In this short we explain that you cannot install DDR5 memory into a DDR4 slot. As an obvious extension to that, we also answer the question is DDR5, compatible with DDR4?

This is because while they are both 288 pin SODIMMS, the pinouts are different. Stop newbies from forcing the memory DDR5 memory into a DDR4 slot, DDR4 and 5 have a different notch location. We demonstrate this on a Dell Latitude 5440 laptop.

If you have a computer with DDR4 memory in it, you may want to upgrade it to DDR5 because DDR5 is faster, but you just can't change DDR4 to DDR5.