The PlayStation 5 has been out for a couple of years now, and it’s finally become pretty easy to find it in stock online and in stores, so it’s no surprise to see it’s selling by the bucketload.
It’s easy to see why. It is resplendent in its skyscraper looks and boasts true next-level technology; but what exactly can you do with it other than play games?
We’ve put together a handy guide for anyone who has recently bought a PS5 or the PS5 Digital Edition – here are the best tips and tricks we’ve found.
How to transfer files from PS4 to PS5
If you already own a PlayStation 4 and want to set up your PS5 using existing settings and installed games, you can transfer files from your PS4 to the new PS5 via your local network.
You will need the latest system software on both consoles, so make sure they are updated first. You will also need to ensure your Trophies are synchronised (by pressing options when viewing your Trophies and selecting Sync with PlayStation Network).
You now need to set up both of the consoles for the transfer. You can either do this by connecting them both via Wi-Fi to your home router or via LAN cables. The latter is definitely faster.
If you only have one LAN cable, make sure both consoles are connected via Wi-Fi to the router, then plug the LAN cable into each console’s Ethernet port.
Once connected, turn both on and head to your PS5’s Settings. Tap on System, then System Software and select Data Transfer. Hit Continue.
Your PS4 should appear on the next screen. Select it and as soon as Prepare for Data Transfer appears, press and hold the power button on your PS4 until you hear a beep.
You can then select all the content you wish to transfer and select Star Transfer.
How to insert a disc into the PS5
This might seem an odd tip, but if you stand the standard PlayStation 5 on its end – something that it’s clearly best designed for – a disc doesn’t go into the drive in the most natural direction.
Instead, you need to face the top of the Blu-ray or game leftwards and towards the meat of the console itself. Some might say that’s obvious, but it wasn’t for us the first time around.
If you have your PS5 laid horizontally, it makes much more sense as the disc inserts the right way around (with the disc slot at the bottom of the console). It is also irrelevant for Digital Edition owners, of course.
How to make Game Presets
The PS5 lets you create global settings to choose defaults on new games as you start them – a handy feature. This means you can tell games to always use their Performance modes, for example, if you prefer higher frame rates, or to choose the Medium difficulty setting when you start.
To choose your settings, go to Settings, then Save Data and hit Game/App Settings. Under the Game Presets section, you can choose the default settings you want to use. Most games should recognise these, but you may have to double-check before you get too far in.
Save yourself from spoilers
If you’re playing a game from a little while ago and want to avoid seeing images from later sections as you browse your PS5’s cards and pages, there’s a handy setting to help. Where you edited your Game Presets, under Game/App Settings, you can also see a section about Spoiler Warnings.
You can then block either any images the developers have flagged as spoilers, or any images from areas you’ve not seen yet – both are great ways to steer clear of new information. The good news is that the game hint cards you’ll see when you press the PlayStation button on your DualSense controller will abide by this and won’t show you any spoilers either.
The PlayStation 5 has its own optional Media Remote, to control streaming apps and 4K Blu-ray playback.
The Bluetooth device is easy to pair with the console, you just have to head to “Settings”, then “Accessories”, scroll down to “Media Remote” and tap on “Set up Media Remote”.
A wizard will guide you through the steps, but to put the remote in pairing mode just hold the PlayStation and options buttons down for a few seconds. The remote can also be set to control your TV and, as in our case, a sound system.
How to ensure you are playing a PS5 version of a game not PS4
In the early days of the PS5, it was surprisingly fiddly to make sure you were playing the next-gen version of a game, where both versions were downloadable. This has thankfully been fixed by software updates – you’ll now see a logo next to the game on your homescreen to let you know which version it is.
If you’ve accidentally got the PS4 version installed, you can just go to your library and download the PS5 option instead. Also, Sony has ensured that when you buy a game it’ll be the next-gen version that automatically downloads, which is useful.
How to list just PS5 games in your library
If you already have a decent library of PS4 games assigned to your PlayStation account, or have downloaded several of the PS Plus Collection, but want to just see what games you own that are native PS5 titles, you can filter the list.
Head to the Game Library icon in the top bar on the homescreen and click on the filter button on the left-hand side (has a downward arround on it). Select Platform then tick PS5. Your library will now just show PS5 games. You can do the same for other platforms.
How to expand your PS5 storage
After months of waiting, Sony activated the PS5’s ability to accept an additional internal SSD to get more storage for your games and applications. The process is really quite simple, but you can find a full guide on how to accomplish it right here.
On top of that, we’ve also got a carefully curated list of the best internal PS5 SSD options for you to pick up, so you can make sure that you don’t get fleeced by an overpriced drive.
How to move PS4 games onto an external hard drive
When you have an external drive plugged in and active, you can move PS4 games and apps from the internal drive to the external one.
First, head to Settings, scroll down and click on Storage. Then click on Console Storage. Move across to the Games and Apps tag and click on that.
Select the Items You Can Move tag at the top of the next page, click on any of the games you wish to transfer then hit Move.
How to output bitstream audio/Dolby Atmos on 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays
The PS5 does not support Dolby Atmos, as such, but can output bitstream audio over HDMI for DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays, so your AV receiver, surround system or soundbar can decode the signal itself. The only issue is you have to choose the option manually, and it’s not available in the usual PS5 settings.
Basically, you can only do it when a disc is inserted and running. When it reaches the main disc menu – of the movie or TV show – hit the Options button and you should see a few popups appear at the bottom of the screen.
Select the burger icon (the three dots) and then Settings in the next menu that appears. Select Audio Format then Bitstream. Now use the circle button on the controller (or back button on the Media Remote) a couple of times to get back to the movie menu.
How to set PS5 parental controls
It is possible to set parental controls for any children who will be using the PlayStation 5. These include age restrictions for content, the ability to track and limit play time, setting spending limits on a shared wallet, and restricting communication features.
You can either set them on the console itself, or via an internal browser on PC, Mac or mobile. For the latter, head to your account management page on Sony’s website. Then click on Family Management. You can set all the parental controls for each child’s PlayStation account from there.
Alternatively, you can set them from the PS5’s own settings menu. Head to Settings, scroll down to Family and Parental Controls. Then, you will find the Parental Controls in Family Management.
In the PS5 menu, you can alter each of the controls individually or choose a preset restriction level between Child, Early Teens, or Late Teens or Older.
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