How to Transfer PS4 Data to PS5 Pro: A Step-by-Step Guide
Want to upgrade to the PS5 Pro but don’t want to lose your PS4 game progress? Your gaming achievements, saved games, and user profiles need a smooth transition to your new console. We’ll help you move your gaming experience to the next generation of PlayStation.
Let us guide you through the PS5 data transfer process step by step. You’ll discover how to get both consoles ready and pick the right content to move over. The guide covers everything from save data and screenshots to complete game installations. We’ll also help you fix common problems that might pop up during the transfer. Your switch to the PS5 Pro will keep all your precious gaming moments intact.
Preparing to Transfer PS4 Data to PS5 Pro
The proper preparation of both consoles is significant to migrate data successfully. A correct setup will help you avoid complications during the transfer process.
Check system requirements
The transfer process requires specific components. Your source console (PS4 or PS5) and your new PS5 Pro are vital requirements. The process also needs your PlayStation Network account ready to complete the transfer successfully.
Update both consoles
Your consoles need regular updates to ensure a smooth transfer process. Here’s how you can update both systems:
- For your PS5 Pro:
- Access Settings > System
- Choose System Software > System Software Update and Settings
- Select Update System Software when available
- For your PS4/existing PS5:
- Head to Settings > System
- Choose System Software Update
- Install available updates
Connect to the same network
You can connect your consoles for data transfer in several ways. Pick what suits your setup best:
- WiFi Connection: Both consoles need to connect to the same wireless network. You can use either 2.4GHz or 5.0GHz frequency bands.
- Wired Connection: You have two options:
- Connect both consoles to your router using LAN cables
- Connect the consoles directly with a single ethernet cable
Important: A stable wireless connection is crucial throughout the transfer process when you’re using WiFi. The quickest way to get reliable transfers is to connect both consoles with ethernet cables.
These basic steps can help you fix network problems:
- Check if both consoles are on the same network
- Give your router a quick restart
- Make sure your trophy data is in sync
- Use the same PlayStation Network account on both consoles
You can also use an external USB hard drive formatted to exFAT as a backup option. This works especially when you have network issues or want to move specific content separately.
Your consoles must stay powered on during the setup. You’ll need to wake up any console that’s in rest mode so the system can detect it during transfer setup.
Initiating the Data Transfer Process
Your consoles are ready and now you can start moving your data from your old console to your new PS5 Pro.
Access data transfer settings on PS5 Pro
Access your PS5 Pro’s settings menu to start the data transfer process:
- Select Settings located in the top-right corner of your PS5 Pro home screen
- Navigate down to System
- Select System Software
- Choose Data Transfer
- Select Continue after the prompt appears
Select source console (PS4)
Your PS5 Pro searches for available source consoles connected to your network. During this process:
- Let your PS5 Pro detect your old console
- Keep both consoles turned on until completion
- Note: We recommend using a wired LAN connection to speed up the transfer, though wireless options work too
Confirm transfer on both consoles
Your new console will detect the old one. Here’s what you need to do next:
- Pick your old console from the detected devices list
- Hold down the power button on your old console until you hear a beep that confirms the transfer
- Look for the “preparing to transfer” message on your old console’s screen
You’ll see transfer options and how long it might take. The system might tell you the transfer will happen in two steps:
- Step 1: Your user account details, saved games, and console settings move first
- Step 2: Screenshots, video clips, games, and apps transfer after a restart
Important Transfer Times: The time needed changes by a lot based on your data size and connection type. The original time estimate could range from minutes to hours. Some transfers need about one minute per gigabyte of data.
The transfer might hit some snags, like error NW-102235-3. You have other ways to handle this:
- Get an external USB drive with exFAT format
- Move specific content one by one to find corrupted files
- Save your data to an external drive and load it on the new console
Pro Tip: Don’t worry if your PS5 Pro goes into rest mode during this whole ordeal. That’s expected, but make sure your old console stays on until everything finishes.
Selecting Data to Transfer
Your consoles’ connection opens up choices about the data you want to move to your PS5 Pro. You can pick specific items to transfer. The system also gives you the option to move everything in a single operation.
Choose games and apps
You have several options to think over at the time of selecting games and apps to transfer:
- Digital games from your library (up to 512 games available)
- PlayStation Plus games (up to 341 titles)
- Disk-based games (you’ll need the physical disk to verify)
- Applications and media content
Time-Saving Tip: Your high-speed internet connection (like 630 Mbps) might transfer games faster through direct downloads than your local network.
Select save data and user profiles
Your PS5 Pro lets you move these essential user data types:
- Account details and user profiles
- Game progress for PS5-compatible titles
- Trophy achievements and stats
- Your captured screenshots and video clips
- System settings and priorities
Important Note: Your system transfers data from all users that ever spread their accounts on your source console. You can transfer everything at once or pick specific items for individual accounts.
Decide on settings and other content
Games and user data aren’t the only things you can move – many more content options help maintain your gaming environment:
- Console settings, including:
- Language priorities
- Login information
- Power saving settings
- Network setup
You can pick specific items from each category that you want to move. The system shows how long the transfer might take – about one minute for each gigabyte of data.
Pro Tip: Large content transfers work better in smaller chunks. This lets you move important items first and start gaming while other data transfers quietly in the background.
Storage Management: Your PS5 Pro needs enough space for everything you’ve chosen. You can always add more games later or expand storage with an M.2 SSD.
Some settings might need manual adjustments after the transfer. It’s smart to save your current setup if you have specific customizations you want to keep on your PS5 Pro.
Performing the Data Transfer
The actual transfer process begins after connecting your consoles and selecting the data. This significant phase needs careful attention to ensure your data transfers completely to your PS5 Pro.
Start the transfer process
Your PS5 Pro will start transferring data after you confirm your choices. The process needs these steps:
- Review the final transfer summary screen
- Click “Start Transfer” to begin the process
- Acknowledge the warning about permanent changes
- Wait while both consoles initialize the transfer
Important: Your data might get corrupted or lost if you turn off either console during the transfer. Learn more about data safety.
Monitor progress
Several ways help you track the transfer progress:
- Hit the PlayStation button and navigate to downloads/uploads to see the current status
- Your PS5 Pro will restart by itself during the transfer
- The transfer continues to run in the background after restart
Note: Your source console must stay powered on until the whole process finishes, even though your PS5 Pro becomes usable after restarting.
Estimated transfer times
Data transfer duration changes substantially based on several factors:
- Wired LAN connections give you faster transfers than WiFi
- Large transfers (around 800 gigabytes) take approximately 2 hours with a wired connection
- WiFi transfers need much more time – some estimates show 20+ hours
Your PS5 Pro shows you an estimated completion time before starting the transfer. This estimate might not match the actual transfer time. The process splits into two distinct phases when you transfer multiple user accounts and games:
- Original Phase: Moves user account information, save data, and console settings
- Secondary Phase: Transfers screenshots, video clips, games, and apps after the system restart
You’ll see new games appearing on your PS5 Pro menu as the transfer progresses. This shows everything works correctly. The system lets you use games and data that have finished transferring while the rest moves in the background.
Pro Tip: The quickest way to handle long transfer times is to cancel and adjust your selected files or try a different method. To cite an instance, see if downloading games directly from the PlayStation Network works better with your high-speed internet.
Note that your source console needs to stay powered on until it shuts down by itself. This signals the transfer’s completion. Your PS5 Pro becomes usable during transfer, but waiting ensures all your data moves successfully.
Troubleshooting Common Transfer Issues
Having trouble with your PS5 Pro data transfer? You’re not alone. The biggest problems you might face have simple fixes that work. We’ll help you solve these issues step by step.
Network connectivity problems
Data transfer slowdowns often point to network connectivity as the root cause. Here’s a guide to fix common network problems:
- Check your connection type:
- Both consoles must use the same WiFi network
- Network problems might need a wired connection through LAN cables
- Connect both consoles to your router directly with ethernet cables
These solutions help resolve persistent connection issues:
- Power cycle your router and both consoles
- Switch between wireless and wired connections
- Both consoles should use identical frequency bands (2.4GHz or 5.0GHz)
Insufficient storage space
Limited storage space can stop your transfers dead in their tracks. Here’s a practical guide to manage your storage space better:
External Storage Solutions:
- Your best bet is an external USB drive with exFAT formatting for temporary storage
- PS4 games work great on external drives and free up internal space
- An M.2 SSD expansion might work for you (2TB options available for $130-$150)
Pro Tip: PS4 games run smoothly right from your external USB drive. This saves your internal SSD space for other important files.
Transfer interruptions
Your transfer process might stop or display error messages. Here are some ways to fix these issues:
For Error NW-102235-3:
- Look for corrupted media files in your gallery
- Connect an external drive to find problematic files
- The backup and restore method might help:
- Back up your old console to an external drive
- Load the backup on your PS5 Pro
Alternative Transfer Methods: The direct transfer might fail sometimes. You can try these options:
- Upload your save data to PlayStation Plus cloud storage
- Transfer specific content through a USB drive
- Sign in and download games from your library manually
Important: Your media files like screenshots and video clips can be moved by:
- Moving them to a USB drive
- Storing them in the cloud
- Getting them separately on your PS5 Pro
PlayStation Support can help if none of these solutions work. Your digital purchases stay safe because they link to your account and can be downloaded again anytime.
Time-Saving Tip: The transfer might take too long (over 24 hours). You might want to cancel it and use external storage or cloud transfers instead. This could be the quickest way to finish the process.
Finalizing Setup on PS5 Pro
The data transfer completion marks a significant step in setting up your PS5 Pro. Your console needs proper configuration to perform at its best. We will guide you through the final steps that will give you an improved gaming experience.
Verify transferred data
You need to make sure all your content has arrived safely on your new console. Let’s check everything:
- Look through your game library to find all transferred titles
- Double-check your user profiles and settings
- Make sure you can access your save data
- Look at your screenshots and video clips
- Launch your previously installed applications
Games stored on an M.2 SSD can move directly from your old console to the new PS5 Pro. You might see a warning message about duplicate content, but you can resolve this safely with the on-screen prompts.
Important: Missing content? Check your Downloads/Uploads tab in the control center – transfers might still be running.
Download any remaining updates
After verifying your data, make sure everything runs on the latest version:
- System Updates:
- Look for pending system software updates
- Get the latest patches and fixes
- Check your network connection to receive updates automatically
PS5 Pro-compatible games offer better settings right from their options menus. The games handle these improvements through their own interface, so you won’t need to adjust any system settings.
Optimize settings for PS5 Pro
Let’s set up your PS5 Pro to get the best gaming experience. Here’s how you can make the most of your console:
Video Output Settings:
- Go to Settings > Screen and Video
- Select Video Output
- Find “Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games” and turn it on
Game-Specific Enhancements: Your PS5 Pro comes with special modes for compatible games. You can access these:
- Through the game’s main menu options
- Before starting a game by selecting graphics/performance mode
Performance Tip: PS4 games look better when you turn on image quality enhancement. The setting stays off by default, but switching it on makes a big difference.
Storage Management: If you’ve added an M.2 SSD:
- You can move the drive between consoles
- Your games will be ready to play right away
- You might need to remove duplicate content when asked
Network Configuration: To get the best speeds for downloads and online gaming:
- Plug in a network cable whenever possible
- Adjust network settings for top speeds
- Check your connection after setup
User Profile Setup:
- Check your console sharing settings
- Set up your offline play options
- Choose your power-saving priorities
It’s worth mentioning that PS5 Pro-enhanced games detect your console automatically and offer specific performance modes. The games handle these settings directly, so you won’t need to change system settings manually.
Media Gallery Management: For transferred media files:
- Put screenshots and video clips in folders
- Clear out space by removing old content
- Let thumbnail generation finish
Keep your PS5 Pro running smoothly by checking for system updates and managing storage space. A well-maintained console delivers the exceptional gaming experience you want.
Conclusion
A successful move from PS4 to PS5 Pro needs good planning, but you can manage it with the right preparation and methods. Your gaming achievements, saved progress, and memories need protection during this switch. PlayStation’s strong transfer system and backup options will give a safe path to upgrade your hardware without losing anything important.
The right data transfer to PS5 Pro unlocks better gaming with crisp graphics and quick loading times. Your new console can deliver endless hours of fun once you set it up correctly. The transition to next-gen gaming becomes smooth when you maintain regular system updates and manage storage space well.
FAQs
- How can I transfer my Pro Clubs data from PS4 to PS5?
- Unfortunately, Pro Clubs data on PS4 and PS5 are separate, and there is no method available to transfer your progress between these consoles. You will need to level up your Pros individually on each console.
- What is the process for transferring data from PS4 to PS5?
- When setting up a new PS5, you will be prompted to transfer data from your PS4 during the initial setup. You can choose to skip this step and perform the transfer later. The duration of the transfer depends on the amount of data being moved and may take several hours.
- Is it possible to transfer game data for the game ‘Control’ from PS4 to PS5?
- If you are playing the backwards compatible version of Control Ultimate Edition on PS5, your PS4 save file will carry over. However, if you are playing the new version of Control Ultimate Edition specifically made for PS5, your save file from PS4 will not be transferable.
- How do users generally handle data and SSD transfers when upgrading to a new console like the PS5 Pro?
- Typically, users follow the console’s guided setup process, which includes options for data transfer. It’s important to ensure both consoles are updated and connected to the same network to facilitate a smooth transfer.