As an avid PlayStation fan from the very first console, few things excite me more than a new generation launch. The PS5 in particular represents a monumental leap over its predecessor, the PS4. Blazing-fast load times, ray tracing graphics, 4K gaming – this feels like the future!
However, with such major hardware changes comes a big challenge: transporting all your existing PS4 data to the new system. Without properly transferring your game saves, profiles, and downloads, it‘s almost like starting your PlayStation gaming life over from scratch. All that hard-earned progress lost!
Not to worry – I‘ve upgraded from every Sony console on launch week, keeping my data intact each time. Follow my complete walkthrough to seamlessly migrate your PS4 content to PS5. It‘s easier than you might think!
Why Upgrading Users Need This PS4 to PS5 Data Transfer Guide
Sony made smart improvements to ease the transition from PS4 to next-gen:
- Both consoles now use the same account system and online storage
- Game discs from PS4 play directly in PS5 hardware
However, all your installed games, DLC content, save files, settings, and user profiles do NOT automatically carry over between console generations. Without manually moving them, you’ll feel like you just unboxed your first PlayStation again!
Over 116 million PS4 consoles have been sold as of January 2021 according to Sony:
[table] | Year | PS4 Units Sold ||-|-|
| 2014 | 14.4 million |
| 2015 | 17.7 million |
| 2016 | 20 million |
| 2017 | 19 million |
| 2018 | 17.8 million |
| 2019 | 13.6 million |
| 2020 | TK million |
| 2021 | TK million |
[/table]
That’s a lot of gaming data in the wild that users probably want to keep! Game save files alone can reflect hundreds of hours of playtime and progress.
This guide aims to help quantify what transfers, provide step-by-step setup instructions, and answer common questions on moving your PS4 life to PlayStation 5. Let‘s dive in!
Equipment You’ll Need
To complete the PS4 to PS5 transfer, you’ll need:
- PlayStation 4 console
- PlayStation 5 console
- HDMI cable (both consoles)
- Ethernet cable (recommended) or WiFi connection to same network
Here are the transfer speed comparisons when using wired versus wireless connections:
[table] | Connection Type | Transfer Speed Estimate ||-|-|
| Ethernet cable (Cat 6 or newer) | Up to 950 Mb/s |
| WiFi connection (802.11ac) | Up to 400 Mb/s |
[/table]
I highly recommend investing in a reliable, newer-generation ethernet cable for smoothest data transfers…
