Can You Play PS4 Games on PS5? PlayStation Backwards Compatibility Explained

On a PS5 Digital Edition

There is no disc slot, so physical PS4 discs are simply not an option. You can only play PS4 games you own digitally:

1. Sign in to the same PlayStation Network account you used on PS4.
2. Open your Game Library and find the Purchased tab.
3. Download the PS4 titles you own and play.

If you are upgrading and own a shelf of PS4 discs, buy the disc-drive PS5, not the Digital Edition. There is no way to convert a physical disc into a digital license, so a Digital console makes your existing collection unplayable unless you repurchase those games.

What Won't Work on PS5

A small slice of the PS4 library is incompatible, almost always because a game depends on hardware the PS5 does not support or on legacy services. The usual culprits:

• Games that require the PlayStation Camera (the PS5 uses a different camera with no adapter for the old one).
• Titles built around the PlayStation Move motion controllers, particularly older PSVR experiences.
• A short list of specific games Sony flagged as non-functional or partially broken on PS5.
• Certain online or licensed components that have since been retired.

The practical takeaway: the failures cluster around peripheral-dependent and VR-adjacent games. Standard controller-based PS4 games almost universally run fine.

Game Boost: Why Some PS4 Games Run Better

Many PS4 games benefit from Game Boost, where the PS5 applies its faster CPU, GPU, and SSD to titles that originally targeted weaker hardware. Real-world gains include:

• Dramatically faster loading times thanks to the SSD, often the single most noticeable improvement.
• More stable frame rates, with some games that dipped below 30fps on PS4 holding steadier on PS5.
• Higher and more consistent resolution on select titles.
• A smoother, more responsive feel overall.

This applies automatically with no setting to flip. Separately, a number of games shipped dedicated PS5 upgrades that go further than Game Boost, adding 60fps modes, 4K rendering, ray tracing, or faster DualSense haptics. Some upgrades are free; others are paid. Always check whether a native PS5 version of a game you own exists before settling for the PS4 build.

How to Transfer Your PS4 Saves to PS5

Your progress does not have to start over. There are three reliable routes:

1. Cloud saves (PlayStation Plus): upload your saves to the cloud on PS4, then download them on PS5. The cleanest method, but it requires an active PlayStation Plus subscription.
2. USB drive: on PS4, copy saves to a USB stick via Settings > Application Saved Data Management, then plug it into the PS5 and copy them across. No subscription needed.
3. Direct data transfer: connect both consoles to the same network and use the PS5's guided data transfer during setup to move games and saves over Wi-Fi or LAN cable.

Game saves and game data are not the same thing. Transferring a save does not transfer the game itself, and re-downloading a game does not restore your progress. Move both, and confirm the save loaded before deleting it from the source.

PS4 vs. PS5 Versions: Which Should You Play?

If a free PS5 upgrade exists, take it. If the upgrade is paid and you are only revisiting a game casually, the boosted PS4 version is perfectly good.

Storage: The Practical Catch Nobody Warns You About

Backwards compatibility is generous; storage is not. PS4 games can be installed on the PS5's internal SSD or on a standard USB extended storage drive, and this is where the PS5 is actually more flexible than it is for PS5 games. Native PS5 titles must live on the internal SSD or an installed M.2 expansion drive to run, but PS4 games can be played directly from an external USB hard drive plugged into the console. That makes a cheap USB HDD an excellent home for your back catalog, freeing the fast internal SSD for the PS5 games that need it. If you already had a USB drive full of PS4 games on your old console, you can often plug it straight into the PS5 and play those games without re-downloading a thing, which is the single fastest way to bring a large library across.

Network Features and Online Play

One nuance that trips people up: online multiplayer in a PS4 game played on PS5 generally connects you to the PS4 player pool, since you are running the PS4 build of the game. Cross-generation matchmaking depends on whether the developer specifically supports it. Most online services that were live on PS4 continue to work on PS5, but any game whose servers have since been shut down will be just as offline on PS5 as it would be on the original hardware, backwards compatibility cannot revive a dead server. Check the game's current online status if multiplayer is the reason you are playing.

Common Questions People Get Wrong

• "Will my PS4 disc work in the Digital PS5?" No. The Digital Edition has no disc drive at all.
• "Can I play PS3 discs?" No. PS5 disc compatibility stops at PS4.
• "Do I keep my trophies?" Yes. Trophies are tied to your account, so they carry over automatically.
• "Will my PS4 controller work?" A DualShock 4 only works for playing PS4 games on PS5, not native PS5 games. Use the DualSense for everything else.

The Bottom Line

For nearly every game in your library, the answer is a clean yes: PS4 games run on PS5, and many run noticeably better. Own the discs and buy the disc-drive console; go all-digital and the Digital Edition is fine as long as your purchases are digital. Watch out for the handful of camera- and Move-dependent titles, move your saves over with cloud, USB, or a direct transfer, and grab any free PS5 upgrades you are entitled to. Do that and your entire PS4 collection comes along for the ride.