10 Essential PS5 Settings to Unlock Its Full Potential

The PlayStation 5 is a technological powerhouse, but many users never tap into its true capabilities. If you’ve been playing straight out of the box without exploring the settings menu, you’re missing out on features that can transform your gaming experience. From enabling stunning 4K visuals at 120Hz to customizing your home screen, these ten tips will help you squeeze every ounce of performance from Sony’s current-gen console.

Enable 4K and 120Hz for Next-Level Gaming

Your PS5 might not be displaying at its maximum potential, even with a premium TV. First, ensure you’re using an HDMI 2.1 cable—the boxy rectangle design on both ends is your visual cue. Without this, you’re capped at 60Hz regardless of your display’s capabilities.

Navigate to Settings > Screen and Video to manually configure your output. While the PS5 typically auto-detects your display, checking these settings ensures optimal performance. Look for 2160p (4K) and 120Hz options—if they’re missing, your cable might be the culprit.

For real-time verification, select “Current Video Output Signal” at the top of this menu. I generally leave most settings on Automatic, but enabling VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) for games that don’t officially support it can smooth out performance at the cost of potential instability.

Don’t overlook the HDR setup wizard under “Adjust HDR”—proper calibration makes a night-and-day difference in visual quality. If you own a PS5 Pro, you’ll find an additional option under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Enhance Image Quality for PS4 games that upscales older titles.

Silence the Startup Beep for Late-Night Gaming

Nothing ruins a stealth gaming session like that distinctive PS5 startup chime alerting everyone in the house. Head to Settings > System > Beep and Light and toggle on “Mute Beep Sound” to eliminate this entirely.

While you’re here, adjust the volume slider to find your perfect balance, or reduce the power indicator brightness under “Power indicator > Brightness.” Unfortunately, Sony doesn’t offer a complete LED shutdown option, but you can minimize the distraction.

Customize Your Welcome Hub Widgets

Those tiles at the bottom of your PS5’s home screen aren’t just decorative—they’re customizable widgets. Press X on the Welcome Hub tile, then navigate to the top-right controls to enter edit mode.

Select “Presets” for Sony-curated layouts or “Edit Widgets” to toggle individual tiles. I personally disable News, PlayStation Plus, Wishlist, and PlayStation Store widgets—they’re essentially advertisements taking up valuable screen real estate.

In the Settings cog, you can enable or disable the Large Layout carousel, choose where notifications appear, and match widget appearance to your system theme. If you keep the News widget active, you can even customize which games appear in your news feed.

Unlock Surround Sound and Connect Bluetooth Headphones

Your PS5 supports multiple surround sound formats beyond basic stereo. Navigate to Settings > Sound > Audio Output > Audio Format (Priority) to choose between Linear PCM, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Audio, and DTS.

Dolby Atmos offers the most versatility with height channel support, making it ideal for soundbar setups. For TV speakers or headphones, explore Sony’s 3D Audio technology under Settings > Sound > 3D Audio (TV) or Settings > Sound > 3D Audio (Headphones).

While Sony’s proprietary headsets connect wirelessly natively, other Bluetooth headphones require workarounds. My colleague Jake Peterson has detailed solutions for connecting any Bluetooth headphones to your PS5.

Boost Controller Rumble Responsiveness

Sony rebranded from DualShock to DualSense specifically to highlight the controller’s advanced haptics, but they’re intentionally dialed back out of the box. The built-in microphone can pick up interference from strong vibrations, so Sony limits rumble strength by default.

To enhance the experience, press the clear button above the microphone icon to temporarily mute it—this immediately strengthens haptics until you re-enable the mic. For a permanent solution, navigate to Settings > Sound > Microphone > Microphone Status When Logged In and select “Mute.” Just remember to switch back to “On” when you need voice chat.

Fine-Tune DualSense Trigger Haptics

The adaptive triggers in your DualSense controller offer resistance that simulates real-world actions, but the intensity can become fatiguing during extended play sessions. Under Settings > Accessories > Controller (General), you’ll find two crucial options: “Trigger Effect Intensity” and “Vibration Intensity.”

I keep Vibration Intensity set to Strong for satisfying feedback while disabling Trigger Effect Intensity entirely. The resistance can be novel for specific actions like drawing a bow, but it quickly becomes tiresome during regular gameplay.

Expand Storage with SSD or External HDD

The PS5’s internal storage fills up quickly with modern games. You have two expansion options: installing a compatible M.2 SSD or using external USB storage.

For SSD expansion, Sony provides detailed installation instructions and compatibility guidelines. The process requires only a screwdriver and doesn’t replace your existing storage—both drives work simultaneously.

To install games to your new SSD, change the Installation Location to M.2 SSD under Settings > Storage. For moving existing games, highlight them in your Game Library, press Options, and select “Move Games and Apps.” If using expanded USB storage, choose “Movable to M.2 SSD Storage” after selecting the games to transfer.

USB external drives offer another storage solution. While PS4 games play directly from USB, PS5 games require installation to the internal SSD or your M.2 expansion. However, you can offload PS5 games to USB storage and transfer them back when ready to play, avoiding lengthy downloads.

Set Game Presets for Instant Optimization

Instead of diving into individual game settings every time you start a new title, use Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets to establish your preferences.

You can set preferred difficulty, perspective (first or third person), language, subtitle preferences, multiplayer permissions, and most importantly, Performance Mode versus Quality Mode. I always default to Performance Mode for smoother gameplay, but you might prefer the visual fidelity of Quality Mode.

These presets apply automatically to supported games, saving you precious gaming time.

Access In-Game Help Without Leaving Your Console

Stuck on a challenging section? The PS5’s Game Help feature provides context-sensitive hints without requiring you to search online. Press the PlayStation button and look for the Game Help card—if available, it offers goal-specific guidance and player-submitted videos.

The system estimates completion times and shows your progress toward objectives, which is invaluable for busy gamers planning their sessions. To contribute your own gameplay clips to help others, enable Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Auto-captures > Community Game Help and toggle “Participate” to On.

Note that while gameplay footage uploads automatically, voice chat isn’t recorded, and uploaded clips don’t consume your console’s storage space.

Apply Retro Themes for Nostalgic Flair

In 2024, Sony introduced themes mimicking the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 interfaces. After a brief removal, they returned permanently in April 2025. Access them via Settings > System > Appearance > Appearance and Sound.

The PS2 theme remains my favorite for its clean, iconic design, though the PS3’s XMB menu holds special appeal for longtime fans. Each theme transforms your entire interface, from boot screens to menu navigation.

While we’re dreaming, additional themes based on popular franchises like Astro Bot would be welcome additions to the lineup.

Tags: PS5 settings, PlayStation 5 tips, 4K gaming, 120Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1, PS5 customization, DualSense controller, surround sound, SSD expansion, game optimization, retro themes, PlayStation nostalgia, gaming performance, console settings, tech tips

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