Before choosing a PS5 troubleshooting step that deletes data, make sure the saved data you need is backed up. You can use PlayStation Plus cloud storage or back up selected console data—including PS5 saves—to a FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive. Sony does not support copying an individual PS5 game save to USB. Check that your backup or cloud upload is available before resetting; restoring a USB console backup erases data currently on the destination PS5.
Which PS5 save backup option should I use?
Choose the option that matches what you need to protect and what you can access before troubleshooting. A USB console backup gives you a local copy on a compatible drive and does not require PlayStation Plus. Cloud storage lets a PlayStation Plus member upload saved data and download it later. If you have two PS5 consoles, Sony also documents a console-to-console transfer, but transferring data is not the same as keeping an independent, recoverable backup.
| Option | What it does | What you need | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB console backup | Backs up selected PS5 console data, including saved data | FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive with enough free space | It is not an individual PS5-save export; restoring erases data on the destination console |
| PlayStation Plus cloud storage | Uploads saved data for later download | PlayStation Plus membership | Confirm the save you need has uploaded; do not assume it is current |
| Console-to-console transfer | Transfers data between two available PS5 consoles | Access to both consoles; Sony documents an optional LAN cable | Transfer alone does not establish that a separate backup remains after the original console is erased |
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s PlayStation Support page, verified in 2026, states cloud-storage limits of up to 100 GB for PS5 saved data and up to 100 GB for PS4 saved data. The support page does not state a publication year for those limits. These figures describe the stated storage limits, not the size of an individual save or confirmation that a particular game’s progress has uploaded. A PlayStation Plus subscription is not required for USB console backup.
If you have both a suitable USB drive and an active PlayStation Plus membership, the options are not mutually exclusive: you can keep a console backup and check that the relevant cloud save is available. That gives you separate ways to preserve data, but each still needs to be completed and verified before you take a destructive action. If you have neither, do not start a reset on the assumption that a save will be recoverable later.
What should I check before troubleshooting?
First identify what data-deleting action you are considering and which copy of your saves you can access. A precautionary backup is different from moving data to another console, and neither helps if the save you care about is missing from the backup you later choose. Make a short plan before entering a reset menu: decide which saves matter, which backup route you can use, and what data on the console or destination console must remain untouched.
- Does the console start and reach Settings? If it does, you can use the USB backup procedure below. If it cannot start, do not count on creating a new local backup: recovery depends on a backup or cloud copy that already exists.
- Do you have PlayStation Plus? If so, check the cloud copy of the relevant saved data before resetting. Membership enables cloud storage, but you still need to verify that the save is there and up to date.
- Do you have a USB drive? It must be formatted as FAT32 or exFAT and have enough free space for the data you select. A drive used for extended game storage is not, by that fact alone, an individual-save export method.
- Are you troubleshooting or moving to another console? For a destructive reset, preserve a backup you can restore later. For a move with both consoles available, consider Sony’s separate transfer workflow rather than treating it as a retained backup.
- Can you access the account associated with the backup? Use the same PlayStation account that was used for the USB backup when restoring it. If you cannot identify or access the account, resolve that before relying on the backup.
- What is on the destination PS5? A restore erases data already saved on that console. If you are restoring to a different or newly prepared console, account for anything on that destination you want to preserve before starting.
Menu names and supported procedures can change with system software. The paths below reflect Sony’s US-English support instructions; check the labels shown on your own console if they differ. The purpose of this preparation is not to reset preemptively, but to avoid losing progress if troubleshooting eventually requires an action that deletes user data.
How do I back up PS5 saves to a USB drive?
Use the PS5’s console-backup feature. It can include selected saved data, but it does not create a standalone file for one PS5 game save. This distinction is important: advice to open a PS4-style menu and copy one save to USB does not apply to PS5 saved data.
- Prepare a USB drive formatted as FAT32 or exFAT, with enough free space for the data you plan to include. Sony’s documented formats are FAT32 and exFAT; the drive also needs enough capacity for the selections you make.
- Connect the drive to the PS5.
- Open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5.
- Select the data to include, making sure saved data is selected if your goal is to protect game progress. Review the other selections so the backup contains what you intend to preserve.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and allow the backup process to complete before disconnecting the drive or starting a reset.
Before proceeding, make sure the backup process finished and that the drive is the one you will keep. The useful check is that you completed Sony’s backup process and selected the saved data you wanted; simply plugging in a USB drive does not back up progress. Keep the drive available and avoid confusing it with a drive that only holds extended game storage.
This procedure is useful when you want an offline, physical copy and do not have PlayStation Plus. It is also distinct from transferring data to a second console: a backup is intended to be available for a later restore, while a transfer moves data between consoles. Do not assume that moving data leaves a second recoverable copy behind.
Sony’s documented workflow is a console backup, not a menu for copying an individual PS5 save to USB. Do not rely on the PS4-style individual-save-copy instructions for PS5 game saves. If only one game’s progress is your concern, select saved data as part of the console backup or use cloud storage, and confirm that the needed save is included or uploaded before proceeding with troubleshooting.
How do I upload PS5 saves to PlayStation Plus cloud storage?
A PlayStation Plus member can upload PS5 saved data to cloud storage and download it later. Use Sony’s cloud-storage procedure for uploading and downloading; the console-backup path above is for USB. Cloud storage is an alternative to a physical USB backup, not a prerequisite for using the USB procedure.
Before a reset, check the saved data you need rather than assuming every game’s progress has already reached the cloud. If you can still use the console, verify the relevant save through the cloud-storage controls and confirm the upload is complete. A membership alone does not show that a particular save is present or current. If the save you care about is not available in the cloud, use another available backup method before taking a destructive step.
Sony’s PlayStation Support information verified in 2026 lists up to 100 GB for PS5 saved data and up to 100 GB for PS4 saved data. Those are cloud-storage limits, not the size of an individual save or a promise that every title’s progress is uploaded automatically. The limits apply to saved data categories described by Sony; they do not mean a USB drive has that same capacity requirement.
Cloud storage can be useful when you do not have a compatible USB drive at hand, but it remains dependent on the membership and on having an accessible cloud copy. If avoiding risk is the priority and you have both options, consider checking the cloud copy and completing a USB console backup as well. Whichever route you choose, the key step is to confirm the save you need is actually available before resetting.
Which troubleshooting actions erase saved data?
Protect your saves before selecting either of the PS5 reset options. Sony identifies Reset PS5 and Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) as actions that delete user data. They are not harmless diagnostic steps. If you are considering one of them, first make sure that the backup or cloud copy you intend to rely on is available.
Not every troubleshooting action is a reset. Sony’s Safe Mode includes non-erasing choices as well as data-deleting reset choices, so read each option’s description on screen before selecting it. Do not choose a reset simply because the console has a problem; use the least destructive troubleshooting option that addresses the issue, and preserve saves before any action that deletes user data.
Take care not to conflate the two reset labels. Both Reset PS5 and Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) delete user data, according to Sony. If you are unsure what a particular Safe Mode option will do, pause and read the console’s description rather than guessing from the name. A backup does not make the reset itself non-destructive; it gives you a way to restore data afterward, subject to the restore’s own consequences.
How do I restore a USB backup after troubleshooting?
Restore a USB console backup only after confirming that the backup is the one you want and that you are prepared to replace the data currently on the destination PS5. A restore is not a selective import of old saves into a console while leaving its current data untouched.
- Connect the USB drive containing the console backup to the destination PS5.
- Open Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Restore Your PS5.
- Choose the backup you want to restore and follow Sony’s on-screen instructions.
- Wait for the process to finish before treating the restored saved data as available.
Restoring is destructive, not a merge. Sony states: “When restoring data, your PS5 console will erase all data saved on your console.” This means saves and other data currently on that destination console can be removed as part of restoration. Preserve anything on it that you need before you begin. Do not start the restore thinking it will simply add the older backup beside newer data or combine the two copies.
Use the same PlayStation account that was used for the backup when restoring it. This is a practical check to make before you begin: identify the account that created the backup and use that account for the restore. If you are moving data to another console, remember that the destination’s existing data is still at risk from the restore, even if you have a valid backup on the USB drive.
If the copy you want is in cloud storage rather than on USB, use Sony’s cloud-storage download procedure. Downloading a cloud save and restoring a USB console backup are separate workflows. Choose the one that corresponds to the copy you verified, and do not treat either procedure as a guarantee that an unbacked-up local save can be recreated.
Can I copy an individual PS5 save to USB?
No. Sony distinguishes PS5 saved data from PS4 saved data: PS4 saved data can be copied individually to USB, but PS5 saves are included through the console-backup procedure rather than exported one at a time.
That distinction matters when you only want to preserve one game’s progress. For a PS5 save, select saved data in the USB console backup, or use PlayStation Plus cloud storage. Do not confuse a USB drive used for game storage with a backup of individual save files. A product description that says a drive is suitable for storing games does not change Sony’s documented method for protecting PS5 saved data.
For PS4 games, Sony separately documents copying PS4 saved data to USB and bringing it to PS5. That is a different procedure and should not be used as a substitute for backing up PS5 saved data. If your console has both PS4 and PS5 game progress to protect, check which platform’s save you are dealing with and use the applicable workflow for each.
What if I have two PS5 consoles?
Sony documents console-to-console transfer when both consoles are available, with a LAN cable as an optional physical accessory. This can suit a move from one working console to another, but it should not be mistaken for a backup that remains available after the original console is erased. A transfer workflow is for moving data between consoles; it does not establish that a separate copy exists for future recovery.
If your goal is protection before troubleshooting, retain a USB backup or confirm the cloud copy is available. If your goal is to move data, follow Sony’s transfer instructions on both consoles and do not erase the original until you have confirmed the data you need is accessible on the destination. The LAN cable is relevant only as an optional accessory for this two-console workflow; it is not needed for USB backup or cloud storage.
These distinctions help avoid a common planning mistake: treating “the data was transferred” as equivalent to “I have a backup I can restore later.” Before erasing either console, decide whether you need a move, a recoverable copy, or both. If you need protection against a later troubleshooting reset, make sure an independent backup or cloud copy is available rather than relying only on the transfer.
What if my PS5 will not start?
If the console will not start, you cannot assume that its local saved data can still be backed up through Settings. Recovery then depends on whether a usable USB console backup or cloud copy was already made. The documented procedures do not promise that a save stored only on an inaccessible console can be extracted after it stops starting.
Before attempting an action that deletes data, identify the backup available to you and whether you can access the PlayStation account associated with it. If no backup or cloud copy exists, the information here does not establish a way to recover inaccessible local PS5 saves. Avoid relying on a new USB backup if you cannot reach the console’s backup menu, and do not assume a reset will preserve local progress.
If the console can still reach Settings, use that access to complete and confirm the backup before choosing a destructive troubleshooting option. If it cannot, distinguish what is already saved elsewhere from what may exist only on the console. That distinction determines whether there is a copy to restore; troubleshooting cannot make an absent backup available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I back up my PS5 saves before resetting?
If the console can reach Settings, connect a FAT32- or exFAT-formatted USB drive, then go to Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Back Up Your PS5. Select saved data and complete the on-screen process. You can also use PlayStation Plus cloud storage, but verify that the save you need has uploaded before resetting.
Can I copy PS5 save data to a USB stick?
Not as an individual PS5 game-save export. Sony’s USB method for PS5 saved data is to include saves in a console backup. Sony separately allows individual PS4 saves to be copied to USB, which is a different workflow.
Do I need PS Plus to back up PS5 saves?
No. PlayStation Plus is needed for the cloud-storage option, but not for a USB console backup. The USB drive must be FAT32 or exFAT formatted and have enough free space for the data you select.
Will restoring a PS5 backup delete my current saves?
Yes. Sony says, “When restoring data, your PS5 console will erase all data saved on your console.” Restore Your PS5 is not a merge operation. Preserve anything you need from the destination console first.
Can I restore my PS5 saves after reinstalling system software?
If you have a usable backup, Sony’s USB restore path is Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore > Restore Your PS5. Select the backup and follow the on-screen instructions. Restoring erases data currently saved on the destination console, so preserve anything else you need before starting. Cloud saves use Sony’s separate download procedure.
Can I use the same USB drive for PS4 and PS5 save backups?
The USB console-backup route covers selected PS5 console data, while Sony separately allows PS4 saved data to be copied to USB. These are different procedures, so do not assume a PS4 individual-save copy contains your PS5 progress.
Can a PS5 restore add old saves without removing new console data?
No. Sony’s description of Restore Your PS5 says it erases data saved on the console; it is not a merge operation. Preserve any destination-console data you need before restoring.
Do I need to pay for a USB backup?
A PlayStation Plus membership is not required for USB console backup. You do need access to a compatible FAT32- or exFAT-formatted drive with enough free space for the data selected. No specific drive price or capacity is prescribed here; use one with sufficient free space.
Can I recover my PS5 saves if I never backed them up and the console no longer starts?
The documented procedures do not establish a way to back up local data from a console that cannot start. Recovery depends on an existing cloud copy or USB console backup.
Is console-to-console transfer the same as making a backup?
No. Sony documents transfer between two available PS5 consoles, including an optional LAN cable, but a transfer does not prove that a separate recoverable copy remains after the original console is erased. Keep a USB backup or confirm a cloud copy if you need a retained backup.
The Bottom Line
Before using Reset PS5 or Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software), confirm that the saves you need are available in PlayStation Plus cloud storage or in a completed USB console backup. PS5 saves cannot be copied individually to USB. A USB restore erases data currently on the destination PS5, so preserve that data first and use the PlayStation account associated with the backup.