Buzz
While most users prioritize backing up their PCs, smartphones, and other gadgets to safeguard against crashes, power outages, or hardware failures, game consoles often get overlooked. Fortunately, the PlayStation 5 simplifies the process of saving your files to an external USB device. Additionally, PlayStation Plus members can securely store their game progress in the cloud.
It’s important to distinguish between backing up your data and expanding your PS5’s storage with an external drive. Although both serve related purposes, the Back Up and Restore functions are designed for archiving data you don’t need immediate access to, as well as for recovery in cases of system crashes or data loss.
Expanding your PS5’s storage, however, allows you to install and sometimes play games directly from the external drive. This process requires specific hard drives and USB cables. While we’ll explore storage expansion in a future guide, this article focuses on how to back up your PS5 data effectively.
How to back up and restore your PS5 data using an external USB hard drive
The PS5’s Back Up and Restore functionality is compatible with a broad range of USB storage devices. However, ensure your external drive has sufficient free space before initiating the backup.
Navigate to Settings > System > Back Up and Restore.
Choose “Back Up Your PS5.”
Use a USB cable to connect your external drive to the PS5.
Select the data you wish to back up. The progress bar in the lower-right corner indicates the storage space required on the external drive.
Click “Next,” followed by “Back Up” to start the process. Ensure the PS5 and USB drive remain powered and connected during the transfer to prevent data corruption.
Once the backup is complete, you can safely disconnect the USB device. Your data will remain securely stored for future restoration. Here’s how to restore your data if needed:
Connect the USB backup drive to your PS5 and power on the console.
From the PS5 home screen, go to Settings > System > Back Up and Restore.
Select “Restore Your PS5.”
Choose the data you want to transfer from the drive to your PS5, then follow the on-screen instructions to start the process.
Wait for the files to copy. Do not disconnect or power off the PS5 or USB drive during the transfer.
How to save your PS5 data to the cloud
In addition to creating physical backups using USB drives, PlayStation Plus subscribers can store their game saves in the cloud. This feature requires an active PS Plus membership and automatic updates to be enabled on your PS5. Once activated, the console will automatically back up your game data. Here’s how to set it up:
On your PS5, navigate to Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode and turn on “Stay Connected to the Internet.”
Next, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
For PS5 games, select PS5 Games > Sync Saved Data and enable “Auto-Sync Saved Data.”
For PS4 games installed on your PS5, choose “PS4 games,” then activate “Auto-Upload.”
Once these settings are enabled, your PS5 save data will automatically sync between the cloud and your console, ensuring you always have the latest save files available. For PS4 data, you’ll need to manually download it from the game’s launch page.
[Android Central]
