To transfer data from a PS4 to a PC, the process depends on the type of data you want to transfer:
Transferring Game Saves and Gameplay Data
- Generally, you cannot directly transfer gameplay save data from PS4 to PC due to platform restrictions. Most games do not support cross-save between PS4 and PC versions unless specifically enabled by the game developers or publishers (e.g., some titles by EA, Ubisoft, Rockstar may offer cloud-based cross-save features) but this is rare
Transferring Video Clips and Screenshots
- You can transfer video clips and screenshots from your PS4 to your PC using a USB drive:
- Format a USB drive to FAT32 or exFAT.
- On PS4, copy the desired video clips or screenshots to the USB drive.
- Safely eject the USB and then connect it to your PC.
- Copy the files from the USB to your PC’s hard drive
Transferring Game Files or Entire Games
- You cannot directly transfer installed PS4 games to a PC to play them, as games are platform-locked.
- However, if you want to move game files or data stored on the PS4 hard drive, you can remove the PS4 hard drive, connect it to your PC as an external drive, and use a data transfer tool like EaseUS Todo PCTrans to migrate files from the PS4 drive to your PC
- This method is mainly for backup or file access purposes, not for playing PS4 games on PC.
Summary
- Game saves: Usually no direct transfer to PC unless supported by the game’s cloud save system.
- Media files (videos/screenshots): Transfer via USB drive formatted to FAT32/exFAT.
- Game files: Cannot be played on PC; can be backed up by connecting PS4 hard drive to PC and using transfer tools.
If your goal is to continue playing games on PC, you will likely need to purchase the PC versions separately and start fresh unless the game supports cross-save via its own online service. For transferring data between PS4 and PS5, there are official methods (wired LAN, Wi-Fi, external drive, cloud) but these do not apply to PC transfers
. This covers the practical ways to transfer data from PS4 to PC based on current capabilities and restrictions.
