Tutorials

PlayStation Plus Premium members can play select PlayStation 4 games on a different device using cloud servers. This means that they can play a game natively on a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console and then transfer the save file over to cloud streaming version of the same game in order to continue your progress.  

You can check out this tutorial to see how you can transfer the saved data from the PS5 console to cloud streaming. 

1. Before we start, it is important to note that you can only stream games that are native to the PlayStation 4. Therefore, you need to be playing the PS4 version of a game on your PlayStation 5 console if you want to transfer saves. 

There are a few titles that support cross-progression where you can transfer the save data from the PS5 version to the PS4 version. By doing so, you should then be able to transfer the save from the PS4 version to the cloud streaming version. 

2. To begin, move the cursor over to the PlayStation 4 game on your PS5 console.  

3. With the game highlighted, press the Options button on the DualSense to bring up a pop-up window. 

4. From there, you need to select Upload/Download Saved Data.  

5. You then need to select Upload from the Upload/Download screen. 

6. Afterwards, select the “Upload All” option if you want to upload all your save files or the “Select and Upload” option and then select the saved data that you want uploaded. 

7. If you have existing data of the game already uploaded on the cloud storage, then you will be asked to overwrite the old data in order to continue.  

8. Once the save file have been uploaded from the PS5 to the cloud, you then need to start streaming the game. 

9. After the stream has been connected and booted up, press the PS button or tap the PS icon in order to being up the quick menu. 

10. From there, you first need to select the Now Streaming card. 

11. Afterwards, select Managed Saved Data. 

12. You should now be bought to the system menu of a virtual PlayStation 4. Here, you need to select OK to close the game.  

13. In the Application Saved Data Management menu, you then need to select Saved Data in Online Storage. 

14. In the Saved Data in Online Storage menu, you should then go to Copy to Game Streaming Storage. 

15. The virtual PlayStation 4 console should then load a list of the save files you have stored on the cloud server. Here, you need to select the game that contains the save file that you want to transfer over. 

16. Next, select the saved data and then the Copy option in the Copy to Game Streaming Storage menu. 

17. You may be asked to overwrite the old data from the Game Streaming Storage in order to continue. 

18. Once the transfer has been completed, press the circle button several times to exit out of the virtual PlayStation 4 menu and re-connect to the game you were previously playing via cloud streaming.  

19. You should now be able to resume your progress that you saved on the PlayStation 5.

If you have multiple PlayStation Network accounts on the same PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 console, then you are able to share some of the PlayStation Plus benefits. To find out how can use PS+ across different accounts, you can follow the steps laid out in this guide from Seeking Tech. 

What PlayStation Plus benefits can be shared on multiple accounts? 

You will be able to share the online multiplayer benefit for paid games across two or more PlayStation Network accounts. As a result, you should be able to play these titles online on an account that don’t have PlayStation Plus as long as you have another account that is subscribed to the service on the same gaming system. 

The other accounts can also be used to play games that were purchased using a PlayStation Plus discount as well as titles that were redeemed from Monthly Games Catalog, The PlayStation Plus Collection, Game Catalog and/or Classics Catalog. 

Non-Plus users can also use the Game Help feature as well. 

What PlayStation Plus benefits can’t be shared on multiple accounts? 

When it comes to PS Plus benefits that can’t be shared, you won’t be able to directly take advantage of discounts or redeem games from the service on non-Plus accounts. You also won’t be able to directly take advantage of timed game trials or PlayStation Plus discounts unless you are logged into the PSN account that is subscribed to the PlayStation Plus service.  

How to share PS Plus for two or more accounts on the same console 

In order to share PlayStation Plus benefits across multiple accounts on the same gaming system, you need to make sure that the PSN account that is subscribed to the service set the current console as the primary one. 

On the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, you need to head over to the Settings menu and then select Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. You then need to select the Enable button from the Console Sharing and Offline Play menu if the console isn’t already activated. 

On the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro console, you need to open the Settings menu and then select Account Management > Activate as Your Primary PlayStation 4. From the Activate as Your Primary PlayStation 4 menu, you then need to select the Activate option if your console hasn’t already been activated as the Primary PS4.  

Once you are done setting your console to primary, log out of the PlayStation Network account that is currently subscribed to the PlayStation Plus. You can then log into a non-Plus account on the same console. 

If done correctly, you should now be able to use the non-Plus account to play online matches as well as games that were bought and/or redeemed from PlayStation Plus.

While the PlayStation Plus service offers hundreds of games that are playable on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, not all of them are native to the console.  

The PS5 version usually features better resolution, higher frame rates and other graphical enhancements when compared to the PS4 version running on a PlayStation 5 console. Not to mention that the newer generation release may take advantage of features such as 3D Audio, adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.  

To see how you can find a full list of native PS5 games on the PlayStation Plus service, you can take a look at this tutorial from Seeking Tech. 

1. To start off, make sure you go to the PlayStation Plus App, which you can do from the home screen menu of your PlayStation 5. 

If you aren’t in the home screen, then you can get there quickly by pressing and holding the PS button on the DualSense controller. 

2. After opening the PS Plus App, press the R1 button until you switch over to the Games tab. 

3. The Games tab should show a list of all the games that are current on PlayStation Plus service, including titles from the following catalogs:  

• Monthly Games Catalog 
• The PlayStation Plus Collection 
• Game Catalog 
• Classics Catalog 

Unfiltered, the list will show games that are native to the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Currently, PlayStation 3 games can only be streamed on your PS5. On the other hand, you can download and stream PlayStation 4 games on the PS5 console. Last but not least, the native PlayStation 5 games can only be downloaded. 

4. In order to filter the list, move the cursor to the left and then select the Sort and Filter option. 

5. From the pop-up window, you then need to select Platform. 

6. You then need to make sure that only the PS5 option is checked.  

By doing so, the Games tab will now be filtered to only show games that have native PlayStation 5 versions. 

7. To sort the list, you can also select the Sort By option from the aforementioned Sort and Filter menu. Afterwards, you can sort the PS5 games by the following methodologies: 

• Name (A to Z) 
• Name (Z to A) 
• Release Date (Old to New) 
• Release Date (New to Old) 
• Recently Added to PS Plus 

8. If you want to download a native PlayStation 5 game from the listing, then you need to do the following: 

First, make sure that you are subscribed to the appropriate PlayStation Plus plan.  

Next, you need to select the game from the aforementioned listing.  

On the game’s product page, select the Download button.  

Some games offer both a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 version on PS Plus. In these cases, you will be taken to the Downloads screen when you select the Download button. From there, make sure you select the Download PS5 Version button to download the native PS5 version instead of the PS4 version.  

In some circumstances, you are able to download PS1 and PSP games at no additional downloads, as well as without being subscribed to PlayStation Plus Premium, on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console.  

When trying to download, however, you may see a price listing instead of the download button. You may also see the following error code when selecting the download button: 

• “WS-116483-3. Something went wrong.” 

To see how you can potentially fix these issues, you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech. 

1. To start off, make sure that the game you are trying to download is actually an emulated PS1 or PSP games.  

Some games, such as Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX, are remastered releases; therefore, there aren’t eligible for the free download if you previously bought them as PSOne Classics. 

Other titles, such as Tekken 2 and Resident Evil Director’s Cut, are exclusive to the PlayStation Plus Premium service. As a result, they can’t be played, even if you bought them previously, if you aren’t an active member of this plan.  

2. You should also check your transaction history to see if you have your previous purchase linked to your PlayStation Network account.  

In order to do so, turn on your PlayStation 5 and then head over to the PlayStation Store. On the front page of the shop, select the three dots icon. You then need to select Transaction History in the small window. 

Make sure you select the email that you used to previously purchase the game and then the date range. If you can’t find the PS1 or PSP game you bought in the past, then try using a different email address or date range.  

3. If you are able to locate the purchase from your transaction history, then you can try restoring the game licenses on your PlayStation Network account. 

In order to do so, head over to the Settings menu of your PS5. From there, select Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses > Restore.  

5. Restarting your PS5 may also help as this action will refresh your console’s connection to the Internet as well as the PlayStation Network. 

6. There may also be a server issue on Sony end that is stopping you from downloading the free PS1 or PSP game. In order to check, you can visit the PlayStation Network status webpage.

If some, or all, of the servers are experiencing issues, then we recommend waiting until they are fixed before you try downloading again. 

7. You can also try power cycling your home network. 

To do so, unplug the modem and router from the power outlets, wait for at least 2 minutes, and then plug them back in again. 

Once you home network has gone back online again, turn on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, connect to the PlayStation Network and then test to see if you are able to download your PS1 or PSP game. 

8. If none of the aforementioned solutions helped, then we recommend contacting the support team at PlayStation for additional support.

If you have a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, then you are able to play select games over cloud streaming. If you would like to transfer the save file from streaming to your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console so that you can resume where you left off, then you can take a look at this tutorial from Seeking Tech. 

Before we start, it is important to note that cloud streaming currently does not support any PS5 games. Therefore, the save transfer will only work with PS4 titles.  

Some games do offer cross-save progression between the PS4 and PS5 versions, however. In that case, you should be able to transfer the saved data from cloud streaming to the PS4 version first and then transfer the same data from the PS4 version to the PS5 version of the game.  

1. To start off, open the stream of any game. 

2. Once the stream has target, open the streaming menu.  

For this guide, we will be using the PlayStation 5 as a streaming device. So, to open the streaming menu, you need to press the PS button.  

3. In the streaming menu, you need to select the Now Streaming card. 

4. From the next screen, you then need to select the Manage Saved Data option. 

5. You will be warned that the game will be closed. Here, you need to select OK to continue.  

6. In the Application Saved Data Management screen, select Saved Data in Game Streaming Storage. 

7. Next, you need to select Copy to Online Storage. 

8. Select the game that you want to save files to be copied over. 

9. Afterwards, you should be in the Copy to Online Storage menu. Here, you need to select the saved data to transfer and then the Copy option. 

10. Once the copying process has been completed, you can exit out of the stream. 

11. Now go to the home menu of your PlayStation 5. You can get there by pressing and holding the PS button on the controller. 

12. Inside the home menu, move the cursor over to the PS4 game that you want to transfer the save files over to.  

13. With the cursor on the game, press the Options button on your controller. 

14. Next, you need to select Upload/Download Saved Data. 

15. From the Upload/Download Saved Data menu, select Download. 

16. In the small window, you can either select the Download All option to download all the save files or the Select and Download option to only download a specific file. If you choose the latter, then you will be brought over to a screen where you can select which save file to download. 

17. If you have already had a save file from the same game on your console storage, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite it. Select Yes to continue. 

18. Once the save file has been downloaded, you should be able to resume where you left off from cloud storage to your PS5. 

19. If you would like to transfer the saved data from the PS4 version to the PS5 version in games that support cross-save or cross-progression, then the process varies on a game-by-game basis.

You are able to use a USB external storage drive for your PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console. If you decide to store game data on it, then you can play PS4 titles directly from the external HDD, HHD or SSD. You can also use this option as a cold storage for PS5 games. 

Before using a USB drive, you may need to format for your PS5. When trying to do so, you may run into the following error message: 

“Can’t format this USB drive as USB extended storage. Use a USB drive that satisfies the following conditions:  

• Supports Superspeed USB (or faster) 
• Capacity of 250 GB minimum and 8 TB maximum 
• Directly connected to your PS5” 

To see how you can fix this issue, you can take a look at this troubleshooting guide from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, make sure that the USB connection of the external storage device is USB 3.0 or later. The USB bandwidth should be 5 Gbps or faster. 

2. If you are sure that the USB connection of the external drive is compatible with the PS5, then you can try plugging it into one of the two USB ports located at the back of the console. 

3. As stated in the error message, you need to directly connect the external drive to your PlayStation 5 console. Therefore, you should avoid using connecting it first to a USB hub or USB pass-through device before the gaming system. 

4. If the USB drive requires its own power source, then you need to make sure that it is plugged into a power outlet and turned on. 

5. Of course, you should make sure that the USB drive has a capacity between 250 GB to 8 TB. If it is smaller or larger, then it won’t be compatible with the PS5 as a USB extended storage device.  

6. If possible, try to update the external drive as a new firmware may help improve the compatibility of the product with Sony’s gaming console.  

To update, you need to connect the USB drive to a desktop or laptop. Afterwards, check the manufacture’s website to see if there are any new firmware versions and/or instructions for updating your storage. 

7. While the external drive is connected to a desktop or laptop, you can also try formatting from there. 

In order to do so on a Windows 10 operating system, for example, open the file explorer and then right click on the USB drive. In the pop-up menu, you then need to select the “Format..” option. In the next screen, make sure you select either exFAT or FAT32 as the file system and then select the Start option. 

If none of the aforementioned steps helped with fixing the “can’t format this USB drive as USB extended storage” error, then the USB storage may not be compatible with the PlayStation 5. There is also a possibility that the external drive may be defective. In either of these cases, you can try using a different storage product to see if you can get that to work properly with your PS5.