While navigating through the PlayStation 5 user interface and learning from your errors is all part of the experience, you might want to save time, avoid costly damage, and get the most out of your PS5 by avoiding these common mistakes.
1. Improper Positioning of Your PS5
Talking about avoiding costly repairs, the very first mistake you can make is not attaching the PS5 stand that comes in the box or putting your console in an enclosed space without proper ventilation. If you don’t like the massive size or design of the PlayStation 5, you might be tempted to discard the stand and hide your console in a cabinet.
Doing so, however, is a mistake. Your console needs proper ventilation to avoid overheating, and the stand prevents your PS5 from tipping over. The last thing you want is your new console to overheat where it’s hidden or tip over because you didn’t use the stand.
So, whether you prefer to turn your PS5 from vertical to horizontal or vice versa, using the stand and placing it in an open space is crucial.
2. Adding PS4 Games to Your Internal Storage
Your PlayStation 5 comes with a modest 825 GB of storage, with only 667 GB actually available for use. You might think that’s enough at first.
But you’ll quickly run out of space when you start downloading PS5 games with ridiculously gigantic file sizes, like Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (325.5 GB). And if you add PlayStation 4 titles into the mix, you’ll soon find that you need more space.
While you can expand the storage space by adding an SSD to your PS5, you might want to consider a cheaper and more immediate solution first: transferring and storing your PS4 or PS5 games on an external USB drive. Doing this allows you to free up some valuable internal storage space for the PS5 games you are actively playing.
However, it’s worth noting that you can only play PS4 games from an external drive on a PS5. Your PS5 titles need to be on the internal storage to play them. So, to save more space on your internal storage, one of the first things you should do with your PS5 is disable the Save Trophy Videos option.
To do so, go under Settings > Captures and Broadcasts > Auto-Captures > Trophies. This will stop your PS5 from automatically recording and saving trophy videos every time you earn one, which can quickly use up a lot of storage space.
3. Not Updating Your System and PS5 Games
In a desperate attempt to save space on your PS5’s internal storage, you might be tempted to forego system and game updates. We get it: game updates have become increasingly massive and frequent, as some developers release unfinished games to meet deadlines and polish them later via updates (here’s looking at you, Cyberpunk 2077).
However, not updating your PS5 system and games as soon as updates become available is a mistake. You’ll miss out on important bug fixes and new features, and you could also encounter compatibility issues down the line.
So, keep your system and games updated to avoid future headaches. You can do that manually or enable auto-updates on your PS5 to save yourself the trouble.
4. Immediately Deleting (or Not Playing) Astro’s Playroom
Astro’s Playroom comes pre-installed on your PlayStation 5, and it’s there for a reason. While you might ignore it in favor of playing AAA titles or deleting it altogether to save space, Astro’s Playroom is a fun game showcasing the capabilities of the PS5 and the DualSense controller.
We bet you’re excited about new features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. That said, you should know that playing Astro’s Playroom is the best way to understand and appreciate how they work. Give it a try; you might be surprised by how much fun you’ll have with it.
5. Downloading the Wrong Version of Cross-Gen Games
Several cross-gen games are available for the PS4 and PS5. Since the PS5 is backward compatible with the PS4, you might mistakenly download the PS4 version of a game or even download both PS4 and PS5 versions.
You should avoid this because the PS5 versions of cross-gen games come with significant improvements over their PS4 counterparts. And if you download both versions, you will just use up valuable storage space on your PS5.
Always check which version of the game you download after purchasing a cross-gen game to ensure you get the PS5 version. To do this, go to the PlayStation store and find the game you want to download. Select the “…” icon found by the Download button, and then Select Version to choose the PS5 version.
6. Not Customizing the Control Center
The PS5’s control center is a new UI element that gives you quick access to various settings and features. You can use the control center to access notifications, check your downloads, customize your sound, switch between games, and more. However, did you know you can move the icons in the control center to suit your needs?
To do this, press the PS button on your controller to display the control center, and then press the options button. From here, you can select the icon you want to move around and then press the X button to confirm your changes.
You can also move icons you don’t frequently use to the Hidden Controls area to declutter your control center. Once you have finished moving the icons around, press the Options button again to return to the main control center menu.
7. Not Transferring Your PS4 Save Data
When upgrading from a PS4 to a PS5, one of the first things you should do is transfer your PS4 games and save data to your PS5. Not only will this save you the trouble of starting your games from scratch, but you will also be able to enjoy the PS5’s fast loading time and other new features.
That said, if you skipped this step while setting up your PS5, there are several ways to transfer your PS4 game data to your PS5 after the fact.
Avoid These Mistakes and Get More From Your PS5
Getting your hands on the PS5 is the start of a fun gaming adventure, but it’s important to avoid making common mistakes that can ruin or delay the experience.
Although you might have figured out most of these things with time, we hope this guide helps you avoid headaches and get the most out of your new console from the get-go.
