The PlayStation App is easy to dismiss as an optional extra when the console itself handles nearly everything. But this companion app earns its place by taking care of the administrative side of gaming and keeping you connected to PlayStation Network from anywhere. Several underrated PlayStation App features can save you time, free up space, and keep you in touch with friends even when you are nowhere near your PS5.
Buy and preload games from your phone
The app includes full access to the PlayStation Store through its Store tab. You can browse titles, look at screenshots, add items to your cart, and complete a purchase. The real payoff comes after checkout: a purchased game can be sent straight to your console for download. Start an install in the middle of the day and a large title may be ready by the time you get home, which matters if your home internet is slow.
The wishlist, reached through the Heart icon, is also available in the app. You can add a game you hear about while away from your console or check the list when a sale begins. Beyond shopping, the Library tab lets you open Games > Played, select a title, and choose Play on Console so it is prepared before you sit down. Two conditions apply: your PS5 must be in rest mode rather than turned off, and on the console you must go to Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode and enable both Stay Connected to the Internet and Enable Turning on PS5 from Network. The Purchased tab shows your full library, with sorting options in the top-right for recently purchased or alphabetical order.
Manage console storage without leaving the couch
Console space disappears quickly, especially on models with only 825GB, and external PS5 storage is extremely costly at the moment. If a new purchase will not fit, the app lets you inspect and delete old data from your phone. Tap the Settings gear on the Play tab and choose PS5 Storage to see overall usage and how much space each game takes. Check the games you want to remove and use the Delete button that appears at the bottom. If your system has an M.2 SSD, a tab at the top lets you manage it the same way.
One limitation is worth knowing before you start clearing space. The app cannot delete certain components of a game while keeping others. For example, in games like Battlefield 6, the campaign can be removed while multiplayer stays installed on the console, but that fine-tuned management is not available in the app. For serious cleanup, check the console’s Settings > Storage menu first.
Pull screenshots and videos onto your phone
Captures taken on a PS5 can be shared with PSN friends, uploaded to YouTube, or copied to an external drive. Sharing them to a messaging app or social media site is more convenient from a phone. As long as the PS5 is in rest mode with the internet-connected setting enabled, videos under three minutes and manually taken screenshots appear in the app. Open the Library tab and tap Captures to see every screenshot from the last two weeks; a Select Multiple toggle sits at the bottom-right. If auto-uploading is not already on, the app prompts you to enable it. A Download button saves a copy to your phone, a Share icon sends it to PSN friends, and Share via lets you use any supported app on your phone. Unlike games, PS5 captures cannot be deleted remotely, so this will not free up console storage while you are out.
Stay connected to PSN friends
The Social tab keeps you in touch with friends on PlayStation Network, including PS parties when you are not on your system. Active parties you can join appear at the top of the Chats tab, and the Headset icon at the top-right lets you start your own. You can even invite people to your game through a link. Recent chats sit lower on the tab, where you can send messages, start a party, add people, and take other actions as you would on the console. The Heart button pins favorite chats to the top.
The Friends tab shows how many friends are online and what each one is playing. Select a friend to view their profile, message them, start a party, or see their trophies and recently played games. The Search tab at the bottom of the app helps you add someone new.
Fine-tune the app and speed up typing
A few smaller touches round out the experience. On the Play tab, the Pencil icon changes which panels appear and their order. Selecting your profile opens your own page, where you can browse trophies and recent games or adjust profile settings. The Bell icon shows the same alerts your PS5 collects, such as game install confirmations and wishlist alerts. The Gear icon opens settings, including Beta Features for more functionality. It is also smart to adjust Push Notifications, especially if they pile up; check When Friends Go Online in particular, since you may not want that alert while away from your console.
Finally, consider the separate PS Remote Play app. Beyond streaming PS5 games to a phone or tablet, it can display your console’s screen and let you type with your phone’s keyboard, which is much faster than the console’s on-screen keyboard.
