Unsure of how exactly to turn off your PS5 with the controller? Want to find out whether you can use a PS4 controller with Sony’s latest console? Read on for our top beginner tips for making your gaming life easier on the PlayStation 5.
1. Turn off your PS5 with the controller
- Locate the PS button in the centre of the controller
- Hold that button down for a few seconds
- Scroll to “turn off PS5” within that menu
A short while later, the console will beep and turn off. The console can be reawakened by pressing the PS button again or using the onboard power button on the front of the console. The beep will indicate that the console is entering it’s shutdown phase, unless of course you decide to change or turn off the beep entirely.
2. Remove/Change the beep
- Go to settings
- Select System
- Choose the ‘beep sound’ option
- Change volume of the beep sound or mute it entirely
3. Button shortcuts
- Hold the PS button to go straight to the home menu without having to go to the control centre, then selecting the house icon which represents the home option.
- To select the options menu on the control centre, just press the ‘triangle’ button, rather than going to the control centre, then using the analogue stick to manoeuvre to the settings menu. This function also works in the PS store and PS Plus screen.
- In order to mute all sound from the console, instead of playing a gam of ‘hide and seek’ with the TV remote, you can just hold the PS button in the centre of the pad. This will immediately mute all sound coming from the console and give you a few moments of audio silence. The amber light will then begin to pulse while it is in this mode.
4. Can you use a PS4 controller on the PS5?
You may be surprised to find out you can use PS4 controllers to play PS4 games on the PS5. They cannot be used for PS5 games, but can make a great extra controller in a pinch.
5. Assist controller
PS5 lets you use two controls as if they were one controller. This is a great accessibility option but could also be co-opted for couples who want to play together, where one of the coupling may not be the best at using the controller.
To use this mode:
- Head to settings menu
- Select accessibility
- Choose ‘controllers’
- Finally, click ‘use second controller for assistance’
6. Set game presets
This option will allow you to select presets such as subtitle options for all your favourite games without starting the game up and wrestling through the in-game menus. You can also pre-select difficulty for the games, what type of display mode, third or first person-view (where applicable) and many more.
- Head to settings
- Select ‘saved data and game/app settings’
- Choose ‘game pre-sets’
7. Share your game library
- Head to options
- Choose users and accounts
- Select other
- Enable console sharing and offline play
This feature can only be activated on one PS5 at any one time, but it is a great way to share your entire library to the whole household.
8. Tidy and organise your gaming library
The PS5 is a minimalist console by its very nature; it makes sense then that you can carry this minimalist vibe over into the digital world too.
You can keep your favourite games pinned to the home menu by:
- Select your game
- Press options button
- Select keep in home
That’s it – that game will always appear in your home menu until you deselect or uninstall it. Great for when you are trophy-running a particular game and don’t want to have to navigate your entire library to get to it. Or if you just want to find your comfort game after a long day ‘adulting’ – Mine is Project Highrise – don’t ask.
9. Create bespoke lists for your favourite games
This option is great if you have hundreds of games and want to be able to find one particular game without much fuss. This can be done by:
- Head to game library
- Select your collection
- Select create game-list option on the right-hand side
- You can now pick the games you want from a visually pleasing list and add them to a custom list
- This list can then be named for easy finding later
10. Expand storage
We all know the pain of deleting games. It’s a tale as old as time. The minute you delete that game, you want nothing more than to play it again. We get it. So does PlayStation, which is why you can enable storage expansion for all manner of things. The PS5 comes with a 1TB storage capacity, but in all reality, this isn’t nearly enough for the size of games coming out today. When you want to expand your storage all you need to do is purchase a USB 3.0 external HDD and slot it in the USB 3.0 (the blue one) port on the console. Then:
- Go to settings
- Go to storage
- Format as extended storage
This option is great because it allows you to expand your storage without needing to open the console and install a new M.2 SSD drive.
Remember though, while PS5 games can be stored on the external, they need to be moved over to the internal SSD to actually play. PS4 games however, can be played straight from your external hard-drive.
10. Remote Play
Life today is hectic, and we don’t always have time to sit down and spend quality time with our favourite console, which is where remote-play comes in. It allows you to play the PS5 – yep you guessed it – remotely. Whether you are two-hours deep into a new indie, or on your 400th playthrough of The Last Of Us, Remote play can be used on a number of compatible devices – the world truly is your oyster/hoister/oister?
- Install the ‘Remote Play’ app on your device
- Go to your PS5’s settings menu
- Select system
- Click Remote Play
- Switch enable Remote Play on
You’ll need at least 5 mb/s internet bandwidth to use this feature, but it would be recommended to have at least 15-20 to allow for other devices on your network, latency, lag etc. So no more war for the ‘big TV’ in the lounge, now you can game anywhere you have an internet connection.
12. Name your PS5
I know this isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it’s essential. The PS5 is a part of the family, and as such, should be given a name (in my opinion).If you’re a crazy console guy like me and you want to name your PS5, all you have to do is:
- Go to settings
- Select System
- Click console information
- Click into ‘name’
- Type the name you want your PS5 to be known by
While this is a great little novelty tool for weirdos like me, it can also be of great benefit when identifying your console for remote play. Or even to send instructions with the PS app.
And there we have it, a nice little list of things you may – or may not – have known that your PS5 can do. Hopefully this list will make life a little easier for you going forwards. While not a comprehensive list, it is certainly the things which I find the most helpful in my day-to-day gaming life. Now, hopefully you will too…
