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You can move a PS4 save to a PS5, but the right steps depend on whether you mean copying the save onto the console or importing it into a PS5 edition of a particular game. The title does not identify the RPG, so do not assume the instructions are the same for every Bandai Namco game. If you mean Tales of Arise, use its in-game upload and download process below; otherwise, use Sony’s console-save transfer options and check the game’s own import instructions.
Why does the game’s identity matter?
A PS4 save on a PS5 console and a save recognized by a game’s native PS5 edition are not necessarily the same thing. Sony’s PS4-to-PS5 transfer guide documents ways to move PS4 saved data between consoles. A game may still need its own process to import that data into its PS5 edition.
The title does not name the RPG. Tales of Arise is a strong possibility because Bandai Namco published explicit PS4-to-PS5 save-transfer instructions for it. But Bandai Namco also publishes Elden Ring, and those games do not share one universal save-import procedure. Do not enter Tales of Arise menu commands in another game.
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Which transfer method should I use?
Choose a method based on the game you intend to play, whether the PS4 is available, and whether you need to move a console save or import it into a game edition. First identify the exact game and edition you plan to launch. Then check what you already have: access to the PS4, the same PlayStation Network account, an existing PlayStation Plus membership, and any PS5-version progress you want to protect.
| Method | Use it for | What it requires | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game’s own in-game import | Tales of Arise PS4 save to its PS5 version | Updated game, network connection, same PlayStation Network account on both versions | Publisher documents this process for Tales of Arise; it is not a general Bandai Namco method. |
| Console-to-console Data Transfer | Moving PS4 saved data to a PS5 when both consoles are available | Same account, updated system software, both consoles on the same network | Moving the file to PS5 does not by itself establish that a game’s PS5 edition can import it. |
| USB copy | Backing up or carrying PS4 saved data | A USB storage device and access to the PS4 save | Sony says PS4 saves can be copied to PS5; this does not replace a game’s required in-game migration. |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Retrieving a PS4 save on PS5 when it was uploaded to cloud storage | PlayStation Plus membership and a save uploaded from PS4 | The save must be downloaded to PS5 storage; this is a console-save route, not a substitute for a game-specific import. |
For a confirmed Tales of Arise transfer, the in-game procedure is the relevant edition migration. A USB drive, console transfer, or PlayStation Plus cloud download can move PS4 saved data onto the PS5, but those actions do not replace the publisher’s documented in-game upload and download. Conversely, if you only want a PS4 save stored on the PS5 console, Sony’s transfer methods may be the right answer without any game-specific import.
How do I transfer a Tales of Arise save to its PS5 version?
Use this section only if you have confirmed the game is Tales of Arise. Bandai Namco says the migration can only be done in-game, requires an updated game and network access, and runs from PS4 to PS5. Sign in to the same PlayStation Network account on both versions. The publisher’s official December 14, 2021 update gives this process specifically for Tales of Arise; do not treat it as a template for another RPG.
Before starting
- Keep the PS4-version save available.
- Install the latest update for Tales of Arise.
- Connect the console to the network and use the same PlayStation Network account on both versions.
- Make sure you can open the PS4 version to upload the save and the PS5 version to download it.
- If you have progress in the PS5 version, consider how you want to preserve it before confirming the download. The publisher warns that the downloaded save updates existing PS5 saved data.
You do not need to route the save through PlayStation Plus cloud storage or a USB drive to perform this documented in-game migration. The network requirement belongs to the game’s own upload/download process. Do not confuse that requirement with Sony’s optional methods for copying a PS4 save onto the console.
Upload from the PS4 version
- Launch the PS4 version of Tales of Arise.
- At the title screen, select
SAVEDATA UPLOAD. - Follow the on-screen prompts and wait for the successful-upload message before leaving the process.
If you do not see that option, first confirm that you launched the PS4 version, that the game is updated, and that the console is connected to the network. Do not try to substitute a similarly named console setting: Bandai Namco states, “The transfer of saved data can only be done in-game.”
Download to the PS5 version
- Launch the PS5 version while signed in to the same PlayStation Network account.
- At its title screen, select
SAVEDATA DOWNLOAD. - Follow the prompts and wait for the successful-download message.
- Read the on-screen confirmation carefully before accepting, because the publisher says the downloaded save updates existing PS5 saved data.
Bandai Namco says acquired PS4 trophies carry over with the downloaded save. Its statement does not establish a guarantee about every trophy or about other games. The migration is one-way: a save generated on the PS5 version cannot be transferred back to the PS4 version. If you later want to continue on PS4, do not assume the PS5-generated progress can be sent back.
How do I move PS4 saves to a PS5 if I mean console transfer?
Sony documents three ways to move or retrieve PS4 saved data: transfer directly between consoles, copy it to USB, or download it from PlayStation Plus cloud storage. These options move PS4 saves onto the PS5 console; whether a particular PS5 game edition can use them is a separate question. Sony also cautions that some data or content might not transfer, so a successful console transfer should not be treated as proof that every game feature or edition-specific item has moved.
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Option 1: Transfer directly between both consoles
Use this when you have both consoles available and can connect them to the same network. Sony recommends signing in to the same account, updating system software, synchronizing trophies, and connecting both consoles to the same network. After initial PS5 setup, use this path on the PS5:
Settings > System > System Software > Data Transfer > Continue
Follow the console prompts. Sony warns not to turn off either console during the transfer. If the consoles normally connect over Wi-Fi, a LAN cable may improve transfer speed, but Sony does not specify a speed guarantee. This option is useful when the old console is still on hand and you want to move data directly rather than first create a USB backup or rely on cloud storage.
The direct transfer is a console-level operation. It does not establish that a particular PS5 game can import the transferred save, and it does not make the Tales of Arise in-game migration unnecessary. If the PS4 save reaches the PS5 but is not visible from inside a native PS5 edition, check that title’s own import support.
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Option 2: Copy the PS4 save to a USB device
A USB flash drive can be useful for a PS4 save backup or for carrying PS4 saved data to a PS5. On the PS4, connect the USB device and open:
Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device
Select the game and save files to copy. Sony says PS4 saves copied to USB can then be copied onto a PS5. This is an ordinary saved-data copy, not the same as USB extended storage used for installed games. Use this route when you need a backup or cannot use the direct console transfer; the documented procedure does not make a USB drive a requirement for the Tales of Arise in-game migration.
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Sony’s limitation is specific: “You can’t copy PS5 saved data from your PS5 console to a USB drive.” That does not prevent copying a PS4 save to USB. Nor does the USB copy replace the Tales of Arise in-game transfer that Bandai Namco documents for importing that game’s save into its PS5 version. In other words, PS4-to-USB copying and PS5-to-USB copying are different cases.
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If you already have PlayStation Plus and the PS4 save was uploaded to online storage, download it to the PS5. Sony’s PS4 upload path is:
Settings > Application Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Upload to Online Storage
On PS5, open:
Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Saved Data (PS4) > Download or Delete from Cloud Storage
Select the save to download. Sony notes that PS4 cloud saves need to be downloaded manually to PS5 storage. Cloud storage is useful if you are already a member and have uploaded the save; it is not an automatic substitute for downloading the file to the console. A PlayStation Plus cloud save is not a prerequisite for the Tales of Arise in-game procedure.
If you do not already have the save in cloud storage, this route does not fetch it from the PS4 by itself. You need access to the save and a way to upload it, or another Sony-supported transfer method. The documented cloud steps are a member option, not a reason to subscribe solely for the game-specific Tales of Arise migration.
What should I check if the PS5 game cannot find the save?
If the save is visible on the PS5 console but not inside the game, check whether you completed that game’s own import process. Repeating the console transfer may not solve an edition-specific import problem. Work through these checks in order:
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- Confirm the game and edition. Make sure the instructions you are following match the exact RPG and whether you launched its PS4 or PS5 version. The
SAVEDATA UPLOADandSAVEDATA DOWNLOADcommands apply to Tales of Arise only. - Check the account. For the Tales of Arise procedure, both versions must use the same PlayStation Network account.
- Check the game update and network connection. Bandai Namco lists both as requirements for its Tales of Arise migration.
- Check where the save is stored. A PS4 save copied to USB or downloaded from cloud storage must be on the PS5 console before you can test whether the game recognizes it.
- Protect existing progress. For Tales of Arise, the publisher says downloading updates existing PS5 saved data. Do not accept the confirmation until you understand its effect on the save already there.
- Do not assume every kind of data moves. Sony’s transfer guidance warns that some data or content might not transfer. A console save copy is not proof that all game content or every edition-specific feature has moved.
If the save is not available on the PS5 at all, revisit the route you chose: confirm that direct transfer completed, that the USB copy included the intended game and files, or that the cloud save was actually uploaded and then manually downloaded. If the save is on the console but the game still does not offer or recognize it, verify the title’s edition-specific import instructions rather than repeating a generic file copy.
Does an Elden Ring save use the Tales of Arise steps?
No. The title does not establish that the intended game is Elden Ring, and the Tales of Arise title-screen procedure is not evidence of an Elden Ring migration method. Confirm the game first and use instructions specific to its editions rather than trying the Tales of Arise menu commands.
There is also a separate edition and hardware issue for some Elden Ring disc owners: Bandai Namco’s cited European store listing says PS4 disc owners cannot claim the PS5 upgrade on a disc-less PS5 Digital Edition. That regional product statement concerns upgrade access, not the steps for importing a save, and should not be generalized to every region or edition. Check the applicable regional product terms and your console model; save transfer and the right to use a PS5 edition are separate questions.
How do I choose the safest route?
Start by writing down the exact game, the version you played on PS4, the version you intend to launch on PS5, and whether your goal is console storage or in-game progress. Then check whether the PS4 is available, whether both consoles use the same account, whether you already have PlayStation Plus, and whether the PS5 version already contains progress you want to keep. Choose the route that matches those facts:
- If it is Tales of Arise and you want the PS5 edition to use the PS4 progress, use the documented in-game upload and download process.
- If you are moving PS4 saved data between consoles, use Sony’s direct transfer, USB copy, or cloud-download route.
- If the PS5 edition still does not recognize the save, check that game’s own import support instead of assuming another console copy will help.
- Before confirming a game-specific download, read any save replacement or update warning on screen.
- If you are deciding between direct transfer, USB, and cloud, pick based on what you have available: both consoles for the direct route, access to the PS4 and a USB storage device for the USB route, or an existing cloud upload and PlayStation Plus membership for the cloud route.
The distinction is the key: console transfer gets PS4 saved data onto PS5 storage; the game’s own supported import process determines whether that progress appears in its PS5 edition. For Tales of Arise, the publisher’s in-game process is one-way and updates existing PS5 saved data, so account matching and careful confirmation matter just as much as getting the file onto the console.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
Does copying a PS4 save to PS5 also give me the PS5 version of the game?
No entitlement is established by copying a save. Sony cautions that some data or content may not transfer, so verify the game edition and upgrade rights separately; a saved-data transfer is not proof that you own or can launch a PS5 edition.
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Bandai Namco’s cited European store listing says a PS4 disc owner cannot claim the PS5 upgrade on a disc-less PS5 Digital Edition. That statement is regional and about the upgrade, not a universal description of save-transfer behavior.
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Is the PS4-to-PS5 save option in Tales of Arise a recent feature?
Bandai Namco dated its save-transfer update December 14, 2021. The date identifies when the publisher announced that process; it should not be read as a current release date for the game.
Do I need PlayStation Plus to transfer a Tales of Arise save?
No. Bandai Namco’s documented Tales of Arise migration uses the game’s in-game upload and download process, a network connection, an updated game, and the same PlayStation Network account. PlayStation Plus cloud storage is a separate Sony option for moving a PS4 save to console storage.
Do I need a USB drive for the Tales of Arise PS4-to-PS5 import?
No USB drive is required for the documented Tales of Arise in-game migration. Sony’s USB instructions are an optional way to copy PS4 saved data to a PS5 console, not a substitute for the game’s own import procedure.
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Where is SAVEDATA UPLOAD in Tales of Arise?
Launch the PS4 version and choose SAVEDATA UPLOAD from its title screen. Follow the prompts and wait for the successful-upload message. The PS5 version has the corresponding SAVEDATA DOWNLOAD option on its title screen.
Will downloading the Tales of Arise save overwrite my PS5 progress?
Bandai Namco warns that downloading updates existing PS5 saved data. Read the confirmation prompt carefully and consider how to preserve important PS5 progress before proceeding.
Can I move a Tales of Arise save from PS5 back to PS4?
No. Bandai Namco documents the migration as PS4 to PS5; a save generated on the PS5 version cannot be transferred back to the PS4 version.
Why can I see my PS4 save on PS5 but not in the PS5 game?
A console-level copy and a game’s native PS5 import are separate. Check whether that exact game supports an import process and follow its edition-specific steps. For Tales of Arise, the documented migration must be completed in-game.
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Sony says PS5 saved data cannot be copied from the PS5 console to a USB drive. This is distinct from copying PS4 saves to USB, which Sony documents as an option.
The Bottom Line
First confirm the RPG and whether you need a console save copy or a native PS5-game import. For Tales of Arise, update the game, connect to the network, upload from the PS4 version’s title screen, then download from the PS5 version using the same PlayStation Network account. The process is one-way and updates existing PS5 saved data. Sony’s direct transfer, USB, and PlayStation Plus cloud routes move PS4 saves onto PS5 storage, but they do not replace a game’s own import process.
