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Red Dead Redemption 2: you can move a PS4 save to a PS5 using PlayStation’s console-to-console transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or a FAT/exFAT USB drive. The documented case is playing the PS4 edition on PS5 through backward compatibility; copying a PS4 save is not proof of a separate PS5-edition import feature.
Grand Theft Auto IV: the official PlayStation transfer material covered here does not establish that GTA IV is playable on PS5 or provide a supported GTA IV save-import route. Moving a save file cannot make an incompatible game run.
What you can and cannot transfer
A PS4 save and a game’s PS5 edition are separate issues. PlayStation’s system tools move saved data between consoles. Whether a particular game can read that save in a distinct PS5 version is decided by the game’s developer and varies by title.
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| Game | What the documented transfer supports | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | Move the PS4 saved data to PS5, then use the PS4 edition on PS5 through backward compatibility. | The material available here does not establish a separate native PS5-edition save-import procedure for RDR2. |
| Grand Theft Auto IV | No supported PS5 save-transfer route is established by the official PlayStation transfer sources covered here. | The sources do not establish GTA IV PS5 compatibility. A copied save does not make the game playable. |
That distinction prevents the most common mistake: treating “the save is on my PS5” as equivalent to “the PS5 version of the game accepted my save.” The first is a console operation; the second is a title-specific feature.
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Check these requirements before moving anything
- Keep the PS4 and PS5 available if you plan to use a direct network transfer.
- Sign in to the same PlayStation account on the consoles. Cloud saves must belong to that account, and after the PS5’s initial setup, a console transfer is limited to the saves of the user signed in on the destination PS5.
- Install current system software on both consoles before beginning.
- For network transfer, connect both consoles to the same network and leave their network settings unchanged while the transfer runs.
- For cloud storage, use an active PlayStation Plus membership and make sure the PS4 save has been uploaded.
- For USB transfer, use a commercially available drive formatted as FAT or exFAT. A drive configured as USB extended storage is not the same thing as a save-transfer drive.
- Do not turn either console off during a network transfer. PlayStation warns that interrupting the process or changing network settings can damage or lose data.
Choose the transfer method that fits your setup
| Method | What you need | Where the PS5 save comes from | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Console-to-console network transfer | Both consoles, the same network, the same account, and current system software | Directly from the PS4 during the transfer flow | You have both consoles together and want to move data without extra hardware or cloud storage. |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | PlayStation Plus, an uploaded PS4 save, and the same PlayStation account | Downloaded manually to PS5 console storage | The PS4 is unavailable locally or you already keep saves in the cloud. |
| USB drive | A commercially available USB drive formatted FAT or exFAT | Copied from the USB drive into PS5 storage | You have no suitable network transfer or prefer an offline copy. |
None of these methods independently guarantees that a game’s separate PS5 edition will import the save. They only place PS4 saved data on the destination console.
Method 1: transfer the PS4 save over your network
During PS5 setup
PlayStation’s setup process can transfer data from a PS4 when both consoles are connected to the same network. Start the transfer when the PS5 presents its on-screen data-migration instructions, keep both consoles powered and connected, and follow each prompt in order. Use the same PlayStation account on the source and destination consoles.
The on-screen setup flow controls which data is selected. If your goal is RDR2, verify that its PS4 saved data is included rather than assuming every file has been selected.
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- Turn on the PS4 and PS5 and sign in with the account whose saves you want to move.
- Connect both consoles to the same network.
- On the PS5, open Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer.
- Follow the prompts to identify the PS4 and choose the saved data to transfer.
- Leave both consoles alone until the process finishes. Do not power either console off or change network settings while data is moving.
After the initial PS5 setup, PlayStation limits this saved-data transfer to the user signed in on the destination console. If several people use the PS4, repeat the process while each person’s account is selected as appropriate.
If the network transfer does not find the PS4
- Confirm that both consoles are on the same network rather than merely connected to the internet.
- Check that both systems have current software and are signed in with the intended accounts.
- Restart the transfer flow only after both consoles are stable and connected. Do not repeatedly interrupt an active transfer.
- If the consoles still cannot complete the process, use cloud storage or a FAT/exFAT USB drive instead.
Method 2: use PlayStation Plus cloud storage
Upload the PS4 save
PlayStation Plus supports cloud storage for saved data. PS4 game saves can be set to upload automatically, but confirm that the RDR2 save you need has actually reached cloud storage before relying on the PS5 download.
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Cloud storage is tied to the PlayStation account. A save uploaded by one account will not appear as that account’s save for a different user.
Download the save on PS5
- On the PS5, sign in to the same PlayStation account that uploaded the save.
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Select Saved Data (PS4).
- Choose Download or Delete from Cloud Storage.
- Select the RDR2 save and download it to PS5 console storage.
For PS4 games, the PS5 download is manual. Automatic upload on the PS4 does not mean the save is automatically placed in PS5 console storage.
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Cloud capacity limits
PlayStation’s current support documentation lists cloud capacity of 100 GB of PS4 saved data and up to 1,000 PS4 saved-data files. Those are overall cloud-storage limits, not the size of one RDR2 save and not a guarantee that a particular title supports PS5-edition migration.
If the save is missing from the cloud list
- Check the PS4 for the correct user account and confirm that the save was uploaded under that account.
- On PS5, verify that you are using the same account before opening the download menu.
- Look for the save under Saved Data (PS4), not the separate PS5 saved-data category.
- If the cloud quota is full, remove only files you have backed up or no longer need, then upload the required PS4 save again.
Method 3: copy the save with a USB drive
Prepare the drive
Use a commercially available USB drive formatted as FAT or exFAT. Do not use a drive formatted as USB extended storage for this procedure; that is a different PlayStation storage function.
Copy the save from PS4
- Connect the FAT or exFAT USB drive to the PS4.
- Open the PS4’s saved-data management controls.
- Choose the option to copy saved data to a USB storage device.
- Select the RDR2 save and the files you want to preserve, then confirm the copy.
- Safely finish the operation before disconnecting the drive.
Keep the original PS4 save intact until you have confirmed that the USB copy is present and usable on the PS5.
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Copy the save to PS5 storage
- Connect the USB drive to the PS5.
- Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Select Saved Data (PS4).
- Choose Copy or Delete from USB Drive.
- Select the RDR2 files and copy them to PS5 console storage.
If the USB option is unavailable
- Recheck the drive’s format. FAT or exFAT is required for this saved-data workflow.
- Make sure you are using the saved-data menus, not the PS5 menu for USB extended storage.
- Reconnect the drive and select the Saved Data (PS4) category again.
- If the PS5 still cannot read the drive, use the network or cloud method rather than reformatting a drive that contains the only copy of your save.
Launch Red Dead Redemption 2 after the transfer
Use the corresponding PS4 edition
For the scenario established by the available PlayStation guidance, launch the PS4 edition of Red Dead Redemption 2 on the PS5 through backward compatibility. The transferred file is PS4 saved data, so it belongs in the PS4 saved-data category and should be used with that edition.
A save appearing in PS5 storage does not establish that a distinct native PS5 edition exists or that such an edition can import the file. PlayStation’s general cross-generation guidance makes this a developer decision that varies by title. Its October 9, 2020 PlayStation.Blog article states: “Please note that the ability to transfer game saves between a PS4 version and a PS5 version of the same game is a developer decision, and will vary title by title for cross-generational games.”
When RDR2 does not show the expected progress
- Confirm that the save was transferred under the same PlayStation account used to start the game.
- Confirm that you downloaded or copied the file as Saved Data (PS4).
- Start the PS4 edition on PS5 rather than assuming a different edition will read the file.
- If multiple saves exist, select the intended file in the game’s load menu instead of assuming the newest file is the one transferred.
Why the GTA IV answer is different
The official PlayStation transfer sources covered here explain how PS4 saved data can be moved to a PS5, but they do not name Grand Theft Auto IV or establish that it is playable on PS5. They therefore do not provide a supported GTA IV save-transfer procedure for this console.
Do not treat a successful USB, cloud, or network copy as evidence of compatibility. The copy operation can place a file on the PS5; it cannot add a PS5 game license, create a backward-compatible version, or make an unsupported title launch. Until a supported PS5-compatible GTA IV path is established for your exact edition and account, there is no documented procedure to promise.
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“I transferred the save, so the PS5 version should load it.”
That conclusion confuses console transfer with game-edition migration. The system transfer moves PS4 data. A separate PS5 version must be designed to import it by the developer.
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- 【Easy to Use, Plug and Play】-- No need to install any software, just plug the USB flash drive into your computer USB port or other device with USB port to get it work
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- 【Led Indicator】-- The red light flash when have data transfer. You can easily know whether the drive is working. When you connect your capture card or cassette player to record, the indicator light will be on to better remind the work status
“My cloud save is uploaded, but it is not on the PS5.”
PS4 saves in PlayStation Plus cloud storage require a manual download to PS5 console storage. Use Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Download or Delete from Cloud Storage.
“The PS5 says the USB drive cannot be used.”
Check that the drive is formatted FAT or exFAT and that you opened Saved Data (PS4) > Copy or Delete from USB Drive. USB extended storage is not the save-copy format described by PlayStation’s transfer instructions.
“Some saves moved, but another user’s saves did not.”
After initial setup, the console transfer is limited to the user signed in on the destination PS5. Sign in with the other account and perform the appropriate transfer for that user.
“The transfer stopped or the data looks damaged.”
PlayStation cautions against turning off either console or changing network settings during a network transfer because data may be damaged or lost. Reconnect the consoles, preserve any remaining original save, and use cloud storage or a USB copy as an alternative source rather than overwriting the only backup.
A safe order of operations
- On the PS4, identify the account and the exact RDR2 save you want.
- Create a second copy using cloud storage or a FAT/exFAT USB drive when possible.
- Choose network transfer if both consoles are together; otherwise choose cloud or USB.
- Move the save to PS5 console storage and verify it appears under Saved Data (PS4).
- Launch the PS4 edition of RDR2 on PS5 and check the game’s load menu.
- Keep the original PS4 save and backup until the transferred progress has been confirmed.
- For GTA IV, verify game compatibility separately before spending time moving files; the transfer sources covered here do not establish a supported PS5 route.
What to remember
For RDR2, the practical path is PS4 save to PS5 storage, followed by the PS4 edition running on PS5. You can use a same-network console transfer, PlayStation Plus cloud storage, or a FAT/exFAT USB drive. Cloud downloads are manual on PS5, and the documented cloud limits are 100 GB and 1,000 PS4 save files.
For GTA IV, no equivalent supported route is established by the official PlayStation material covered here. A save file’s presence on the PS5 is not a compatibility fix, and a separate PS4-to-PS5 edition import is always title-specific.
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