While you take a look at your PlayStation 5, it’s simple to suppose the USB ports are solely there to cost controllers. That’s the apparent use, and it’s the one most of us depend on day-after-day. However the reality is, these ports can do much more than individuals understand.
When you perceive what they’re able to, the USB slots in your console cease being background particulars and begin feeling like secret passageways right into a extra versatile and private gaming setup.
And right here’s the factor: a few of these options can change the best way you play, again up, and even share your gaming life. Interested by what you may be lacking? Let’s dive in.
PS5 USB ports are scarce, however they’ll do greater than you already know
Sony outfitted the PS5 with 4 USB ports (two USB-A ports on the again, one USB-A and one USB-C port on the entrance). That sounds fantastic till you begin plugging in peripherals. Between controllers, headsets, VR gear, and exterior drives, you’ll end up juggling what will get precedence.
For a lot of gamers, that limitation hides simply how a lot these USB ports can truly do. They aren’t simply charging factors. They’re instruments that unlock new methods to save lots of, share, and join.
So the problem isn’t nearly shortage. It’s about realizing find out how to get essentially the most out of what you have already got.
You possibly can again up your saves with out counting on the cloud
PlayStation Plus subscribers get automated cloud saves, however there’s a catch: solely the particular person with the subscription is roofed. Everybody else on the console is ignored.
That’s the place a USB stick is available in. Format it to exFAT or FAT32, plug it in, and head to Settings > System > System Software program > Again Up and Restore > Again Up Your PS5. From there, you possibly can decide and select what to save lots of.
This issues greater than you would possibly suppose. A USB backup means you possibly can transfer your knowledge between consoles or restore your progress if one thing goes improper. It’s a security web for each profile, not simply the one paying for Plus.
Here’s a social media submit that uncovers shocking PS5 USB port hidden options players overlook:
The PS5 console has 4 USB ports with completely different connection speeds.
The ports can be utilized for varied peripheral units resembling wi-fi controllers and PlayStation VR2.
PS5 USB ports informationhttps://t.co/raStH2xmQ5 pic.twitter.com/v4bcZspPTw
— Ask PlayStation (@AskPlayStation) July 1, 2025
You possibly can copy movies and screenshots immediately
Capturing your gameplay is half the enjoyable nowadays. Whereas many gamers pull clips by means of the PlayStation app, that course of entails uploads, compression, and generally ready on cloud sync.
The sooner manner is a USB drive. Go into your Media Gallery, choose what you need, and hit Copy to USB Drive. No compression. No uploads. Simply uncooked recordsdata straight out of your PS5 to a conveyable stick.
This trick is a lifesaver when you edit movies on a pc or simply wish to preserve a clear archive of your favourite highlights.
You possibly can broaden your storage with out opening the console
The PS5’s lightning-fast SSD fills up rapidly, particularly with trendy recreation sizes. Sony helps you to broaden with an inside M.2 NVMe drive, however meaning unscrewing panels and putting in {hardware}.
The better route? Use an exterior USB drive. Right here’s the way it breaks down:
- PlayStation 4 video games can run immediately from a USB laborious drive or SSD.
- PlayStation 5 video games can’t run from USB, however you possibly can “chilly retailer” them there. Meaning shifting them off the principle SSD to unlock area, then shifting them again once you wish to play.
It’s not as slick as increasing the inner drive, nevertheless it’s sooner than redownloading 100 GB each time. A good SATA SSD through USB is ideal for this function.
You possibly can join peripherals that make video games extra immersive
The USB ports additionally unlock experiences past the controller. Racing followers can plug in wheels just like the Logitech G29. VR gamers can hook up PS VR or PS VR2 gear. Streamers can join the official PS5 HD Digicam.
Every of those turns the console into one thing extra private. The catch is that the PS5 doesn’t acknowledge each USB gadget underneath the solar. For cameras, for instance, you want Sony’s official gear.
Nonetheless, when supported, the USB ports turn out to be your gateway to area of interest however highly effective experiences.
USB audio is less complicated than most individuals understand
One of many PS5’s underappreciated strengths is how simply it handles USB audio. Many wired headsets and microphones plug straight in and simply work. That goes for official Sony gear and for lots of third-party choices that seem to the system as generic USB audio.
It received’t work by means of the controller’s port, that one is 3.5mm solely, however immediately into the console; USB audio is usually plug and play. For gamers sitting near the console or utilizing a desk monitor setup, this is without doubt one of the easiest methods to get higher sound.
You possibly can pair controllers immediately
Charging your DualSense with a USB cable feels apparent, however that cable additionally does one thing else. It pairs the controller to the console immediately.
That is helpful when you transfer controllers between a number of PS5s or use them with a PC. As a substitute of fidgeting with wi-fi settings, simply plug the cable right into a entrance USB port, wait a second, and it’s linked.
It’s a small function, however as soon as you employ it, you by no means return.
You possibly can handle media playback from a USB
Not each PS5 proprietor realizes the console doubles as a media participant. Load up a USB drive with movies, music, or photographs, plug it in, and head to the Media Gallery. From there, you possibly can play recordsdata with out copying them to the inner drive.
It turns the PS5 right into a part-time leisure hub. Whether or not you’re watching previous household clips or enjoying music by means of your encompass setup, the USB port is the bridge.
Surprise how tech geeks are making essentially the most out of this info? Here’s a YouTube video that shares fast PS5 USB port secrets and techniques most gamers miss:
You possibly can preserve whole backups of the system
Past saves and media, the PS5 helps you to again up the entire console to a USB drive. That features apps, video games, and system knowledge. Should you ever reset your PS5 or transfer to a different one, restoring from that backup saves hours of reinstalling.
The one actual requirement is a big sufficient exterior drive. A 1 TB exterior SSD is greater than sufficient for many gamers.
You possibly can work across the lack of ports with a hub
Right here’s the draw back. As a result of the PS5 solely has three usable USB slots, you’ll run out quick. Add a headset dongle, a drive, and a controller cable, and out of the blue you’re out of choices.
That’s the place a powered USB hub may help. Whilst you can’t use hubs for exterior storage drives, you should utilize them for peripherals. A superb USB 3.2 hub offers you the area to attach wheels, keyboards, headsets, or charging cables with out unplugging one thing else each time.
It’s not glamorous, nevertheless it solves an issue that just about each PS5 proprietor bumps into in the end.
What does this all add as much as?
The PS5’s USB ports look easy, however they’re quietly a few of the most helpful elements of the console. They deal with all the things from fundamental controller pairing to full system backups. They allow you to carry saves between households, archive whole gaming classes, and even flip your console right into a media participant.
The catch is that none of that is apparent. Sony doesn’t promote it. And until you dig into the settings, you would possibly by no means know the way a lot energy these little ports truly maintain.
So the query is that this. Are you simply charging your controllers, or are you able to unlock all the things hiding in plain sight?
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This text was made with AI help and human modifying.
