PlayStation 5: we explain how to use its new features

As a general rule, updates to operating systems (PC, consoles or any device using one) are used to plug a security breach, improve a few small items, or even very slight modifications in the handling or the interface.

The latest PS5 firmware update brings a brand new feature: the welcome screen. Before this deployment, when the user turned on their console (and after selecting their profile), they found themselves on the tile of the last game they had played, with all the related possibilities: launch the game, check the news about it , see the progress of the trophies… On an up-to-date PS5, the first screen is now the “welcome” screen.

This is intended to be a control center, still based on tiles, thanks to which the player can have all the information he needs without having to scroll ad nauseam in its games library or fiddle with the Settings menu. At a glance, he can know which friends are online, know the charge level of the controllers, keep up to date with the latest news on his favorite game, etc.

In addition, depending on the tiles, you can very simply move from one piece of information to another (often using R1/L1) or go into detail (by pressing Square, most of the time). For example, in the Storage tile, we will switch from the console's internal hard drive to the additional SSD using the R1 and L1 keys. We will access the full Storage page, the one hidden in the settings, by pressing Square.

To avoid losing players, Sony has put together three ready-to-use layouts, focused on the presentation of this new feature, single-player play and finally social interactions. However, not all users will find themselves in these settings. Fortunately, there is a fourth way: Your predefined template.

Your reception center in just a few clicks!

In order to set up your own little space on the welcome screen, you will have to click on the pencil icon or on the R3 button on the controller. We then display the list of different features available on the left of the screen: friends, online, trophies, news, battery level, etc. It's up to everyone to choose what interests them and what they don't need to take advantage of it. fully on your PS5. From this list, the user can also modify the position of the different tiles and put the one that interests you the most to the very right of the welcome page. To do this, press the Square key before placing the tile in the desired location.

However, it may happen that the size does not fit. Sony has thought of everything and you just have to press L1 to reduce the surface of the tile, or R1 to enlarge it. Easy as pie! Obviously, given the different locations, tile sizes and others, it will inevitably happen that the result is not immediately what you expected. But in a few seconds, everyone will be able to arrange their space as they wish.

All you have to do is choose the right wallpaper to enjoy a completely personalized welcome screen. To do this, you can still do this at the top right, on the Change background button. The first page brings together the PlayStation wallpapers, the second of wallpapers associated with the news of your games. Finally, the last tab groups together the photos from the console's multimedia gallery.

Small tip, it is entirely possible to download wallpapers from the Internet, store them in the gallery and use them for your welcome page.