The PlayStation App can handle the boring parts of gaming before you even reach your console. Buying games, clearing storage, checking captures, and staying connected with friends all become tasks you can manage from your phone.
If you have not tried it, you should definitely download it. These five features turn the app from a simple companion into a useful control panel for your PS5.
1. Buy Games and Start Downloads Anywhere
The PS App gives you full access to the PS Store through the tab with the same name. You can browse games, view screenshots, add items to your cart, and complete a purchase without sitting in front of your PS5.
The biggest benefit arrives after checkout: when you buy a game, you can immediately download it to your console. Start the installation in the middle of the day, and the game can be ready when you get home.
Your entire library is also available under the Purchased tab. The sorting options at the top-right let you switch between recently purchased games and an alphabetical list, making it easier to find an older title and install it on your system.
The app also gives your wishlist a dedicated home. Tap the Heart icon to add games or browse the list when you are deciding what to buy next. It is a small feature, but it keeps future purchases organized without forcing you to remember every game that caught your attention.
2. Start Your PS5 Before You Sit Down
The app can do more than begin a download. You can start a game on your system right before you are ready to play, turning the final minutes before a gaming session into setup time instead of waiting time.
There is one key requirement: your PS5 must be in rest mode, not turned off. You also need to open Settings > System > Power Saving > Features Available in Rest Mode on the console and enable both Stay Connected to the Internet and Enable Turning on PS5 from Network.
Once those settings are active, the PlayStation App can send the command your console needs from a distance. This is especially useful when a game is already installed and you want to jump straight into it when you arrive.
3. Manage PS5 Storage From Your Phone
A new purchase is less exciting when your PS5 does not have room for it. The PlayStation App lets you view old data and delete games from your phone so you can make space before starting another download.
To check your storage, tap the Settings gear on the Play tab and choose PS5 Storage. You will see your overall storage usage, along with the amount of space each game consumes. Select as many games as you want to erase, then use the Delete button at the bottom.
If your system has an M.2 SSD, the app displays a separate tab for it at the top. You can manage that storage in the same way, giving you one place to review both storage locations.
There is an important limit. The app cannot delete certain parts of a game while keeping others installed. In a game such as Battlefield 6, you might want to remove the campaign while keeping multiplayer, but the phone app does not offer that fine-tuned control. Before serious storage management, check the options on your console under Settings > Storage.
4. Turn PS5 Captures Into Phone-Ready Clips
After you capture a screenshot or video on your PS5, the PlayStation App can help you use it away from the console. You can share captures with PSN friends, upload them to YouTube, or copy them to an external drive.
For captures to appear in the app, your PS5 must be in rest mode with the internet-connected setting enabled. Manually captured screenshots and videos under three minutes can appear there, and the Library tab leads you to them. Tap Library, then Captures, to view screenshots taken during the last two weeks.
If auto-uploading is not enabled, the app shows a prompt to turn it on. From there, the Download button saves a copy to your phone, while the Share icon sends it to PSN friends. The Share via option lets you use any supported app on your phone.
There is one catch: unlike games, PS5 captures cannot be deleted remotely. The app can help you view, download, and share them, but storage cleanup for captures still requires attention elsewhere.
5. Stay Connected Through the Social Tab
The Social tab keeps your PlayStation Network contacts within reach, even when you are away from your system. You can stay connected with friends you have added on PSN and participate in PS parties through the app.
That makes the PlayStation App useful before, during, and after a gaming session. You can prepare a download, start a game, clear space, share a capture, and keep a conversation moving without returning to the console for every task.
The PS5 remains the center of the experience, but the app removes much of the waiting and menu navigation around it. Once these features become part of your routine, the phone in your pocket starts feeling like an extra control surface for the console.
Based on
- 5 underrated PlayStation App features — engadget.com
- What Discs Can A PlayStation 5 Play? — engadget.com
- Why PlayStation Can’t Hold A Candle To Xbox’s Backward Compatibility — engadget.com
- How To Clean Your PlayStation 5 Without Damaging It — engadget.com
- 5 Things You Didn’t Know Steam’s Overlay Could Do — engadget.com
