How to Transfer PS4 Games and Saves to PS5
A calm, step-by-step walkthrough for moving your PS4 library and save data to PS5 — over Wi-Fi, LAN cable, USB, or the cloud, plus how the free upgrades work.
If you're moving from a PS4 to a PS5, you don't have to start over. The console is built to bring your library and your progress with you, and to transfer PS4 games and saves to PS5 you have several routes — a full data transfer during setup, USB drives, and PS Plus cloud saves — each suited to a different situation. This guide walks through all of them in plain terms, with the exact menu paths, so you can pick the fastest option for your setup and know that nothing important gets left behind.
Two things move separately: a game's installed files and your save data are different items. You can copy one without the other. That's why this guide splits them — get the games across first, then make sure every save has followed. A save is the one thing you genuinely can't re-download, so treat it as the priority.
Before you transfer PS4 games and saves to PS5: what needs to move
Not everything needs transferring, and knowing that saves time. Digital PS4 games are tied to your account, so they're already waiting in your library on the new console — you can simply re-download them and skip moving the files entirely. The main reasons to do a proper transfer are speed (copying over a cable beats re-downloading a big library on a slow connection) and save data, which is the part that truly needs to come with you.
Have both consoles on the same network and signed into the same PlayStation Network account. If you plan to keep playing on the PS4 too, that's fine — transferring copies data rather than wiping the source. Make sure the PS5 has enough free space for what you're bringing over; if it's tight, our guide to freeing up PS5 storage covers what's safe to clear first.
Data transfer during PS5 setup (Wi-Fi or LAN cable)
The cleanest way to move a whole PS4 library at once is the built-in Data Transfer tool. It copies installed games, apps, saved data, and settings from PS4 to PS5 in one pass. You'll be offered it during initial PS5 setup, but you can also run it later from Settings → System → System Software → Data Transfer.
To use it, both consoles must be powered on, signed into the same account, and connected to the same network. Then:
- On the PS5, open Data Transfer and follow the prompts. It will look for your PS4.
- On the PS4, press and hold the power button for about one second when asked, to confirm the link between the two consoles.
- Choose what to transfer — you can select individual games and data groups rather than everything — and start the copy.
Speed depends entirely on your connection. Over Wi-Fi a large library can take a long time, so if you can, connect both consoles to your router with LAN (Ethernet) cables for the transfer — a wired link is dramatically faster and far more reliable for moving hundreds of gigabytes. Leave both consoles alone until it finishes; you can delete anything you didn't want afterwards.
A LAN-cable transfer moves a large PS4 library far faster than Wi-Fi — it's the single biggest time-saver here.
USB extended storage: the drag-and-drop route
If you'd rather not run a console-to-console transfer, a USB drive is a flexible alternative — and it doubles as long-term storage. This is where a key PS5 rule comes in:
| On a USB extended-storage drive | PS4 games | PS5 games |
|---|---|---|
| Store on the drive | Yes | Yes (archive only) |
| Play directly from the drive | Yes — run straight from USB | No — must copy to internal SSD first |
PS4 games run directly from a USB drive on the PS5, with no downside — so a cheap external drive is an easy way to carry a big backwards-compatible library and play it without filling your internal SSD. To set one up, plug the drive into a rear USB port on the PS5 and format it under Settings → Storage → USB Extended Storage. If you already used that same drive as extended storage on your PS4, you can move it straight across: PS4 games stored on it are ready to play on the PS5.
PS5 games are the exception — they can sit on a USB drive as an archive but cannot run from it, so you'd copy them back to internal storage to play. That's not relevant to a PS4 transfer, but it's worth knowing as you build your library; our storage guide explains the USB-versus-internal-M.2 distinction in full. For the drives and formats that work well, see our PS5 Hardware & Accessories Guide.
Moving your saves: cloud vs. USB copy
Even if you re-download games rather than transfer them, your saves still need to make the jump. There are two ways, and either is fine.
PS Plus cloud saves (any tier)
All PS Plus tiers include cloud storage for saved data, and this is the hands-off option. On the PS4, upload your saves: Settings → Application Saved Data Management → Saved Data in System Storage → Upload to Cloud Storage. Then on the PS5, download them: Settings → Saved Data and Game/App Settings → Saved Data (PS4) → Cloud Storage → Download to Console Storage. Turning on auto-upload on the PS4 means future saves sync without you thinking about it.
USB copy (no subscription needed)
No PS Plus? You can move saves on a USB stick. On the PS4, go to Settings → Application Saved Data Management → Saved Data in System Storage → Copy to USB Storage Device. Plug that drive into the PS5 and import from Settings → Saved Data and Game/App Settings → Saved Data (PS4) → USB Drive → Copy to Console Storage.
One caveat: a handful of games don't allow save transfers between generations, and a few restrict cloud upload. If a specific save won't move, that's the game's own rule, not a fault on your end — check the game's support page on playstation.com.
PS4 to PS5 game upgrades: free vs. paid
Many games sell separate PS4 and PS5 versions, and moving to the newer console is where upgrades matter. There are two situations:
- Free upgrade (dual entitlement): some titles let you upgrade your PS4 copy to the PS5 version at no cost. You'll typically see a PS5 version option on the game's store or library tile — grab it there.
- Paid upgrade: other games charge a fee to move up to the enhanced PS5 edition. Whether an upgrade is free or paid is set by the publisher and varies game to game, so there's no universal rule — check the individual game's store page.
There's one important catch tied to disc vs. digital. If your PS4 game is a disc, claiming its PS5 upgrade — free or paid — requires a PS5 with a disc drive, and you must keep the disc in the console every time you play, because the disc is your proof of ownership. On the all-digital PS5 (no disc drive), disc-based upgrades aren't available; only digital copies qualify. If you own games on disc and are choosing between console models, factor that in — our PS5 versus PS5 Pro comparison covers the disc-drive question alongside the other differences.
Quick answers
- Fastest way to move a big library? Data Transfer with both consoles on LAN cables.
- No time for a full transfer? Re-download digital PS4 games from your library, and move only your saves.
- Want to play PS4 games off an external drive? Use USB extended storage — PS4 games run directly from it.
- No PS Plus? Copy saves via USB; the cloud route needs a subscription.
- Keeping your PS4? Transferring copies your data, so the PS4 stays fully playable.
Once you separate the pieces, it's far less daunting to transfer PS4 games and saves to PS5 than it looks. Bring the games across the way that fits your situation — a wired Data Transfer for a full library, a USB drive for backwards-compatible titles, or a simple re-download for digital games — then confirm every save has followed via the cloud or a USB copy. Finally, claim any PS5 upgrades your games offer, keeping the disc-versus-digital rule in mind. Do those three things in order and your new console will feel like home from the first boot, with your progress intact and nothing left behind on the old machine.
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