13 PS5 Tricks to Getting the Most Out of Your Console

All today’s consoles are more PC-like than ever before, but still, deliver the most optimized gaming experience possible. In addition to more powerful graphics, the Sony PlayStation 5 achieves this goal with a few lesser-known features that improve gameplay without too much hassle. Here are the settings and shortcuts you need to know (and change) on the first day of purchase.

Migrate Your PS4 Games and Saves

The PS4 may lack a few features that the PS5 has, but you’re likely to want to play all of your games—old and new—on the more powerful machine. After all, owing to the PS5’s built-in Game Boost, some of those old PS4 games will perform better than ever before, and you will be able to utilize the more comfortable DualSense controller.

In just a few steps, you may transfer those games—as well as your game saves—to the PS5 over your network. To begin, navigate to Settings > System > System Software and choose Data Transfer. It will take time, but it is faster than downloading them from scratch.

Customizable Difficulty, Performance, and Camera Preferences

You probably change specific settings every time you get a new game. For example, you can set yours in performance mode (if it has one) and turn off the subtitles. The PS5 allows you to specify the number of system-wide presets, so your games will automatically adapt to your preferred settings when you open them. Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets allow you to customize the difficulty, performance mode, camera controls, subtitles, and audio.

Avoid Spoilers in Your Playing Games

Check out this amazingly creative feature for those who enjoy a little mystery in their games. When other players submit images and gameplay footage depending on what you’ve played so far, you can prevent spoilers with the PS5. Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Spoiler Warnings and make the necessary changes. You may conceal particular spoilers recognized by game producers, as well as photos and clips from any portion of a game you haven’t yet played.

Adjust Your HDR Levels

If you have a newer TV that supports HDR, check sure your PS5 uses it to the maximum. Because not all TVs have the same HDR capabilities, informing your PS5 how bright your set can become will ensure you see every detail while still having that HDR “pop.”

You may have done this calibration during setup, but if you’ve moved TVs or altered any TV settings after then, head to Settings > Screen and Video > Adjust HDR on your PS5 and repeat the process. In our tutorial, you can learn more about having the most satisfactory HDR experience on PS5.

Save Your Controller’s Battery

By default, the DualSense controller remains turned on while not in use, allowing you to pick it up and start playing straight away. It’s better to preserve battery life while not using it—pressing the PS button when you return isn’t a big issue. You may specify the time until your controller switches off under Settings > System > Power Saving. To save as much battery as possible, set it to the lowest level of 10 minutes.

DualSense can be improved. Volume, Brightness, and Vibration

Sony’s newest controller, the DualSense, is the most sophisticated ever. However, if you think the sophisticated haptics are a little too strong and loud, or if you don’t like the built-in speaker, you may alter them. Go to Settings > Accessories > Controller to modify the volume of the controller’s speaker, the intensity of vibration and resistive triggers, and the brightness of the built-in light bar.

Get 3D Audio with Any Headphones

A few of these methods are more successful than others. Many gaming headphones have a “virtual surround” function that makes game sounds more expansive and immersive. Still, Sony has some of the most significant virtual surround processing in the industry, so it remarkably allows their new 3D audio technology to be used with any set of headphones.

Connect your headphones, either by connecting in their USB dongle or by inserting the 3.5mm cord into the bottom of your controller, and go to Settings > Sound > Audio Output to activate it. If your PS5 successfully delivers sound to your headphones, the option “Enable 3D Audio” should be at the bottom of the menu. Before playing a game, be sure to pick “Adjust 3D Audio Profile” to fine-tune it to your ears.

Reduce the number of notifications

It’s not so great to see pop-up alerts every time you gain an accomplishment or download a new update. You may disable or conceal various pop-ups while playing a game or watching a movie by going to Settings > Notifications.

To return home, press and hold the PS Button.

If you’re coming from a PS4, you’re probably used to returning to the main menu by pressing the PS button. On the PS5, hitting that button brings up a quick menu with a home icon that takes you to the home screen. If you’d prefer to go to the main menu, hold down the PS button—it’ll save you a tap.

View the Playtime of a Game

If you’re wondering about how many hours you’ve spent on a particular game, you can view your playtime metrics under your PlayStation profile. Select your profile photo from the main menu, then Profile, and finally the Games tab. You’ll be able to examine detailed statistics for every game you own, including those you played on PS4.

Send screenshots and video clips to others.

If you just performed a spectacular move, hit the Share button on the DualSense controller (the small one above the D-pad). It will open a menu where you may take a screenshot, start recording a new clip, or export a video clip from your most recent playtime (even if you forgot to hit record first). From the PS5’s media gallery, you may then edit and share these photographs.

Purchase and Download Games Using Your Phone

Please let me know if the following is familiar: You’re out with a buddy, and they insist that you play Rocket League, even if you’re not like cars or soccer. If you already have the PlayStation app on your phone (Android or iOS), all you have to do now is search for it in the PlayStation Store, purchase it (if necessary), then hit the “Download to Console” option. This is especially beneficial if you’ve pre-ordered a game and want to download it the day before it is launched so that you can play it right away.

If they aren’t already enabled, you may need to allow “Stay Connected to the Internet” under Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode and “Auto-Download” under Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Automatic Updates.

Stream Games to Your PC, Phone, or PlayStation 4

If you need a God of War to fix right now but don’t have access to your PS5, you can also use the PS Remote Play software to broadcast your PS5 videogames to a PC, Mac, phone, tablet, or PS4 — either locally and over the web. You’ll need to have a decent internet connection to get started, but visit our PS5 streaming guide for more information.