How to Get Cloud Storage on Your PS5: A Comprehensive Guide
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
Getting cloud storage for your PlayStation 5 (PS5) is essential for backing up your game saves, ensuring your progress isn’t lost, and enabling you to easily access your saved data across different consoles. The good news is, cloud storage is readily available for PS5 owners who have a PlayStation Plus subscription. This feature is a crucial part of maintaining your gaming experience, offering a seamless way to safeguard your in-game achievements and progress.
Here’s a direct answer to the question: How do I get cloud storage on my PS5?
You automatically get access to cloud storage as a perk of having an active PlayStation Plus subscription. It doesn’t require additional setup beyond ensuring that auto-sync is turned on in your console settings. If you are a subscriber, your PS5 will automatically try to sync your save data to the cloud. If you are not a subscriber, you will need to become a subscriber to use cloud storage for your saved game data.
Understanding PlayStation Plus and Cloud Storage
PlayStation Plus Tiers and Cloud Storage
To utilize cloud storage on your PS5, you need to be subscribed to one of the three tiers of PlayStation Plus: Essential, Extra, or Premium. Each tier offers cloud storage for saved data, so regardless of the level you choose, your game progress will be safe and accessible across devices. The amount of storage provided is generally ample for saving your game data.
Auto-Sync: The Key to Seamless Backups
The PS5 automatically syncs saved game data to the cloud. This ensures that as soon as you finish a gaming session, your progress is uploaded and backed up. You can find these settings in your console menu, where you can enable or disable automatic cloud sync based on your preference. Here’s how you ensure auto-sync is enabled:
- Navigate to Settings on your PS5 home screen.
- Scroll down to Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Select Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4) depending on the type of game saves you want to manage.
- Choose Sync Saved Data.
- Enable Auto-Sync Saved Data.
Once enabled, your PS5 will handle the backups automatically in the background.
Managing Your Cloud Saves
Manual Uploads and Downloads
While the automatic syncing feature is convenient, there might be occasions where you want to manually upload or download saved data. For example, you might be playing on a friend’s console and wish to transfer your save. You can achieve this in the following manner:
- Highlight a game from your Games home screen.
- Press the Options button on your controller.
- Select Upload/Download Saved Data.
- This will either upload the most recent save to the cloud, or download the save to your console.
Accessing Cloud Storage Settings
You can access and manage your cloud storage settings through the system settings:
- Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
- Select either Saved Data (PS5) or Saved Data (PS4) to manage saves of either generation.
- Select Cloud Storage to view the saves stored in the cloud.
Recovering Saved Data
If you need to recover saved game data from the cloud, simply go to this menu. Select the game you wish to recover and download the save file back to your console.
Troubleshooting Cloud Storage Issues
Common Errors
Sometimes you might encounter a PS5 cloud error such as “checking for saved data on cloud storage”. This can be caused by a few things:
- Temporary Server Issues: The PlayStation Network might have temporary issues that prevent the cloud from syncing.
- Poor Internet Connection: A weak or unstable internet connection can disrupt the syncing process.
- Insufficient Cloud Storage: Although unlikely with regular game saves, if you are uploading exceptionally large data or have limited storage from your subscription tier, it might cause an error.
- PSN Issues: There might be a problem with the PlayStation Network itself.
Solutions
- Check Internet Connection: Make sure your PS5 is connected to a stable and fast internet connection.
- Restart Your PS5: A simple console restart can solve many temporary glitches.
- Check PlayStation Network Status: Visit the PlayStation Network status page to see if there are any ongoing server issues.
- Free up Storage: Ensure you have sufficient cloud storage for your saves.
- Re-sync: Go to the menu mentioned before and attempt to manually re-sync your data to the cloud
Cloud Storage vs. System Storage
It’s important to differentiate between cloud storage and local system storage. Your PS5’s internal storage is used to install games, media, and some saved data. Cloud storage, on the other hand, is a virtual space on Sony’s servers to back up your game saves. Cloud storage helps you protect your progress and easily transfer data across different PS5 consoles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does PS5 automatically save to the cloud?
Yes, for PS5 games, your console and cloud storage will sync to the most recent data. For PS4 games, data is automatically uploaded to your cloud storage, but you will need to manually download them to PS5 console storage if you’d like to play those titles on the console.
2. What happens if I delete game data on my PS5?
If you delete the game data from your local system, the game itself will still be available for redownloading from your game library, and you can recover any saves that you backed up to the cloud via the saved data settings.
3. Can I use cloud storage without PlayStation Plus?
No, cloud storage is a feature exclusive to PlayStation Plus members. You need an active subscription to use it.
4. Can I check how much cloud storage I have left?
The PS5 doesn’t show how much cloud storage you’ve used or have remaining. It’s designed to seamlessly manage your save files, and generally it provides ample storage for the save data of most gamers, so it’s not necessary to track it.
5. Can I use cloud storage for all my games?
Yes, cloud storage supports all games for which you have saved data.
6. How do I restore game saves from the cloud?
To restore your saved data from the cloud, navigate to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings, then select Saved Data (PS5 or PS4), and choose Cloud Storage. From there, pick the game you want to recover and select Download to Console Storage.
7. What can I do if my automatic sync is not working?
Check your internet connection, restart your PS5, and try manual uploads to see if that works.
8. Can I use cloud storage on multiple PS5 consoles?
Yes, as long as you log in to the same PlayStation Network account, you can access your saved data on any PS5 console.
9. How does cloud streaming differ from cloud saves?
Cloud saves are for backing up game progress, while cloud streaming allows you to play games remotely over the internet without downloading them, through a PS Plus Premium membership.
10. Does cloud streaming include save data?
Yes, when streaming a game through the cloud, your progress is usually saved via the cloud save function, so you can continue your progress as if you were playing it on your system.
11. Can I manage my cloud storage on the PlayStation App?
No, the PlayStation App does not support managing cloud storage. You need to manage it directly from your PS5 console.
12. What is the difference between extended storage and cloud storage?
Extended storage, like an external hard drive, is used to install games and media, while cloud storage is solely for saving your game progress.
13. Is cloud storage secure?
Yes, PlayStation’s cloud storage is designed with robust security measures to protect your data.
14. How do I know if my saved data has been uploaded?
After enabling automatic sync, you will not usually be notified specifically for each sync. However, you can check that your save is uploaded when you manually select upload on the desired game from the games hub, or via the cloud saves menu.
15. Can I download PS4 saves to my PS5 using cloud storage?
Yes, data from PS4 games is automatically uploaded to the cloud, and you can manually download it to your PS5 storage to continue playing.
Conclusion
Cloud storage is an indispensable feature for PS5 owners, offering a straightforward way to protect your gaming progress. By utilizing your PlayStation Plus membership and taking a few minutes to set up automatic syncing, you can ensure your save data is backed up, secure, and accessible whenever you need it. Understanding how cloud storage works, along with these FAQs, will greatly enhance your PlayStation gaming experience.