If you get a new one PlayStation 5 then you probably have a PlayStation 4 with some descriptions set up as well – and switching over your PS4 games to your new PS5 isn’t hard to do. You can continue the games on your new console almost immediately, but here we will explain the steps you need to take first.
A first note about reverse compatibility: Sony says The “vast majority” of PS4 games will run on PS5, with “selected” games benefiting from higher or finer frame rates. At the same time, Sony acknowledges that you may experience “errors or unexpected behavior” when playing PS4 games on PS5.
As for the controllers, you can use either PS4 DualShock or PS5 DualSense to play your PS4 titles on PlayStation 5, whichever you feel most comfortable with (you can’t use your old DualShock with your new PS5 games).
When it comes to PlayStation VR, it’s a little more complicated. The vast majority of games will work, but you’ll also need to go over your PlayStation camera on your PS4 and ask a free room adapter for PS5 from Sony.
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For PS4 games that you have purchased on the disc, you can insert the same disc into the PS5 (unless it is digital edition), access Games screen, and starts and runs – although you may need to download an update first. In some cases (like No Man’s Sky, which I presented in a screenshot on this page), you will receive a free PS5 update to download and install. For digital titles, you can download them again on PS5 from Game library section under games.
Another potentially faster option, depending on the number of games you have, is to move your PS4 games to PS5 on an external hard drive: it’s probably a more attractive method if you already have a lot of titles stored on an external drive from your old console or you don’t want to take up a lot of disk space on your new console with old games or maybe both.
If you haven’t set up an external hard drive on your PS4 yet, once connected, go to settings, Instruments, and USB storage devices: Select the unit, then choose Formats as extended storage and confirm your choice. The games will then be installed by default on the external drive – you can change this by accessing settings then Storage, selecting System storage, and pressing choice button.
You can move games from internal PS4 storage to external hard drive – ready to be played on PS5 – by accessing settings and Storage, then selecting System storage and Applications. Choose your game, tap choice, then choose Switch to extended storage. Select the games to move, then choose Motion.
Once you’ve done that, the external hard drive simply needs to be connected to a USB port on the back of the PlayStation 5, and PS4 titles will appear when you access them. Game library page below Games (When it comes to disc-based games, you’ll also need a disc). For many users, this will be the fastest and easiest way to get started with older PS4 games.
You can also use the local network to transfer titles between PS4 and PS5. This will be suggested during the PlayStation 5 setup process, but you can do so after that: You must be connected to the same wifi network and the same PlayStation account on both consoles to get started, then you need to open settings on PS5 and choose System, System program and Data transfer. To greatly speed up the process, you can connect your consoles with an Ethernet cable.
Finally, there is data to save the game – it can be moved using the data transfer process I just described, either when you first set up PlayStation 5 or later. Saved data can also be synchronized to the cloud (PlayStation Plus) or an external USB drive: Choose settings, Application data management, Data saved in system storage, and then either Upload to online storage or Copy to the USB storage device on PS4 to do this.
Back on the PS5, after connecting to the PlayStation Plus or connecting the USB storage device as needed, go to settings, Saved data and game / application settings, and then Saved data (PS4) to see the cloud and local options. Most saved PS4 data should work on the PS5, although in the end it’s up to the game developer – the saved data may not be transferred, even if the game itself works.