Sony has confirmed details of the latest PS5 system update, and it’s set to be one of the most significant in the console’s almost four-year history adding a major UI upgrade alongside additional features and improvements to the user experience.
As confirmed via the PlayStation Blog, this new PS5 system software update adds the Welcome hub, described as “a new personalized space with customizable widgets and backgrounds in your PS5 home screen”. It’ll replace the Explore tab and is designed to be the first thing you check whenever you boot up your PS5 console.
There will be various widgets available at launch including a way to quickly check your console’s storage, battery levels for your controllers and accessories, a tab to see which friends are online, and one for showing off your Trophy collection.
You can arrange these widgets as you like, and the Welcome hub can be customized further with various animated backgrounds, or you can use a screenshot you’ve taken from within a PS5 game for a real personal touch. This is probably the closest the PS5 will ever get to allowing custom themes, so be sure to take advantage.
The Welcome hub will be released via a phased global rollout. It’s set to be available to select PS5 owners in the U.S. starting today (Sept. 12), before rolling out further over the coming weeks. It’ll also expand beyond the U.S. first to players in Japan, followed by select European countries and then the rest of the world later on.
PS5 system update — here’s what else is new
Another flagship feature added with the latest PS5 system update is Party Share. This feature lets you generate a QR code that can be shared on any messaging or social media app to invite the recipient to your party voice chat on PS5, even if you haven’t added them to your friends list. This feature will be rolled out in phases.
Following a beta testing period, personalized 3D audio profiles will be made available to all PS5 owners in the coming weeks. This allows you to create a bespoke audio profile tailored to your hearing characteristics using a set of PS5-compatible headphones or earbuds.
In this PS5 system update, you will also be able to enable Remote Play for individual users, allowing you to choose who can connect to your PS5 console remotely.
Adaptive charging is also being added in this update. This power-saving feature adjusts the length of time that power is supplied to your controller via USB-C based on its current battery level. However, this charging upgrade will only be available on the PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro models. Sorry, launch PS5 owners!
This latest PS5 system update is now being rolled out, so be sure to check if it’s available in your region before sitting down for your next PlayStation gaming session. And in case you (somehow) missed it, Sony also announced the PS5 Pro this week, and we’ve got all the details including a full PS5 Pro pre-order guide to help you secure your console this holiday season.
