PS5 April Update brings new storage options and social features

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PS5 April Update brings new storage options and social features

First major PS5 console update lets you store PS5 games on USB extended storage, share gameplay across PS5 and PS4 consoles, and more.

The first major system software update for the PS5 console is rolling out globally tomorrow, and it’s packed with new features and improvements. Our team is passionate about enhancing your experience on PlayStation in every possible way, so here’s a glimpse at what’s coming for PS5, PS4, and PlayStation App:

PS5 Storage Expansion and Management

  • Store PS5 Games on Compatible External USB Drives.* With this feature, you can now transfer your PS5 games to USB extended storage from your console’s internal storage. It’s a great way to extend the storage capabilities of your PS5 console, and you can seamlessly copy your PS5 games back to the console’s internal storage when you’re ready to play. It is faster to reinstall PS5 games from USB extended storage than to re-download or copy them from a disc.
  • Because PS5 games are designed to take advantage of the console’s ultra high-speed SSD, PS5 titles can’t be played from USB extended storage. PS5 titles also cannot be directly downloaded to USB extended storage. However, games that you transfer or copy back to internal storage will automatically update when applicable. In addition, you can select which game modes you want to install (such as campaign or multiplayer) for select titles that support the option.

As previously announced, the PS5 console will support storage expansion via M.2 drives in the future. We’re currently working on this feature and will keep you posted with any updates on PlayStation Blog.

New Social Features for PS4 and PS5 Consoles

  • Cross-generation Share Play. PS4 and PS5 players can now Share Play together while chatting in parties. This means PS5 console users can let their friends on PS4 consoles view their game screen, or even try out the PS5 games through Share Play, and vice versa. Options include the ability to share your screen with a friend, pass your controller virtually to a friend, or pass a second controller virtually to play co-op games together.
  • Request to Join Game Session. A selection of your friends’ joinable game sessions will now appear on both PS5 and PS4 consoles, allowing for more gameplay opportunities together. The “Request to Join” option also serves as a shortcut to sending a game invite, reducing the time it takes for you to get into games with friends. Through the Privacy Settings menu, you can modify who can interact with you through parties, games and messages.

Enhanced Control and Personalization Options for PS5 Consoles

  • Improved Game Base. The Game Base menu has been improved for quicker access to important content and features. You can now easily switch between Parties and Friends to start chatting with your existing parties or see what each of your online friends is up to. In addition, you can turn notifications on or off for each of the parties you’re in.

  • Disable Game Chat or Adjust Players’ Volume. You can now quickly disable in-game chat, which turns off your mic audio and the voice audio of other players. Additionally, you can easily adjust the individual voice chat volume of other players in the same chat so you don’t have to ask your friends to lower or increase their mic volume each time.
  • Game Update Pre-download. Once it’s enabled by developers, title updates for games will pre-download to your console if the “automatic updates” setting is enabled and your console is on or in rest mode. This will let you start playing the latest version of a game immediately after the update’s release.
  • Customize Game Library. With the ability to hide games from view, it’s now easier to find content and personalize your view of your game library.
  • Screen Zoom. You can now adjust the magnification of the screen to suit your preference from the Settings menu.
  • New Trophy Settings and Stats Screen. The level of trophies that results in automatic capture of a screenshot or video clip can now be customized — so you can now choose to only capture and save images/videos of moments when you earn higher-grade trophies, like Gold or Platinum. We’re also introducing a new player Trophy Stats screen, where you can check out the summary of your trophy level and status at a glance.

Image cropped to showcase new Trophy Stats screen

New Features for PlayStation App

We’re also introducing a myriad of new features for PlayStation App to make it easier than ever to connect with your console experience remotely. Recently, we introduced the ability to save products in a wishlist, get notifications when your friends are online, and change your console online status. In the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out even more, including the ability to join a multiplayer session on PS5 from the app, manage your PS5 console storage, compare trophy collections with friends, and sort and filter products shown in the PlayStation Store. You can download PlayStation App for free from Google Play and the App Store.

We’re only scratching the surface of the many updates and improvements we’ve made across PS5, PS4, and PS App, so check them out and let us know what you think!

*For external USB drive compatibility requirements, visit: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5-extended-storage/.

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668 Comments

  • Can you confirm if PS5 games will patch when in cold storage state? The statement “However, games that you transfer or copy back to internal storage will automatically update when applicable.” seems odd because of course they should update when they move back to primary storage so why even make this statement unless you meant to indicate PS5 game patches will be applied when they are stored externally?

  • Please support AMD Freesync

  • This is a Lame update!We are almost 6 months after the PS5 release and still no VRR support for the PS5!Sony is playing and making Fool

  • I wouldn’t mind having some of this on PS4 as well. The PS5 showed all the time played for every game when it was first set up, so it’s information that Sony already had via telemetry and not something that’s set up in the console’s OS. I’d also want to have control over which kinds of trophies I want screenshots for, as it shouldn’t be a complete rework of the system that’s already in place.

    Yeah, yeah, yeah… Sony “believes in generations” but I’d say that withholding these features just to make the PS5 feel like a new experience is kinda petty.

  • This is a Lame update!We are almost 6 months after the PS5 release and still no VRR support for the PS5!Sony is playing and making Fool out of PlayStation owners.Keep advertising VRR on the PS5 box but VRR is still a miragem,i call that false advertising!

  • A whole load of “nice to have”s yet still no word on the pretty essential internal SSD expansion options or 1440p support? Priorities Sony, priorities.

  • I love playing on 4k i still want 1440p support would be nice.

  • Can’t wait for this Big Update

  • Come on, you got to be kidding me… We’re still not getting access to use SSD expansion storage, six months after release?? We would much rather spend money on the expansion SSD for PS5 games to be played off of, not a ANOTHER mechanical harddrive!

    • plug in an external SSD.

      Also, you do realise that whichever M.2 drives are first approved will be expensive as all hell, yeah?

  • Can we get the ability to back up PS5 Game Saves to USB devices, like we’re able with PS4 games? , Can we for the first time also include external HDDs? Is already a big USB devices connected! THANK YOU!

  • Fix the network issue!! Keeps disconnecting from the Internet and having to restart the damn thing. And it ain’t my WiFi as it works with all my other devices.

  • I hope we get folder on the next update. It’s nice we can choose only to record image/video clip only for the platinum.

  • Please allow us to delete earned trophies.

    This would remove the deleted trophy’s points from our total, and allow us to re-earn the trophy if desired.

  • I was really hoping for an option for 1440p output.

  • When are they going to add dualsense support for remote play app on phone and pc?

  • I don’t understand the lack of top-requested features being added (besides SSD expansion, that’s more understandable).

    1. Why can’t you bring back the old party system? PS5 feels lonely, sort of like PS3 before we knew it was lonely. Literally everyone who games online with PS misses being able to join a random friend’s public party for any reason at any time. Why can’t this be a setting again??

    2. Console capture gallery accessible in the mobile app. Microsoft has this. Nintendo even kinda has this (albeit barely). Fix it, Sony!

    • 3. Dualsense support on Android for Remote Play!!! 3rd-party apps have done this, literally no excuse.

    • 4. 1440 support…just…why isn’t this here?

      5. Folders and home screen customization. I understand wallpapers and themes don’t really make sense now, but why can I only have 7 or so tiles on the home screen? I want to have every game I have downloaded, somewhere on that screen. The library doesn’t cut it, and if that’s the best you can do, add a setting to be able to move it around from all the way on the right side.
      5a. Custom quick menu please? Why can’t I move the power settings from the most inconvenient place possible (far right side) to somewhere else I’d like, like the left? Or even the middle?

      6. Setting for flipping the PS button hold and tap functions. I HATE how PS5 switched this. It’s been what, 6 months, and I’m still not used to it.
      6a. Double tap PS button functions like they were on PS4. So nice to be able to quickly switch between the same two screens, not it’s just not even there.
      6b. Single-tap PS button gets you back into the game if you’re on the home menu or the quick menu with the game in the background. If you’re on the quick menu with the home menu in the background, a single press will bring you to the home menu, then another to the game. If you’re in a home menu sub-menu (like settings) same thing, 2 presses. If you’re in a notification-navigated menu (like checking out a trophy you just earned) single-press back in.

    • in response to your no.1 point I agree. before I could invite my friends to party’s more than once per session. now I send them this really casual sounding invite that says . ooh your friend has joined a chat you can also join… its weird

      but really what I want is ability to Cross chat with PC/xbox and even switch players. 9/10 games are cross-play afterall

  • Keep improving the PS5. When I finally get one it will be better than it is today.

  • Will my Astro A50 base station charge in rest mode yet?

  • So does this mean we will be able to get rid of games off the dash that we have deleted and uninstalled? Has it’s been driving me mad

  • 4. 1440 support…just…why isn’t this here?

    5. Folders and home screen customization. I understand wallpapers and themes don’t really make sense now, but why can I only have 7 or so tiles on the home screen? I want to have every game I have downloaded, somewhere on that screen. The library doesn’t cut it, and if that’s the best you can do, add a setting to be able to move it around from all the way on the right side.
    5a. Custom quick menu please? Why can’t I move the power settings from the most inconvenient place possible (far right side) to somewhere else I’d like, like the left? Or even the middle?

    6. Setting for flipping the PS button hold and tap functions. I HATE how PS5 switched this. It’s been what, 6 months, and I’m still not used to it.
    6a. Double tap PS button functions like they were on PS4. So nice to be able to quickly switch between the same two screens, not it’s just not even there.
    6b. Single-tap PS button gets you back into the game if you’re on the home menu or the quick menu with the game in the background. If you’re on the quick menu with the home menu in the background, a single press will bring you to the home menu, then another to the game. If you’re in a home menu sub-menu (like settings) same thing, 2 presses. If you’re in a notification-navigated menu (like checking out a trophy you just earned) single-press back in.

  • Anything to fix that rest mode issue yet? Should be Sony’s top priority if you ask me ..

    • I just left a comment about this too. A bit maddening to see brainless mY pS5 wOrKs FlAwLesSly written in comments above, leaving out this huge issue compounded by the fact Sony is telling even more people to use an external HD in this article.

  • I still can’t use rest mode or restart the PS5 (from the menu option) with my external hard drive without both the hard drive and PS5 UI glitching out, causing games to not load and/or just say “installed” without being able to play them. The only way to use an external HD without problems (most of the time, as sometimes games still get the glitch where they just say “installed”) is to always fully power the PS5 off when done using it.

    This is a big problem that needs to be immediately fixed especially with this article encouraging more people to plug in an external HD.

    • I permanently use an external hard drive without issue, I wonder if it’s difficult to resolve due to being model specific?

    • You are lying if you say you use an external HD without issue, or you never use rest mode/restart the console and you’ve just not noticed when certain games go missing. It is not hardware specific, this is a widespread issue.

    • I use an external SSD without issue. One time though, I restarted from rest mode and it had a bit of a fit about me not ejecting the drive before removing it (I hadn’t touched it), then it’s not happened since.

      I play weekly, almost daily. Though like I said. SSD, not HDD.

    • I will go one step over that and say I exclusively use it in rest mode. I use a 2 tb WD portable drive.

  • How about you fix the A50 not charging in rest mode due to low power! This really is an annoying thing. I have to keep my console on just so that my headset charges.

  • This actually all sounds great! I wouldn’t even think of of the possibility to manage my console storage from the mobile app but there you go. I wonder how far it will go. It is about time we get some system quality improvements and I appreciate them very much.

  • cool! I hope you’ll add bluetooth headphone support so I can use one of my two pairs of SONY headphones on my SONY ps5! ;)

  • This is all such great news! I am very happy to be reading this & I can’t wait to check out the update tomorrow!

  • Pretty solid update, will the PStore be updated it is hard to just scroll for deals and with wishlist added I would love a gifting option.

  • Anyone know If my current external hd already works with my ps5, will it be able to store ps5 games? Cause it says it has to be 5 gbps or later, but mine is 4.8 gbps.

  • I just want Themes on PS5, I love my PS4 themes and I would like to use them, or have a PS5 compatible theme version of what I currently own.

  • Please add the ability to toggle custom button assignments from the accessibility quick menu or even better make it its own quick menu icon, because right now you have to go through 3 different menu and click even more things just to disable this feature in games where using the haptic triggers are required. I play with R1 and L1 flipped with R2 and L2 unless I have to play the default way.

  • We need Cross play chat options.

    a PS App on PC would go a long way but I would also extend a way for our Xbox brothers to chat with us. I think an app on PC could be ported so I would start there.

    really we just want Discord.

    GAME CHAT IS NOT VIABLE

  • I hope this update brings patches to the error code CE-10825-1 which only pops up for me on ps4 games.

  • Sony PLEASE! Allow users on the Playstation app to watch a shared screen in a party. It would be very cool on a lunch break at work to pop in and not only chat with friends but partake by watching. I understand Twitch and YouTube are a thing but I want just a private shared experience with friends in one app.

    Also PLEASE make it Chromecast-able and iOS PiP.

    This would be a dream feature and a killer reason to play games on Playstation versus other platforms.

  • I’ve had troubles taking screenshots of games for a few months. Please make a better way to take screenshot or images. Don’t take screenshots of the game by it original quality, how come the game looks amazing in 4k but in the screenshots I take looks like a 1990 pixelated game?.

    Please make the new way of taking screenshots by rendering. Use the GPU to render the image using the type of display your doing and make the GPU take the render image. Not a screenshot, screenshots looks so bad, low quality and it’s not appealing. Please make this possible, the ps4 had good screenshots capabilities but this the ps5 were talking about. It’s the future so please add a feature of instead of taking screenshots we can render an image at full quality.

  • How about a software fix for the sleep-no reboot issue? About a week ago I couldnt get the PS5 to start up after a power outage.

  • Still no chat audio option for tv output. It only comes through the controller if you don’t use a headset. Such a basic necessity that PS4 and PS3 had Day 1. Five months later after release on PS5…. Still not there. Xbox would have had this Fixed before Lunch time. Love Sony, but can’t help to feel that there has been a serious disconnect with the community.

  • Didn’t even fix the issue when it disconnects from the wifi randomly and forces you to restart your system every time.

  • Lige nu venter jeg bare på at i laver det dumme party-system om, måske til sådan som det var før, så kan alt det andet komme bagefter. Hader det går gennem grupper. Det er på nogle punkter fint nok at når man muter en person, kan personen stadig høre en, og jeg kan også det ideen med at muten forsvinder hvis den ene forlader partyet, men det er altså også MEGA irreterende, og der vil jeg heller have det var som det var før og der skal i hvert fald være en mute knap så man ikke kan høre hinanden. Hvis man blokere en skal personen ikke kunne komme ind i partyet ligesom det gamle party-system, for der er sjovt nok en grund til at man blokere en person. Forstår heller ikke hvorfor i har valgt at isolere PS så meget med det party system, man snakker stort set kun med de samme 24/7, hvilket resultere i masser af skænderrier hvilket ikke lige er det man har brug for i det er dumme corona…. PS skal forestille at være et sjovt sted hvor man også kan få en pause fra hverdagen, men det er lidt ødelagt for mig. Har prøvet at holde en god tone nu her. Håber jeg bliver hørt og i fixer det for har ventet siden i ødelage det og ellers hopper jeg nok snart over til PC eller Xbox

  • Hi my comment is regarding using pro controllers on the PS5 i.e Scuff Impact controller on the ps5 to play a ps5 game i.e Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War, will it ever be possible? Or will I have to resort to buying a Cronus Zen. Great work with the update thank you

  • So if I’m understanding this, your saying someone on the other side of the world can use a ds4 to co-op with me, but my kids can’t use a ds4 to co-op when say on the same sofa? And that seems reasonable to you?

  • I love my PS5, who else?

  • When to try to solve the problem of the error ce-108255-1 ??????? We who bought your console and we can’t play any game … did we lose our money? they scammed us ??? :(

    cuando pretender solucionar el problema del error ce-108255-1 ??????? nosotros que compramos su consola y que nonpodemos juhar ningun juego .. perdimos nuestro dinero ?? nos estafaron ??? :(

  • When to try to solve the problem of the error ce-108255-1 ??????? We who bought your console and we can’t play any game … did we lose our money? they scammed us ??? :(

  • Please bring animated backgrounds!

  • anything in here that fixes the rest mode issue? seems like a pretty critical problem that should have been addressed on day one tbh

  • Honestly, 6 months for this meager update is not satisfactory. We still can’t use m.2. There are still glaring issues with the UI and UX. Can’t use any of my themes. No folders? Still automatically resets the sorting order in library. Still have to jump through hoops to see the trophy list. And worst of all there’s no games…

  • okay but ps3 backwards compatibility when

  • Could you PLEASE!!! stop selling PS5 only online!! I’ve tried nearly everyday since December to get one!
    Tell stores to sell OTC again! Damn hackers swipe up all units within a minute! Don’t believe me? Then check out EBay and ask why there is ALWAYS!! units for sale well over the retail price!
    Store are still open and there are already lines ! So stop using CORONA as an excuse!!

  • I can’t wait for the M.2 storage expansion.

    And what about voice assistant/control? Folders? Themes? Game chat audio coming through my speaker set up instead of the tiny Dualsense speaker?

    Speaking of which, whenever my controller goes into rest mode while I have my headphones plugged in, the entire system’s audio gets muted when I turn the controller back on. I have to restart my PS5 each time.

    Also, and most important and frustrating, when I place my PS5 into rest mode there’s a 70 percent chance that it will crash. Even worse, when my PS5 goes into rest mode on it’s own there’s a 99 percent chance it will crash. I won’t be able to turn it on from the Dualsense, I’ll have to hold down the PS5’s power button, at which point I have to rebuild my database.

  • This all sound great, especially share play as we were trying to do that just the other day. Can you look into why Minecraft is no longer playable on multiplayer Cross platform or otherwise.. something to do with the ps4 account not moving across to ps5? Not been able to play since November 😕

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