
Update the source console and synchronize trophies
Install the latest system software on the old PS4 or PS5. Open the trophies area and let synchronization finish before transferring or creating a backup. Trophies are not included in a PS5 USB backup, so synchronization is the way to preserve their online record.
Put both consoles on the same network
Wi‑Fi is sufficient. If both consoles normally use Wi‑Fi and you want a faster direct transfer, connect each one with an Ethernet LAN cable to the same router or network. Sony says a separate cable joining the two consoles is unnecessary when both are already wired to the network. Do not change network settings while the transfer is running.
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Prepare power, display and storage
- Keep both consoles powered on for the entire transfer and connect them to reliable power.
- Connect the included HDMI cable to the replacement PS5. Sony says the source console does not need to remain connected to a TV.
- If you use USB extended storage, label which drive came from the old console and eject it normally before disconnecting it.
- Do not initialize, reset or sell the old console until you have checked the replacement for the accounts, saves and games you need.
Start Data Transfer during PS5 setup
When the replacement PS5 is going through its first-time setup, follow the on-screen transfer stage. Turn on the old console when prompted, keep both systems on the same network and approve the transfer on the source console. The destination PS5 restarts during the process. Some game data can continue transferring after the initial restart; the Downloads/Uploads panel in Control Center shows activity.
The process copies only data supported by the source-console type and the point at which you start it. Existing data on the destination is not copied over the old data. Allow the consoles to finish before opening games, changing network settings or shutting either system down.
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Start Data Transfer after setup is complete
- Turn on the old PS4 or PS5 and leave it connected to the same network as the replacement.
- On the replacement PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
- Select Continue, follow the prompts and approve the connection on the source console.
- Leave both systems powered on. The replacement restarts, and remaining game data may continue in the background.
- Open Control Center and choose Downloads/Uploads to monitor progress. Verify saves by launching the relevant games only after the transfer has completed.
Sony’s official procedure and source-specific eligibility are documented at Transfer data from a PS4 console or PS5 console to your PS5 console.
What transfers from a PS5 versus a PS4?
The source generation and whether the replacement has already been set up change what Sony lists as transferable. The table describes the practical distinction.
| Source console | When transfer starts | Data Sony lists as transferable | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | During initial setup | User and account information for all users, compatible saved data, screenshots and video clips, PS5-playable games, and console settings | Data already on the destination is not transferred over. |
| PS5 | After setup | User and account information for all users, compatible saved data, screenshots and video clips, PS5-playable games, and console settings | The replacement must already be signed in and connected to the source. |
| PS4 | During initial setup | User and account information for users who signed in on that PS4, compatible saved data, PS4 game data and console settings | Account and settings transfer is tied to the initial setup flow. |
| PS4 | After setup | PS4 game data and compatible saved data | Only the user currently signed in on the destination is eligible for the post-setup save transfer; Sony does not list PS4 user/account information or settings for this timing. |
“Compatible” matters: a title, save or capture may not be transferable in every combination of console generation and software version. Check the replacement after the process instead of assuming that every item visible on the old console was copied.
If direct transfer is unavailable
A broken source console, a completed setup with an ineligible account, or a network problem does not necessarily mean your purchases are lost. Choose a route based on the type of data you need.
Redownload digital games
Sign in to the purchasing account on the replacement PS5, open your game library and download the titles again. This restores the installation from Sony’s servers, but it does not by itself restore a save that was never transferred, uploaded to cloud storage or included in a backup.
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Reinstall disc games
Insert each game disc into the replacement. The console installs the game data from the disc and normally requires the disc whenever you play. This route requires the original disc and a PS5 model with a disc drive; a digital-only console cannot read it.
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Reconnect a USB extended-storage drive
Connect the old console’s compatible USB extended-storage drive to the replacement PS5. PS4 games stored there can be played directly from the drive. PS5 games stored on USB extended storage must be copied to console storage or a compatible M.2 SSD before they can be played. Sony’s current storage guidance lists USB external-drive capacities from 250 GB minimum to 8 TB maximum; not every USB device is compatible.
Do not confuse this drive with the USB device used for a full PS5 backup. The two uses have different formatting and requirements.
Move a compatible M.2 SSD
An M.2 SSD installed in the old PS5 can be moved to the replacement if the drive meets Sony’s compatibility requirements and is installed according to the console’s instructions. Compatible M.2 storage can run PS5 games. Do not assume that any M.2 drive will work, and do not remove it while the source console is powered on.
Sony’s storage capacities and behavior are described in Storage solutions for PS5 & PS4.
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- Excellent Anti-interference: The ethernet cable comes with 4 shielded foiled twisted pairs (F/FTP), pure copper core and gold-plated RJ45 connector, reducing interference, noise and crosstalk, making network speed faster and more stable
- Marvelous Durability: Internet cable wrapped with quality cotton braided cord, which makes the LAN cable stronger and more durable. The test proves that this internet cable can be bent at least 10000 times without broken, very suitable for long-term use
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Recover saved data separately
PlayStation Plus cloud saves
PlayStation Plus cloud storage requires a membership. On the replacement, sign in to the same account, open the saved-data controls and download the desired saves from cloud storage. This works only for saves that had already uploaded successfully; the available list and date are the authority for what can be recovered. If the old console still works, check that the latest save has synchronized before you replace it.
Sony explains the storage requirement in How to manage PS5 console storage space.
Copy PS4 saves with a USB drive
PS4 saved data can be copied to a USB drive on the old console and then copied to the PS5 through the saved-data settings. Use a compatible USB storage device and keep the account that created the save available on the destination. This method is for PS4 saves; it is not a way to extract individual PS5 saves.
Understand the PS5 USB-save restriction
Sony’s rule is explicit: “You can’t copy PS5 saved data from your PS5 console to a USB drive.” A normal file-copy operation therefore cannot selectively move a PS5 save. Use direct Data Transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage or a complete PS5 backup instead.
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A full backup is useful when the old PS5 is still operating but direct transfer is impractical. It is not an equivalent to picking individual PS5 save files, and restoring it replaces the destination’s current contents.
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Create the backup
- Prepare a USB storage device formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. The USB extended-storage drive used for installed games is a different format and cannot hold this backup.
- On the old PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5.
- Select the data categories offered on screen and start the backup. Keep the console powered on until it reports completion.
- Synchronize trophies separately before starting; trophies are not included in the backup.
The backup can include saved data and console information, but games and apps stored on USB extended storage or an M.2 SSD are excluded. Plan to reconnect those drives or redownload and reinstall those games afterward. Sony’s backup instructions are at How to back up and restore PS5 console data.
Restore onto the replacement
- Install the same or a newer system-software version on the replacement than the version used when the backup was created.
- Sign in with the same PlayStation account associated with the backup.
- Connect the backup USB device and open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Restore Your PS5.
- Select the backup and confirm. Sony warns: “When restoring data, your PS5 console will erase all data saved on your console.”
- After the restart, reconnect any game-storage drives, download excluded games and enable Console Sharing and Offline Play again if necessary.
Copy anything important off the replacement before restoring. A restore is an all-or-nothing replacement of the destination’s current data, not a merge that preserves both consoles.
Choose the right route
| Your situation | Best-supported route | What it preserves or requires |
|---|---|---|
| Both consoles work and are nearby | Direct Data Transfer | Copies supported users, saves, captures, games and settings according to the source and timing. |
| Old console works, but network transfer is unsuitable | Full PS5 USB backup and restore | Includes backup data such as saves, but restore erases the replacement’s current data. |
| Only PS4 saves are needed | USB save copy or cloud storage | PS4 saves can use USB; cloud storage requires PlayStation Plus. |
| PS5 saves were uploaded previously | PlayStation Plus cloud download | Requires the same account, membership and a save that actually reached cloud storage. |
| Games are the priority | Redownload, reinstall from disc, reconnect USB storage or move an M.2 SSD | Installation and save recovery are separate tasks. |
| Old console will not power on | Redownload purchases, use existing cloud saves or reconnect storage | Unsynchronized local saves cannot be recovered through direct transfer. |
Child accounts and transfer safety
Sony says a child account cannot transfer during the destination’s initial setup when that child account is being used for setup. You have two options: finish the child’s setup and transfer afterward, or use an adult account for initial setup and transfer both accounts during the initial process.
During any transfer, do not turn off either console, change network settings or run internet-connection tests. Sony warns that these actions can cause data damage or loss. If the process stops, leave both systems powered on long enough to confirm whether it resumes, then check Downloads/Uploads and the destination’s storage before attempting another method. Do not repeatedly initialize the source while troubleshooting; that can destroy the only local copy of a save.
Quick Recap
After the transfer: verification checklist
- Sign in to every account that should exist on the replacement and check the user list.
- Open the game library and confirm digital purchases are available for download.
- Insert a disc and verify installation if you rely on physical games.
- Launch a few important games and inspect their save dates before deleting anything from the old console.
- Check screenshots and clips if those were part of the transfer.
- Reconnect USB extended storage or the compatible M.2 SSD and confirm that the expected games appear.
- Synchronize trophies if the replacement has not yet done so.
- Re-enable Console Sharing and Offline Play if a restore or account change disabled it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a LAN cable is mandatory: same-network Wi‑Fi works; Ethernet is an optional speed improvement.
- Using a game-storage drive as a backup drive: extended game storage and PS5 backup media serve different purposes and formats.
- Expecting PS5 saves to appear as USB files: Sony blocks copying individual PS5 saves to USB.
- Restoring without checking the destination: a restore erases current replacement-console data.
- Deleting the old console too soon: verify saves, accounts and storage on the replacement first.
- Forgetting the disc requirement: a digital-only PS5 cannot install or authenticate disc games.
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