PS5 beta rolls out today with new accessibility and audio options, social features, and UI enhancements

299 0
PS5 beta rolls out today with new accessibility and audio options, social features, and UI enhancements

Invited beta participants from select countries can test new PS5 features.

With each PlayStation 5 system software release, we’ve introduced new features designed to enhance the many ways you can access your favorite content, navigate your console, or create new gaming memories with friends. Today, we’re thrilled to roll out a new PS5 system software beta that introduces new accessibility features as well as audio options that allow 3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech to be enjoyed on compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as sound bars, TVs, or home theater systems. The beta also includes more options to quickly find games and console tips, new ways to connect with other players and customize your multiplayer sessions, and support for larger-capacity M.2 SSDs (up to 8TB).

While beta access will be limited to invited participants in select countries*, we plan to release the update globally later this year. If you’re selected to participate in the beta, you’ll receive an email invitation today when it’s available to download. Some features available during the beta phase may not make it into the final version or may see significant changes.

Without further ado, here are some of the highlights from the beta release:

New Accessibility Features

Use a Second Controller for Assistance. You can now assign a second controller to one account as an assist controller, and use two controllers to operate your PS5 console as if you were using a single controller. This feature introduces a new way for you to enjoy games collaboratively with others or help a friend or child navigate a particularly challenging section of a game.

  • To use an assist controller, go to [Settings] > [Accessibility] > [Controllers] > [Use Second Controller for Assistance], and then turn on [Use Assist Controller].
  • You can use an assist controller when your main controller is a DualSense or DualSense Edge wireless controller, or a PS5-supported third-party controller.**
PS5 UI screenshot showing the option to use a second controller for assistance.

System UI Haptic Feedback. You now have the option to turn on haptic feedback effects while navigating your PS5 with your DualSense controller, DualSense Edge controller, or PS VR2 Sense controller.

  • When enabled, system sound effects for certain events will also be reflected physically through haptics, such as moving focus, reaching the end limit of a scrollable section, checking a box, or when you receive a notification or boot up a game. This optional feature enhances immersion and is particularly useful for players with some level of sight or hearing disability, who appreciate the additional feedback on their inputs.
  • To turn on this feature, go to [Settings] > [Accessibility] > [Controllers], and then turn on [Haptic Feedback During Console Navigation].

Support for compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled audio devices

3D Audio powered by Tempest 3D AudioTech can now be enjoyed by those who own compatible Dolby Atmos-enabled HDMI devices such as soundbars, TVs or home theater systems. Tempest 3D AudioTech specifically renders to the Dolby Atmos audio devices in use – including overhead channels – allowing for even greater levels of immersion in the audioscapes of PS5 games. ***

  • To turn on Dolby Atmos, go to [Settings] > [Sound] > [Audio Output] > [Audio Format (Priority)], and then select [Dolby Atmos].
PS5 UI screenshot showing the option to select Dolby Atmos.

Social feature enhancements

Party UI update. You can now invite a player into a closed party without automatically adding the player into the group or creating a new group. Additionally, players can now send open or closed party invitations to groups instead of only individual players.

PS5 UI screenshot showing a party invitation during gameplay of Astro's Playroom.

Share Screen Preview. When someone’s sharing their screen in a party that you can join, you’ll now see a preview image of their Share Screen, even before you enter the party.

PS5 UI screen showing a Share Screen preview image.

Join friends’ game sessions easily. You can now easily see which of your friends are in an activity you can join under the [Friends] tab.

  • The Joinable icon will be displayed next to friends who are playing a game you can join.
  • You can join a friend’s game directly by pressing the options button and selecting [Join Game], or by selecting the ”Join” button on their profile card.

Game Hub tournaments tile. In the game hub, you can now see how many tournaments you’ve entered and the highest place you’ve achieved, as well as the start time for the next tournament. You can select the tile to see the full tournament list.

PS5 UI screen showing the new tournaments tile in the game hub for MLB The Show 23.

React to messages with emojis. You can now add reactions to messages with emojis, which makes communicating with friends quicker and easier.

PS5 UI screen showing the option to react to messages with emojis.

Ease-of-use features

Search for games in your library. You can now search for games within your game library.

PS5 UI screen showing the option to search for games in your library.

Game Help improvements. Game Help cards have been improved.****

  • In addition to in-progress activities, you can now see available, previously available, upcoming, and completed activities.
  • When a card is selected, its details are now displayed on the right side of the card, making it easier to find objectives and their corresponding hints.
PS5 UI screen showing the newly enhanced Game Help cards.

Discover new features. Browse useful tips for getting the most out of your PS5 and learn about new features in the new Discover Tips section.

  • Go to [Settings] > [Guide & Tips, Health & Safety, and Other Information] > [Guide and Tips], and then select [Discover Tips] to view all the tips.

Mute PS5 beep sound. You can now mute or adjust the volume of the PS5’s beep sound when turning it on or off, or putting it in rest mode.

  • Go to [Settings] > [System] > [Beep Sound].
  • To adjust the beep sound volume, select [Volume].
  • To mute the beep sound, turn on [Mute Beep Sound].

Support for larger-capacity M.2 SSDs

You can now use an M.2 SSD with a maximum capacity of 8TB (up from the previous 4TB limit) to expand storage space on your PS5 console.

Important: M.2 SSDs must meet the requirements outlined on this page. Please read the page linked above carefully before purchasing any M.2 SSDs for use with your PS5.

We always appreciate hearing your feedback as we continue our journey to enhance the PS5 user experience. Please let us know what you think in the comments section below!

*PS5 beta access will be available to selected participants in the U.S., Canada, Japan, U.K., Germany and France (same countries as our last system software beta).
**A DualSense Edge wireless controller cannot be used as an assist controller. Some of the DualSense features, such as motion sensor, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, will be automatically turned off when the controller is being used as an assist controller.
***Media app providers can update their apps on PS5 to support Dolby Atmos audio, giving users another way to experience immersive audio in movies, TV shows, and more in the future (these app updates are not currently supported in the PS5 beta.)
****A PlayStation Plus subscription is required to use Game Help.

Comments are closed.

299 Comments

  • Arigatou for the invite! 🥰

    • What’s New section just like PS4 where we can stay up to date with our friends games and trophies!! That was a great social feature which a lot of ppl miss

  • Please bring back 3D Bluray support. I still love watching my 3D Bluray collection but PS5 won’t play them, why? PS3 and PS4 could play 3D Blurays and 3D games. PLEASE! There are many people I talk to who are frustrated by this.

  • Feels like PS5 has been in beta since launch no games, no internet browser not even game announcements I massively regret buying PCS5 this system is a joke.

    • It’s the best console but I agree with u this is a waste of money I should’ve bought a PC instead.. I can’t believe this expensive machine is already worst than a ps4

  • Please add a sort function for trophy lists. Alphabetical and percentage.

  • Thank you for all your hard work and improvement!
    Can you please consider adding an option to turn off the LEDs lights on the console and the controller. They are really distractiong for me and because of them I had to hide my console behind the TV! I have to live with controller LEDs for now and I really don’t like it 😢

  • Is a media player with DLNA support actually in the plans? I don’t think it took this long for the PS3 and PS4 to get them. I’m going back to the PS4 a lot right now.

  • Cool update. But why can’t we still back-up our PS5 game saves to USB stick for??? If I don’t have PS PLUS & my PS5 dies then I’ll lose all my PS5 game saves :-/ We could back-up our game saves on the PS3 & PS4 but the PS5 doesn’t have this feature? I feel like I’m forced to get PS PLUS each year just to back-up to the cloud to :( I don’t get why this feature is missing for.

  • how can try the beta?

  • What about VR movies or YouTube VR?

    In the US congress people said that UFO technology exists and you can’t make a movie VR app or get lobby Google to do it?
    Pathetic!

  • Thank you you for your efforts!

    Would it be possible for you to add an ability for the console menu to be in SDR by default switching to HDR only when the game is launched? Alternatively would it be possible to add an ability to lower console menu brightness while in HDR. Right now the menus are too bright for me and when I launch an SDR game or dark HDR game it looks too dim because my eyes got used to the bright menu :(

  • 3D blu ray support for psvr2 – PLEASE!

  • could you in the next firmware update make a ps5 as a money printing machine? thanks in advance

  • “Some” games track progress for trophies. I would like to see all games track progress towards a trophy. Like Exoprimal needs 100,000 Dino kills…who many do I have?

  • Were can I see the community wishlist for Ps5 features?

  • Would love to have the option to keep the Audio going tru the HDMI port, when using a USD dongle headset.

    This is handy for example when using a Buttkicker with race game and using a wireless headset

  • Great! Dolby .. thanks

  • Like the additional abilities!
    Is there any way we can get bone conduction headphones made for PS4/PS5 consoles? My kids, myself struggle hearing each other when we need to talk ; we are not in a chat with each other, but in same room. I try to talk with my son , but he has to remove headphones before he can hear me. Same with me when trying to talk with me. The bone conduction headphones are a lot lighter, and cooler while wearing. The summer temperatures causes us to sweat extreme while wearing the current headphones.
    Thank you for the new update to our consoles.

  • Ok that’s a great software update 😊👍🏼👏🏼👌🏼. But how can I receive this now?? Can you please send me this update thank you ??

  • Can you bring back Folding@Home?

    Oh and Deep Down. Yea, we need Deep Down. That’ll do for now.

    Oh no, hang on. Kevin Butler. Can we add Kevin Butler to the list please?

    Oops just forgot. Can we have the XMB back too? That’s it for now, I promise.

  • For media, videos, & movies on external hard drives, please add more controls like the PS3! Please add a repeat video option & repeat all videos in folder option!
    Please bring back the screen previews when fast forwarding & rewinding when searching for specific scenes for video & movies instead of the 10 sec fast forward & rewind! Also slow motion when paused! Also a better media/blu ray remote like the PS3! It would be very appreciated!

  • For Accessibility, PLEASE add the Second Controller feature to the PS VR2 Sense controllers. As someone with only one hand, most PS VR2 games are unplayable for me, when I used to be able to play VR1 games (and all other PS5 games) just fine. Being able to press buttons on a second controller, with the Sense itself strapped to the end of my arm, would be amazing and open up a world of games to me. Thanks!

  • Has anyone run into any video problems where screen may randomly go black for 2 ish seconds? Cables are all new and checked inputs etc. Uninstalled beta and so far it hasn’t happened (will update if it does).

  • Beta access today by invitation. How do you get on the list?

  • Man, what a waste of time and resources, is that hard to add folders like PS4? jeez….

  • Giving an option to turn on/off the beep is great.

  • Update the main trophy UI! BRING THE GAME ICONS CLOSER TO THE SCREEN LIKE IT WAS ON PS3!!!

  • When do you plan to allow us to update games which are in the console’s library but not on the recently played list on the main screen? Please, just add the option so that we can do it.

  • Sooooo, you gave us a whole bunch of 💩 (other than the 8TB which is in testing) we don’t want?…no files option, no themes, no liking and or posting on a Whats New type section?…🤦‍♂️ I hope you people in charge of this don’t get paid a lot of money, you’re not worth it.

    • We can’t buy avatars or use a browser… can’t they just not be a Doo Doo company and just fix this already 😴

  • Playstation need to add more features to the HD camera

  • What’s New section just like PS4 where we can stay up to date with our friends games and trophies!! That was a great social feature which a lot of ppl miss

  • I’m waiting for an update of the beta as well. Please send me an email whenever you can possibly do.

  • So people who bought the ps5 from different countries don’t need this? Paid alot for this and it already feels worst than the ps4… I’m confused is it only in these countries or will it be an official update soon? Everyone needs this update it shouldn’t be a beta thing wth??

  • I’d like to see a Timer for alarms integrated into the UI. That would be nice for when I’m taking a break from my classes and say I’m only going to play for an hour and have that notification pop on the screen instead of utilizing my phone.

    A calendar application or integration would also be swell to view game time history and plan multiplayer sessions with friends.

  • They are very cool additions. Such a quality transfer is said. Please send me a code. I’m very excited.

  • When is this patch is officially coming out? I am so ready for it especially the Dolby Atmos support.

    • Is beta still going on because it made me update my system today none of beta stuff is on there not even beta 4.0

  • Please add the option to play sound thru headphones and hdmi(tv)device at the same time..
    This request doesnt seem like it would be even a small request. Especially after the 4th controller ive needed replaced within 2 months…

  • When will the trophy image of PS4 games be fixed to fit the ps5 new layout? It looks so bad right now! Couldn’t you guys use the same 1×1 game cover that is displayed on “recent games” that is on our public profile?

  • i didnt get an invite. still waiting

  • I received a beta code last week and then another one today. This one says something about PS5 cloud streaming. What beta version is the one I received today? I am not seeing anything different than last weeks?

  • Can we get trophy sorting on consoles like ps3 has .

  • Could y’all add an option to make the activity cards separate again. I’m not a big fan of how they’re all compiled in a singular stack.

  • Awesome, I hope that a later update also allows gyro/motion aim as an accessibility feature later on, I had thumb issues and found it easier to play games using gyro/motion aim, it sometimes gets annoying to set a third party programs to enable it per game and continuously check hoping nothing breaks over time but if it were an option in the accessibility menu on the ps4 or ps5 like it is on steam to enable gyro/motion aim it would make things much easier to set up.

  • I had two PS5 disk versions at launch. I was so anticipating Tempest for my Home Theater system. Now I have been waiting almost 3 years for that to happen. Owning every PS Headset just isn’t a substitute for a home theater. I really wish Sony would expand the beta test base to get more of us into the trial (I have signed up repeatedly ha ha) so audiophiles like myself could finally get the promise fulfilled we have been waiting on since Mary Cerny’s presentation on the technical breakdown of the PS5.

  • I hope PlayStation expands the pool of chosen beta testers. I have owned 2 PS5 disk versions since launch and have been waiting 3 years for PS5 3D audio to support home theater. Despite owning every PS Headset, it isn’t the same and like other audiophiles I have wanted the Tempest support for home theater since it was first discussed by Mark Cerny in his PS5 technical breakdown. So if you are feeling generous Sony, expand the beta pool :)

  • Sorry for the similar post. It seemed my initial comment disappeared so I reposted :)

  • There was no form given to report issues so I’ll post them here. 1. During the beta while playing atlas fallen the sound would cut in and out. 2. Suddenly I couldn’t move or navigate the menus and the controller was on, had to close the game and reopen it to get the controls to work again

  • Whom do I have to hug to get “invited” to access this update via e-mail?

  • What the hell is error ce-110854-9??
    It happened during beta firmware usage.

  • Is beta still going on because it made me update my system today none of beta stuff is on there not even beta 4.0

  • Anyone else know anything

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields