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Modern consoles are more like PCs than ever, but still aim to deliver the most streamlined gaming experience possible. Sony’s PlayStation 5 meets that goal with a host of lesser-known features that enhance your game without much fuss, in addition to improved graphics power. Here are the settings and shortcuts you should know about (and change) on day one, if you can get one.
Migrate games and save from your PS4
The PS4 may have some features that the PS5 doesn’t, but you probably want to play all your games, old and new, on the most powerful console. After all, some of those old PS4 games will work better than ever thanks to the PS5’s built-in Game Boost, and you can make use of the more comfortable DualSense controller.
You can transfer those games, and your saved games, to the PS5 over your network in just a few steps. Just go to Settings> System> System Software and select Data transfer To get started. It will take a bit of waiting, but hey, it’s faster than downloading them from scratch.
Set difficulty, performance, camera preferences
There are certain settings that you probably tweak every time you get a new game. For example, I always put mine in performance mode (if it exists) and turn off subtitles. The PS5 allows you to set a series of system-wide defaults, so your games will switch to your favorite settings as soon as you launch them. Set your preferred difficulty, performance mode, camera controls, subtitles and audio from Settings> Saved data and Game / app settings> Game presets.
Avoid spoilers in the games you are playing
Here’s an incredibly clever feature for those who like some mystery in their games. With the PS5, you can avoid spoilers when other players share screenshots and game clips, depending on what you’ve played so far. Open Settings> Game / Apps & Save Settings> Spoiler Warnings and modify your settings accordingly. You can hide specific spoilers identified by game developers or hide screenshots and clips of any part of a game that you have not yet played.
Calibrate your HDR levels
If you have a relatively recent TV that’s HDR capable, you’ll want to make sure your PS5 is using it to its fullest. Not all TVs have the same HDR capabilities, so telling your PS5 how bright your rig can be will make sure you see every detail, while still having that HDR “pop.”
You may have performed this calibration during setup, but if you are using a different TV since then, or have changed any TV settings, go to Settings> Display and video> Adjust HDR on your PS5 and run the calibration again. You can read more about how to get the best HDR experience on PS5 in our guide.
Save battery on your controller
By default, the DualSense controller stays on when idle, so you can grab it and continue playing right away. But personally, I prefer to save battery when I’m not using it, it’s no big deal to press the PS button when I get back. Below Settings> System> Power saving, you can set the time until the controller turns off. I have set it to the lowest 10 minute setting to conserve as much battery as possible.
Adjust DualSense vibration, volume, and brightness
Speaking of the DualSense, Sony’s latest controller is the most advanced yet. But if you feel like those fancy haptics are a bit too loud and loud, or if you don’t like the built-in speaker, you can adjust them to your liking. Navigate to Settings> Accessories> Controller where you can lower the volume of the driver speaker, lower the intensity of vibration and resistive triggers, and adjust the brightness of the built-in light bar.
Get 3D audio on any pair of headphones
Many gaming headsets come with a “virtual surround sound” feature that attempts to make your game audio more spacious and immersive. Some of these implementations are better than others, but Sony has one of the best virtual surround sound processors in the business, so it’s great that it enables its new 3D audio algorithm in none set of headphones.
To enable it, connect your headphones, either by plugging in your USB dongle or by plugging the 3.5mm cable into the bottom of your controller, and go to Settings> Sound> Audio out. If your PS5 is properly outputting sound to your headphones, you should see the “Enable 3D Audio” option near the bottom of the menu. Make sure to select “Fit 3D Audio Profile” to fit your ears before playing a game.
Reduce notifications
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like seeing pop-up notifications every time I get an achievement or a new update is downloaded. Below Settings> Notifications, you can disable or hide specific types of pop-up windows while gaming and watching movies.
Press and hold the PS button to go home
If you’re coming from a PS4, you’re probably used to the PS button taking you back to the main menu. On the PS5, pressing that button opens a quick menu at the bottom, with a home icon that will take you to the home screen. If you prefer to go directly to the main screen, just press and hold the PS button; It will save you an extra touch.
View the playing time of a game
If you’re curious about how many hours you’ve spent on a specific game (don’t ask me about my Skyrim habit), you can view your playtime stats on your PlayStation profile. Select your profile picture from the main menu, then choose Profile and highlight the Games tab. You’ll see the full stats for every game you own, including the ones you played on PS4.
Share screenshots and video clips
If you just made a really cool move, hit the Share button on the DualSense controller (the little one above the D-pad). A menu will appear allowing you to take a screenshot, start recording a new clip, or export a video clip of your recent game (even if you forgot to record first). You can then edit and share these photos from the PS5 media gallery.
Buy and download games from your phone
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you are dating a friend and they say absolutely to have to play Rocket League, even if you don’t like cars or football. If you have the PlayStation app on your phone (Android, iOS), now all you have to do is find it on the PlayStation Store, buy it (if necessary) and tap the “Download to console” button. This is especially useful if you’ve pre-ordered a game and want to download it the day before its release, so you’re ready to play.
You may need to enable “Stay connected to the Internet” in Settings> System> Power saving> Functions available in sleep mode and “Automatic download” in Settings> Saved data and game / app settings> Automatic updates if they haven’t already.
Stream games to your PC, phone, or PS4
If you’re eager to get your God of War fix right now, but you’re not close to your PS5, you can use the PS Remote Play app to stream your PS5 games to a PC, Mac, phone, tablet, or PS4, be it in the same house or online. You’ll need a fast connection, but to set it up, check out our PS5 streaming guide.
