New PS5 System Software Beta Includes Voice Commands, UI Tweaks

February 8, 2022

The second PlayStation 5 system software beta will roll out to users tomorrow, and will include a wide variety of new ways to personalize your console. But seeing as this is a beta, only select users will be able to use it before it goes live to everyone “later this year.”

Voice commands are perhaps the biggest new addition to the software beta. According to the PlayStation Blog (which has a full list of the features in the beta), for those who live in the U.S. or the U.K., previews will include a feature that enables voice commands for finding and opening games and apps using “Hey, PlayStation” as the activating phrase. Players will also be able to control media playback using their voice as well. The feature can be turned off entirely, too.

Elsewhere in the updated software beta, the PlayStation 5 will see a slew of UI tweaks, including the ability to filter games by genre in your collection. Players will also be able to keep games or apps on the home screen at all times by selecting “Keep in Home” on the game or app’s options list. This will keep the tile on the home screen no matter what and up to five games can be in this persistent list. To go along with this, the home screen will now be increased, allowing for up to 14 games and apps to appear on it.

Trophies are also getting a bit of a UI update as well, with an updated visual design for trophy cards and the trophy list. Finally, players will also be able to start up a stream even easier, as they can now begin streaming right from the Create menu.

The PlayStation 5 system software beta is also getting a handful of other tweaks, including the inclusion of open and closed party options, Share Play updates, small changes to how players can find friends inside of menus, and more. PlayStation 4 owners will also be getting a system software beta tomorrow, that will include the open parties system that is being implemented on the PS5.