SOME PlayStation 5 users have discovered the console’s best little-known features.
The U.S. Sun has picked out four of the best for you to try out right now.
1
Voice commands
Millions of gamers don’t realize that there’s also a voice control function built into the console.
It works a lot like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri on an Apple iPhone.
To find it, go to Settings > Voice Command (Preview).
Then you’ll be able to toggle the setting on.
Next you’ll want to turn on Listen for “Hey PlayStation”.
That’s the magic phrase that you’ll use whenever you want to issue a voice command.
Once that’s done, you’ll be able to start using Voice Command from anywhere on the console.
“With Voice Command (Preview), you can use your voice to find or open games, apps and settings, capture gameplay or control media playback,” Sony explained.
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“Just speak into the mic on your controller or headset to give a command.”
To use it, simply say “Hey PlayStation” out loud and clearly.
Follow it up immediately with a request like “open Call of Duty”.
Your words should appear as text on the screen, with responses following.
When you’re presented with an ordered list of choices, say “one”, “two”, “three”, or “four” to make your pick.
Log in offline
Sometimes you just want to log on and play games without being disturbed.
But if you’ve got a packed PlayStation friends list, they’ll be able to see when you’re online.
Even if you log on and then switch to being offline, they may still catch you.
Thankfully there’s a hidden menu that lets you log into “offline”.
To do it, boot up your PS5 like normal.
You should be presented with the Welcome Back To PlayStation screen.
This is the page where you’ll choose your profile to log in with.
Press the menu you button here to pull up a hidden options panel.
Now scroll down and choose Appear Offline.
Then when you log in to your profile, you’ll automatically appear offline.
Storage stealer
Earning trophies from gaming achievements is fun, and some players will collect hundreds or even thousands.
But many gamers don’t realize that the PS5 automatically captures footage of each trophy that you earn.
By default, your PS5 will collect a 15-second 4K clip of your gaming achievement.
And if you earn enough Sony trophies, you may end up wasting gigabytes of space without even realizing why.
To find it, go to PlayStation Settings by clicking the cogwheel in the corner.
Then choose Captures and Broadcasts, and look for the Auto-Captures subheading.
Now choose Trophies and look under the Video Clips section.
You have to a few options to choose from.
By default, your PS5 will record all trophy grades.
But you can change it to any of the following:
- Platinum, Gold, Silver
- Platinum, Gold
- Platinum
- None
Picking None is naturally the best choice to avoid wasting any storage.
There’s also a setting to change the Trophy Video Duration.
You can pick either 15 or 30 seconds (or toggle the setting off entirely).
There’s no shorter option than 15 seconds, which is the default choice.
It’s also possible to turn off Save Trophy Screenshots, which is also on by default.
Save money
The PlayStation Store regularly discounts games, including blockbuster titles.
But unless you’re checking it regularly, you’ll almost certainly miss some very good deals.
Thankfully, your PlayStation console has a built-in wishlist mechanism.
Once you “wishlist” a PS5 game, you’ll be notified when the price changes.
The idea will be very familiar to PC gamers who “wishlist” Steam titles hoping for a big discount.
It means that you’ll never miss a discount on a video game that you’re desperate to play.
And if you buy games regularly, waiting to snap up wishlist notification deals is one of the best tactics.
You could potentially avoid ever paying full price again if you collect a big enough wishlist.
The easiest route is to use the PlayStation Store on your console.
But you can also add games to the wishlist via the PlayStation online store or app.
Simply choose the heart icon on the game page, and it’ll be added to your wishlist.
Then go to the PlayStation Store and choose the heart icon to view your wishlist.
You’ll receive a notification on your PS5 (or via the iPhone or Android app) when a wishlisted game goes on sale.
