The PlayStation 5 is already proving a massive success – it is said to be the fastest selling games console of all time.
It’s easy to see why. It is respledent 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, or finds one under the Christmas tree. 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 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 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 meny 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 pair the PS5 Media Remote
The PlayStation 5 has its own optional Media Remote, to control streaming apps and 4K Blu-ray playack.
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
This might just be teething troubles, but some games that are dual play – ie. contain both PS4 and PS5 games – can accidentally switch to the wrong version on your home screen. This has happened to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War for us.
One way to ensure that you aren’t about to play the wrong version is don’t download the PS4 edition. That way, it will say Download on the main game screen when you hover over it in the top bar, not Play.
However, to double check, or switch to the right version if it does say Download, you need to click on the burger (three dots) icon on the game hub. If it lists the PS5 version, you have the wrong one selected already. Click on that PS5 version and it will be swapped.
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
There are two ways you can expand the PS5’s storage capacity, but neither are perfect right now. At the time of writing, Sony is yet to enable SSD card compatibility. There is a slot for a PICe Gen 4 NVMe SSD card, that will reportedly accept third-party solutions some time in the future, but it is yet to be activated.
Instead, the only way you can offload games so they don’t completely take up the 667GB of available storage on the internal SSD is to use an external HDD or SSD plugged into a USB port (USB 3.0 drives and above only). And, even then, you cannot play PS5 games from one – or even store a PS5 game or app on it.
You can play PS4 games stored on an external drive, however, and that is highly recommended. It will leave the internal storage for native PS5 titles only.
You can read our in-depth guide on how to get this to work here (it’s the same as on PS4). The one extra tip we’ll give you is that you need to plug in the external drive for the first when the PS5 is switched on – it’ll then recognise the drive. For some reason, it didn’t recognise the drive when we plugged it in before switching on our console.
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 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.
We will continue to add new tips and tricks regularly. Please come back to check for more over time.