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Set up a PS5 Digital Edition by identifying the model, attaching its correct base or feet, connecting HDMI and power, joining the internet, installing system software updates, and signing in to PlayStation. You can transfer games, saves, users, screenshots, clips, and selected settings from a PS4 or another PS5 during first-run setup or later from Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
Use the same PlayStation account on both consoles and connect them to the same network. Keep both systems powered on until the transfer finishes. Digital purchases are available from the destination console’s Game Library, while PS4 game discs cannot be used in a PS5 Digital Edition because it has no disc drive.
What you need before starting
Have these items ready before unpacking the console:
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- The supplied HDMI cable, power cable, and a TV or monitor with an available HDMI input.
- A wired or Wi-Fi internet connection and your PlayStation account credentials.
- If transferring data, the source PS4 or PS5, its power cable, and access to the same local network.
- Optional: a LAN cable if both consoles normally use Wi-Fi and you want a faster console-to-console transfer.
A new external drive is not required for first-time setup or for a network transfer. Add one only if you need more game storage or want to reuse a compatible PS4 extended-storage drive.
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Set up the PS5 Digital Edition
1. Identify the model and attach the base or feet
Check the model number printed on the console and follow the matching base or feet instructions. Sony’s current setup guide explains the model-specific installation: Getting started with your new PlayStation 5 console. Do not assume that the stand arrangement for one PS5 Digital Edition applies to another model group.
2. Connect the display and power
- Plug the supplied HDMI cable into the PS5’s HDMI OUT port and an HDMI input on the TV or monitor.
- Connect the supplied power cable to the console and a suitable wall outlet.
- Turn on the display and select the HDMI input used by the PS5.
- Press the PS5 power button and follow the on-screen setup prompts.
If the display shows no image, confirm that the TV is on the selected input and that both HDMI connections are fully inserted before changing other settings.
3. Connect to the internet and update system software
During setup, select your Wi-Fi network and enter its password, or connect an Ethernet cable if you prefer a wired connection. Install any available system software update. After setup, the update controls are at Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings. Sony says the console prompts you to connect to PlayStation after the software is current.
4. Sign in to PlayStation
Sign in with an existing PlayStation account or create one when prompted. If the PlayStation App is already installed and configured on your phone, Sony provides a phone sign-in option in the setup flow. Use the account that owns your digital purchases; those purchases are tied to the account, not to the old console’s storage.
5. Decide when to transfer
The initial setup wizard offers a data-transfer stage. You can continue without transferring and perform the operation later from system settings. If you are moving from a PS4, the initial flow has broader account and settings transfer options than the later PS4 flow, so transferring during setup may be preferable when you want those items moved.
Prepare both consoles for a transfer
Before opening the transfer menu, complete Sony’s preparation checklist:
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- Sign in to the same PlayStation account on the source and destination consoles.
- Update the source PS4 or PS5 system software.
- Synchronize your trophies on the source console.
- Connect both consoles to the same network. Wi-Fi works.
- Keep both consoles turned on and close enough to maintain a stable connection.
A LAN cable can speed up a transfer when the consoles would otherwise communicate over Wi-Fi. If both consoles are already wired to the same network, Sony says you do not need a separate cable directly between the two consoles.
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The best route depends on whether the source console is available, which type of save you need, and whether you have PlayStation Plus cloud storage.
| Route | What it carries or provides | Source console required? | Network or subscription | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS4/PS5 to PS5 network transfer | Games playable on PS5, supported saves, account or user information, screenshots, video clips, and selected settings, depending on source and timing | Yes | Both consoles on the same network; LAN can be faster than Wi-Fi | Destination data is not transferred over; do not change network settings or run connection tests during the operation |
| Game Library download | Digital games purchased or claimed by the signed-in account | No, once the account owns the game | Internet connection; no PlayStation Plus requirement for owning the game | The game must download again unless its data is supplied through compatible storage |
| PS4 USB extended storage | Existing PS4 game installations, which the PS5 can access directly from the drive | No, after the drive is prepared | No subscription; the drive must meet Sony’s compatibility requirements | PS5 games stored on USB must be moved to internal PS5 storage before they can be played |
| USB copy of PS4 saves | PS4 saved data copied from the PS4 and imported to the PS5 | Usually yes for the initial copy | No subscription | This USB save route applies to PS4 saves; Sony does not support copying PS5 saves from a PS5 console to USB |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Saved data uploaded from the old console and downloaded on the destination | No, after the save has been uploaded | Requires a PlayStation Plus membership and an internet connection | Only saves that were uploaded to cloud storage are available |
Transfer during first-time PS5 setup
Choose the data-transfer option when the setup wizard reaches that stage. The destination PS5 searches for the source console on the same network.
- Turn on the source PS4 or PS5 and leave it at the main screen.
- On the new PS5, select the source console when it appears.
- Follow the prompts to select the users, games, saves, clips, screenshots, and settings that the flow makes available.
- Confirm the transfer and wait. The destination PS5 may restart, and some game data can continue copying after the restart.
Transfer status appears under Downloads/Uploads in Control Center. Leave both consoles powered on. Do not unplug either system, change network settings, or run an internet connection test while the transfer is active; Sony warns that these actions can cause data damage or loss.
Start a transfer after setup
If you skipped transfer during the initial wizard, use this path on the destination PS5:
- Turn on the source PS4 or PS5 and sign in with the account you use on the destination.
- On the destination PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
- Select Continue.
- Follow the prompts to select the source and the available data.
- Monitor progress in Downloads/Uploads in Control Center and wait for completion.
Sony documents this process in Transfer data from a PS4 console or PS5 console to your PS5 console. A transfer is one source console to one destination PS5; it does not merge data from several source consoles in one operation. Content already stored on the destination is not transferred over.
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What transfers from another PS5
When the source is another PS5, Sony lists these transferable categories:
- User and account information.
- Saved data for games playable on PS5.
- Screenshots and video clips.
- Games playable on PS5.
- Certain console settings.
The exact game and save choices shown depend on what is installed and stored on the source. Digital ownership still follows the account, so sign in with the account that purchased the games even if you also copy their installed data.
What transfers from a PS4
During initial setup
For a PS4 source, Sony lists user and account information, supported saved data, games playable on PS5, and certain settings as available during initial setup. Individual PS4 games can have compatibility or feature differences, so check the title in Sony’s compatibility guidance before assuming every game behaves identically on PS5.
After initial setup
In the later PS4 transfer flow, Sony lists only the signed-in user’s PS4 saved data. User and account information and console settings are not listed as transferable in that later path. If those categories matter, use the initial setup transfer instead of postponing it.
Get your digital games on the new console
After signing in, open the PS5’s Game Library, select Your Collection or the relevant library view, choose a title, and select Download. Repeat for games that were not copied during console-to-console transfer. The download may be large, so use a wired connection or allow the console to continue downloading while in Rest Mode if your power and network settings permit it.
A digital license does not guarantee that every PS4 title runs exactly as it did on PS4. Sony maintains a list of PS4 games playable on PS5 at Backward compatibility: PS4 games playable on PS5 consoles; some titles are not playable and some have functionality differences. Check the individual game rather than relying only on its platform label.
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Move saves when a network transfer is not practical
PS4 saves with a USB drive
- On the PS4, copy the required saved data to a USB drive using the PS4 saved-data management controls.
- Safely remove the drive and connect it to the PS5.
- Open the PS5 saved-data settings and copy the PS4 saves from the USB drive to console storage.
The USB must contain the copied PS4 saves, not merely the installed game files. The PS5 can use the saves only with a compatible game installation and the appropriate account.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPS4 and PS5 saves with PlayStation Plus
With PlayStation Plus, upload saves from the source console to cloud storage, sign in to the same account on the destination, and download the saves from cloud storage. This is useful when the old console is not nearby, but it does not recover saves that were never uploaded.
Why PS5 saves cannot be copied to USB
Sony specifically says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from a PS5 console to a USB drive. Use console-to-console transfer or PlayStation Plus cloud storage for PS5 saves instead.
Use external USB storage for game installations
Sony supports compatible SuperSpeed USB external storage for PS4 and PS5 game data. Its storage guidance is at Recommended Free Tools
