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To carry a PS4 RPG save into the native PS5 version, you usually need to do two separate things: copy the PS4 save onto your PS5, then use that game’s own import or carry-over feature. Sony’s console tools handle the first step; only the game’s developer can provide the second. Copying a save alone does not guarantee the PS5 edition will recognize it. If you only want to keep playing the PS4 edition on PS5, backward compatibility can use the save once it is on the console.
What do you need to transfer an RPG save from PS4 to PS5?
First identify which version you want to play. A PS5 can run many PS4 games through backward compatibility, but the PS4 and native PS5 editions of a game are generally treated as separate titles. That means the system can copy your PS4 save without converting it for the PS5 edition.
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The process therefore has two layers:
- Move the PS4 save to the PS5. Use console-to-console Data Transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or a USB flash drive.
- Import it into the PS5 edition. Open the RPG’s own import, carry-over, or data-convert feature, if its developer provides one.
If the developer has not built a conversion path, the PS4 save may remain usable only with the PS4 version. Dovetail Games explained in a support article updated 16 September 2025 that Sony does not provide a general native method for moving a PS4 game save directly into that game’s PS5 version. Compatibility is a game-by-game decision, not something guaranteed by copying the file to the new console.
Which transfer method should you use?
Choose based on whether the PS4 is available, whether you need to move more than saves, and whether you have PlayStation Plus. All three methods below move a PS4 save onto the PS5; none can substitute for a game-specific import step.
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| Method | What moves | What you need | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 Data Transfer | PS4 saves and PS5-playable games; during PS5 initial setup, it can also move user/account information and console settings | Both consoles powered on, on the same network, using the same PlayStation Network account for the save | The PS4 is available and you want to move saves or eligible game installs together |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Saved data | An active PlayStation Plus membership and a save previously uploaded to cloud storage | The PS4 is unavailable now, but its latest save was uploaded earlier |
| USB flash drive | PS4 saved data | A compatible USB flash drive; no PlayStation Plus membership | You want an offline, saves-only copy and can still use the PS4 |
Sony’s support instructions, retrieved 29 October 2026, say that a LAN cable can make a console-to-console transfer faster when the consoles usually connect wirelessly. For a saves-only job, USB or cloud storage is often simpler; moving a large set of game installs is the part that can take considerably longer. Sony does not publish a cloud storage quota in the support information cited here, so do not rely on unofficial claims about a specific number of gigabytes or save slots.
How do you prepare both consoles?
Before using Data Transfer or USB, make sure the PS4 save is associated with the account you will use on the PS5. Sony’s instructions require the same account for a clean transfer. Cloud storage also depends on the correct account and an earlier upload of the save you need.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Sign in with the same PlayStation Network account. If the consoles use different accounts, the save will not simply become available to the other account.
- Update both consoles’ system software. Sony recommends the latest version before transfer.
- Sync trophy information on the PS4. Visit the trophy screen and sync with PlayStation Network; on PS4, the Options menu includes “Sync with PlayStation Network.”
- For Data Transfer, connect both consoles to the same network and keep them powered on. Wi-Fi works. If both are wireless, Sony says a commercially available LAN cable, sold separately, can make the transfer faster. If both are already wired to the router, a direct console-to-console cable is not necessary.
- Do not interrupt Data Transfer. Sony warns that turning off either console or changing network settings, including running an internet connection test, during the transfer may damage or lose data.
Data Transfer copies eligible data; it does not erase the source PS4. Still, do not initialise or sell the PS4 until you have confirmed the save works where you intend to use it. Sony also notes that login passcodes transfer, so you may need to enter the same passcode on the destination console.
How do you use PS5 Data Transfer?
Data Transfer is the most complete option when the PS4 is available. It can move PS4 saves and PS5-playable game installs; what else it can move depends on whether you run it during the PS5’s initial setup or afterward.
During the PS5’s first-time setup
- Keep the PS4 on, signed in to the account that owns the save, and connected to the same network as the PS5.
- During the PS5 setup screens, choose the data-transfer option and follow the prompts to find the source console.
- Select the eligible saved data and games you want to copy, then start the transfer.
During initial setup, Sony’s transfer table says a PS4 can send user and account information for users who have signed in on that PS4, saved data for games playable on PS5, PS5-playable games, and some console settings such as language, login, and power saving. A child account cannot use Data Transfer during the destination PS5’s initial setup. Complete setup for that child account and transfer afterward, or use an adult account for the initial setup and transfer both accounts during that process.
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After PS5 setup is complete
- Turn on the PS4 and leave it ready to respond to the PS5’s search.
- On PS5, go to Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue.
- Follow the on-screen prompts. When asked to identify the PS4, press and hold its power button for about one second until it beeps. The console search gives you about five minutes to do this.
- Select the PS4 saved data and any PS5-playable games or apps to copy, then start the transfer.
After setup, a PS4 can send only the logged-in user’s saved data and eligible games; it cannot send account information or console settings. Sony says the PS5 restarts during the transfer. After that restart, the console can be used while remaining game data continues copying. Check Control Center > Downloads/Uploads for progress; a game’s thumbnail appears when it is ready to play.
Data Transfer is not a way to retrieve every file from a PS4. It transfers saved data for games playable on PS5, and it does not pull data stored in extended storage. Any game or save data already on the destination is skipped. If you also have PS4 game installs on a USB extended-storage drive, see the section below: moving that drive is separate from copying the RPG save.
How do you transfer a save with PlayStation Plus cloud storage?
Use cloud storage if you have an active PlayStation Plus membership and the PS4 uploaded the save before you lost access to that console. A cloud copy does not automatically appear in the PS5’s console storage or import itself into a game; you must download it first.
Upload the PS4 save
- On PS4, go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage.
- Select the RPG, then choose the save file or files to upload. To select several applications together, the Options menu includes Select Multiple Applications.
- If automatic uploads are enabled, check Online Storage anyway and make sure the most recent save you need is there. An older cloud copy may not contain your latest progress.
Download it on PS5
- On PS5, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Cloud Storage > Download to Console Storage.
- Select the RPG’s save and download it.
- Launch the PS4 version of the RPG to confirm the save is available, or continue to the game-specific import step if your goal is the native PS5 version.
If the PS4 is already packed away or will not power on, cloud storage is useful only if the needed save was uploaded beforehand. A PlayStation Plus membership by itself cannot retrieve a save that never reached the cloud.
How do you transfer a PS4 save with a USB flash drive?
A regular USB flash drive provides a saves-only path without a PlayStation Plus membership. It must be a flash drive suitable for file storage, not a drive formatted as PS4 or PS5 extended storage for game installations.
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Copy the save from PS4
- Connect the USB flash drive to the PS4. If the console asks for a compatible format, exFAT may be required.
- Go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device.
- Select the RPG and the saved data to copy.
- When finished, safely eject the drive through Settings > Devices > USB Storage Devices > Stop Using This USB Storage Device.
Copy the save to PS5
- Connect the flash drive to the PS5.
- Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > USB Drive > Copy to Console Storage.
- Select the RPG’s save and copy it to console storage.
- If the PS4 game is not installed, the save may appear under Non-Installed Game or App; you can still copy it.
Sony allows a copied PS4 save to replace saved data for the same game already on the PS5. Check which version is newer before approving an overwrite. USB does not work for exporting native PS5 saved data: Sony says PS5 saves cannot be copied from the console to a USB drive.
How do you import the save into the RPG’s PS5 version?
After the PS4 save is on the PS5, follow the instructions for the specific RPG. There is no universal Sony menu that converts every PS4 save into a PS5 save.
- Install or upgrade to the RPG’s native PS5 edition, using its PlayStation Store page, disc, or game-hub upgrade prompt as applicable.
- Sign in to the same PlayStation Network account used for the PS4 save.
- Start the PS5 edition and look for the developer’s named option. It may be called Import, Carry Over, DATA CONVERT, or appear as a one-time prompt.
- Follow that game’s instructions. The feature may ask you to open the PS4 edition first, upload the save, then return to PS5 to download or convert it.
- Load the result and confirm recognizable progress, such as your playtime, location, party, or quest state, before deleting the PS4 edition or wiping the old console.
These checks matter because copying the file and importing it are different operations. If the PS5 edition starts a new game, do not assume your save was accepted merely because the file is visible in PS5 settings. Check the RPG’s official support instructions for its current patch requirement and exact menu label; those details can change between updates.
Examples show why the game title matters
Push Square’s free-upgrade list, last updated 25 November 2024, marks save transfer as available for Final Fantasy VII Remake and Nioh 2, but not for Yakuza: Like a Dragon or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition / Anniversary Edition. The same list leaves the save-transfer field unmarked for several other RPGs, including Elden Ring, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Like a Dragon: Ishin. An unmarked field is not proof either way, and the list is not a complete catalogue.
SCARLET NEXUS illustrates a more explicit publisher-specific route. Bandai Namco says the game must be updated to Ver. 1.01 or higher; on the PS4 title screen, select DATA CONVERT to upload, then select DATA CONVERT on the PS5 title screen to download. That action overwrites an existing PS5 save, and progress cannot be carried back from PS5 to PS4. Do not apply those steps to another RPG unless its own instructions say to do so.
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Can you keep playing the PS4 version on PS5?
Yes, when the game is playable on PS5 through backward compatibility and its PS4 save has been copied to PS5 storage. The PS4 edition can load that PS4-format save without converting it into a native PS5 save. This is a practical fallback when the RPG has no PS5 import feature, or when you want to keep your existing progress intact while checking the PS5 edition’s options.
Make sure you launch the PS4 edition, not the separate PS5 edition. The console can have both versions installed, and the native PS5 game may not see the PS4 save unless its developer built an import path. The PS4 edition and PS5 edition can also behave like separate entries in your library, even when their names and cover art look nearly identical.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can go wrong during a PS4-to-PS5 save transfer?
Most problems come from choosing the wrong account, expecting the copy step to perform the game-specific conversion, or overwriting the save you meant to keep. Use these checks before trying again.
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- The PS5 cannot find the PS4: confirm both consoles are powered on and connected to the same network. For Data Transfer after setup, use the PS4 power-button prompt within the search window.
- The save is missing: check that you signed in to the account that created it, selected the correct RPG, and copied the saved-data file rather than only moving a game installation.
- The cloud download is old: inspect Online Storage on PS4 before relying on it. Automatic upload is not proof that the latest save was uploaded.
- The USB drive is not accepted: use a regular flash drive rather than a drive set up as extended storage. If needed, format a compatible flash drive as exFAT, understanding that formatting erases its existing contents.
- The PS5 edition starts without your progress: verify that the PS4 save is in PS5 console storage, then check whether the RPG has a separate in-game upload/import step and any minimum patch requirement.
- The destination has a save already: pause before replacing it. Compare which save contains the progress you want, because USB copying can replace the same game’s existing PS5-side PS4 save, and some in-game conversion tools overwrite a PS5 save.
- The transfer was interrupted: do not turn off either console during a Data Transfer. Sony warns that interruption may damage or lose data; check the source and destination saves before making another copy.
Does moving a USB extended-storage drive move the save?
No. A USB extended-storage drive can help move PS4 game installations, but it does not replace the save-transfer methods above. How-To Geek notes that a drive containing PS4 game installs can be connected to PS5 so those games appear in the library; Sony also supports connecting source-console USB extended storage to the destination to access game data.
For the RPG’s saved data, separately use Data Transfer, cloud storage, or a regular USB flash drive. A USB drive used as extended storage for game installs is not the regular flash drive path for copying PS4 saves. If you are also moving an M.2 SSD between PS5 consoles, Sony treats that as game-data access, not as a way to convert a PS4 RPG save.
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When is it safe to delete the PS4 edition or reset the old console?
Wait until you have opened the exact edition you plan to play and confirmed the expected progress is present. For a native PS5 edition, that means verifying both that the PS4 save reached PS5 storage and that the game’s own conversion succeeded. If you still need the PS4 edition for another transfer attempt, keep it installed and preserve the original PS4 until the new save is confirmed.
Be especially careful with one-time carry-over systems. Square Enix support pages demonstrate that rules can vary even within one publisher: one support answer says a save can be carried over once and that later progress made in the PS4 edition will not flow back to PS5; a separate support answer says saves are not compatible between the consoles. Because those pages do not identify the game in their article text, they should not be generalized to every Square Enix RPG. Check the support page for your exact title before converting.
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The methods above are the official PS4-save routes described by Sony: Data Transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, and USB copying. They are presented by what they move, what access they require, and whether they need the PS4 to be available at transfer time. In-game import instructions and examples are separated because those depend on the RPG’s developer rather than a universal PS5 system feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer my save if my PS4 is broken?
Only if a usable copy already exists elsewhere, most commonly in PlayStation Plus cloud storage from an earlier upload. If the only copy was on the broken console and it cannot be accessed, the methods here cannot retrieve it.
Can I use the same PS4 save on two PS5 consoles?
Sony’s Data Transfer instructions say data can be transferred from one PS4 or PS5 source console to one PS5 destination console. For keeping saves synchronized across consoles after that, check the game’s save behavior and the cloud options available to your account.
Can I move a save back from the PS5 version to the PS4 version?
There is no general system-level conversion path in either direction; reverse compatibility depends on the game. For example, Bandai Namco states that SCARLET NEXUS saves cannot be carried from PS5 back to PS4.
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Will upgrading to the PS5 version delete my PS4 save?
A PS4-to-PS5 copy normally leaves the source save on the PS4, but a game’s own conversion may overwrite an existing save on the PS5. Preserve the original and read the title-specific prompt before confirming any replacement.
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