PlayStation 3

Backing up your data

Backing Up Your Data

Before you change anything on your PlayStation 3, save copies of what matters. A good backup means that even in a worst-case scenario, your important files survive. Treat this page as a mandatory step, not an optional one.

Why this comes first

Backups are cheap insurance. Spending a few minutes now protects years of game saves, trophies, and personal data from a single mistake later.

What to back up

Game saves — your single most irreplaceable data.
Trophies — sync them to your account so progress is preserved.
Personal media — photos, music, and videos stored on the drive.
Account details — note which account is signed in.

How to back up

Sync trophies
Connect to your account and sync so trophy progress lives on the server, not just locally.
Copy saves to USB
Use the built-in save data utility to copy game saves to a FAT32 USB drive.
Full system backup
Use the console's Backup Utility under settings to image the whole drive to external storage.
Verify the copy
Confirm the files actually transferred before continuing. A backup you never checked is not a backup.

With a verified backup in hand, you are ready to move on confidently. do not skip