How to use the PS5 menu: control center, settings and fixes

Which controller button opens what, where the settings you need are, and what to do when the menu freezes or won't load.

The PS button and the control center

Almost everything starts with the PS button, the round button in the middle of the DualSense controller. Press it once and the control center slides up from the bottom of the screen. It shows cards for the game or app you're using and a row of icons for sound, notifications, friends, downloads, accessories and power.

Press and hold the PS button to go straight back to the home screen. From any game, that's the fastest way out.

Controller buttons in the menus

According to PlayStation Support, each button has a set job in the console's menus:

Customize the control center

You can choose which icons appear in the control center and in what order. Press the PS button, highlight any icon in the control area, and press Options. You can then move icons, hide the ones you don't use, and add others, such as Network or Battery. Press Options again to save.

Find the settings menu

Go to the home screen and select the gear icon at the top right. The settings you'll use most are:

• Screen and Video: resolution, HDR, 120Hz and VRR
• Sound: audio output, 3D audio and audio focus
• Network: Wi-Fi, wired connection and connection tests
• System: power saving, rest mode, HDMI Device Link and system software updates
• Accessibility: text size, button assignments and contrast

Turn off the home screen music

The home screen plays background music for some game hubs. Go to Settings > Sound > Audio Output, scroll down to the General section and turn off Home Screen Music. Sound Effects, just below it, turns off the menu clicks too. Turning down the TV volume on the controller won't stop it, because the music comes from the console.

Turn on 120Hz and VRR

120Hz output makes supported games look smoother, but it only works with the right TV, port and cable.

1. Plug the PS5 into an HDMI 2.1 port on the TV. On many TVs only some ports support 4K at 120Hz, and they're usually labeled.
2. Use the HDMI cable that came with the PS5, or another Ultra High Speed HDMI cable.
3. Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and set 120 Hz Output to Automatic.
4. On the same screen, turn on VRR if your TV supports it.
5. Turn on the TV's game mode or its 4K 120Hz input setting. LG calls it a mode for each HDMI input.

Only games that support 120Hz will run at it, and many need their performance mode turned on in the game's own settings. The home screen itself may still show 60Hz. To confirm, start the game and check Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Current Video Output Signal.

Audio focus for headphones

Audio focus makes quiet sounds clearer in headphones, which helps in games where footsteps matter. With headphones connected, go to Settings > Sound > Volume > Audio Focus and turn on Use Audio Focus. You can also reach it from the control center under Sound. PlayStation Support notes it only works with headphones, and one user at a time.

The safe mode menu

Safe mode is a separate menu for fixing the console when the normal menu won't work.

1. Turn the PS5 off completely (not rest mode).
2. Press and hold the power button. Let go after the second beep, about seven seconds later.
3. Connect the controller with a USB cable and press the PS button.

From safe mode you can restart, change the video output, clear the cache and rebuild the database, update the system software, or reset the console. Start with restart, then rebuild the database. It doesn't delete games or saves.

If the PS5 menu is not loading

• Restart the console from the power icon in the control center, or hold the power button for a few seconds.
• Check PlayStation Network. Store, friends and game hubs load from the internet. Go to Settings > Network > Connection Status to test the connection and view PSN status.
• Rebuild the database from safe mode if menus are slow or icons are missing.
• Update the system software in Settings > System > System Software.
• Unplug the console for a minute if it won't respond at all.

HDMI Device Link and your TV remote

If the TV turns on with the PS5, or the PS5 wakes up when you turn on the TV, that's HDMI Device Link, Sony's name for HDMI-CEC. It's in Settings > System > HDMI. Our PS5 HDMI Device Link guide explains each option. On LG TVs, the same feature is called SIMPLINK; see our SIMPLINK guide.

Menus slow online? Check your connection

Laggy store pages and slow downloads usually come from Wi-Fi, not the console. A wired Ethernet connection is the biggest fix; our Ethernet cable guide covers which cable to buy. If voice chat or matchmaking fails, see how to fix a strict NAT type, and for router picks, our gaming routers guide.

Questions