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How to Customize the PS5 Control Center and Home Screen

Rearrange PS5 Control Center shortcuts, personalize Welcome hub widgets and backgrounds, and understand which settings depend on region or game support.
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You can customize the PS5 Control Center by moving frequently used icons into easy reach or hiding icons you do not use. On the home screen, the Welcome hub lets you add, remove, resize, and rearrange widgets, choose a preset or custom layout, and set a background. The available Welcome hub features can vary by region, so the options on your console may differ from the examples below.

This guide covers the separate settings for quick-access controls, Welcome hub widgets and backgrounds, and game presets. These are built-in console features; Sony’s documented steps do not require a separate purchase.

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What you can customize on PS5

PS5 personalization is split across separate parts of the interface. The Control Center is an overlay opened with the PS button; it provides shortcuts while you play. The Welcome hub is a home-screen area where you can arrange widgets and choose a background. Game presets are a third, separate feature: they set supported defaults for certain PS5 games, but do not change either interface layout.

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Knowing which area controls what makes it easier to find a setting: use Control Center editing for quick-access icons, Welcome hub editing for widgets and its background, and Game Presets for supported gameplay defaults. Sony describes these features in its PS5 features overview.

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The distinction matters because each area serves a different moment. Control Center is for reaching console and game functions without leaving what you are doing. Welcome hub is a place on the home screen to surface information and shortcuts in a layout you choose. Game presets are preferences for supported gameplay options, not a way to rearrange either screen. If you are trying to make a control easier to reach, start with Control Center; if you want to see information at a glance, start with Welcome hub.

Move or hide Control Center icons

Open Control Center by pressing the PS button on your controller. You can edit the controls from there without leaving the game or screen you are using. Sony notes that some icons cannot be hidden.

  1. Press the PS button to display Control Center.
  2. Highlight an icon in the control area and press the Options button.
  3. Select the icon you want to move.
  4. Move it to the position you want, then press X to set it.
  5. To hide an icon instead, move it into the Hidden Controls area. Press Options again to return to the original screen.

The order is useful when you want commonly used controls nearer the start of the row; hiding is for controls you would rather not see in the displayed area. The console’s Control Center customization instructions explain the same editing flow.

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Think of this as a small reorganization rather than a full replacement of the Control Center. You are choosing which eligible icons are displayed and where they sit. If you often open a particular feature, moving its icon to a convenient spot can make it easier to find; if an icon is rarely useful to you, moving it to Hidden Controls can reduce clutter. You can repeat the process for other icons, and you can change your mind later by moving a hidden one back.

When moving an icon, use the on-screen selection and movement controls, then press X to confirm its position. Do not assume that every control can be removed: Sony specifically notes that certain icons cannot be hidden. The available icons and cards can also depend on what you are doing, so the editing screen or active game may not present an identical set in every situation.

Restore a hidden icon

Open the Control Center editing view, select the icon in Hidden Controls, and move it back into the displayed controls area. Press X to set its position. If the icon is not available to move or hide, it may be one of the controls Sony does not allow you to hide.

This is also the practical way to undo a layout change. You do not need to reset the whole console or alter your game settings to restore a control: return to the edit view and move the specific icon out of Hidden Controls. If you cannot find it in the hidden area, it may not be one of the controls that can be hidden.

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What belongs in Control Center

The Control Center provides quick access to console and game functions. Sony’s examples of controls include Home, Switcher, Notifications, Game Base, Music, Sound, Mic, Accessories, Profile, and Power. Cards can also appear for activities, voice chat or broadcast, and media. You do not have to use every item: choose the visible controls that suit the tasks you reach for most often.

Cards and available controls depend on context. For example, Activities can offer information or actions associated with a supported game, but their content is not a guaranteed, identical set of buttons in every game. Sony describes Activities and other dashboard features in its PS5 features overview.

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That contextual design explains why a card you have seen elsewhere may not appear in your current session. Activity cards relate to supported game experiences; voice chat, broadcast, and media cards relate to those functions. The examples are not a checklist of items that should always be visible. If you are looking for a particular action, first check that you are in the relevant game or feature context rather than assuming your layout is broken.

Accessibility is another useful example of a shortcut. If the Accessibility control is available in the edit view, you can place it in Control Center to reach accessibility settings from the overlay. This changes access to the settings, not the behavior of an individual accessibility feature.

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Arrange widgets in the Welcome hub

The Welcome hub is the PS5 home-screen area for widgets and backgrounds. When it is available on your console, open it from the home screen and choose Edit Widgets to add or remove widgets. You can move and resize widgets to make the information you care about easier to see.

  1. Go to the PS5 home screen and open the Welcome hub.
  2. Select Edit Widgets to manage which widgets appear.
  3. Toggle widgets on or off to add or remove them from the layout.
  4. Move and resize the widgets you want to keep, arranging them in the order and scale that work for your screen.
  5. Save or finish editing using the on-screen prompt, if one appears.

Examples Sony lists include storage, battery status, friends, messages, trophies, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Plus, News, Accessibility, Media Gallery, and wishlist information. The set of widgets is subject to regional availability; a widget shown in instructions or on another console may not appear in yours. For the hub’s editing options and regional qualification, see PlayStation Support’s Welcome hub guide.

Start by deciding what you want to notice when you open the home screen. If you want a quick view of console information, look for the storage or battery-status widgets where available. If you want social or account updates, friends and messages may be more relevant. Trophies, News, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Plus, Media Gallery, and wishlist information serve different interests; there is no single arrangement that is right for every player. The exact selection is limited to what the console offers in your region.

Removing a widget is not the same as deleting the underlying information or account feature. The edit option controls what is included in the hub layout. Toggle off items you do not want displayed there, and leave the ones you want to see. If your priorities change, return to Edit Widgets and change the selection rather than treating the first arrangement as permanent.

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Resizing and moving let you make the layout reflect your priorities. A larger widget can make its information more prominent, while a smaller one can leave more room for other items. Moving widgets lets you group the ones you check most often together. Sony supports moving and resizing, but the specific layout and widget choices are subject to what is available on your system.

Choose a preset or make a custom layout

If you want a ready-made arrangement, select Change Preset and choose one of the layouts shown on your console. A preset is a quick starting point when you do not want to position each widget yourself. To tailor the arrangement, create a custom preset and adjust its widgets, positions, and sizes to your preference. The practical choice is convenience versus control: use a preset for a fast setup, or a custom layout when the provided arrangements do not put the information you want where you want it.

A preset is useful if you would rather begin with an existing layout than make several individual choices. A custom preset is the better fit if you want a particular mix of widgets or a more personal order and scale. Both options are built into the hub; choose based on whether speed or precise arrangement matters more to you. Widget availability still depends on region, so a preset or widget list may not match another person’s screen.

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If the preset you choose is close but not quite right, the hub also supports widget movement and resizing. Use those controls to tune the arrangement rather than assuming you must accept every preset exactly as shown. Conversely, if the custom arrangement begins to feel cluttered, you can revisit Edit Widgets, turn off less useful items, or choose a preset as a simpler starting point.

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Change the Welcome hub background

The hub can use a design or animated effect, or an image selected from Media Gallery. To use a screenshot, first make sure it is available in Media Gallery, then choose the background option in the Welcome hub and select the image. If you prefer a designed look, choose one of the designs or animated effects offered on the console instead.

The choice is between a supplied design or animated effect and a personal image already in Media Gallery. A design is a straightforward option if you want one of the appearances offered by the console. A screenshot lets you use an image from your own gallery. The instructions identify these as Welcome hub background choices; they do not indicate that you need to buy a separate theme or background for the steps described here.

Background choices affect the Welcome hub’s appearance; they do not change the Control Center icon arrangement. Sony’s PS5 features overview describes both designed or animated backgrounds and images from Media Gallery.

If you want to use a screenshot but do not see the image during selection, check whether it is available in Media Gallery. If you prefer not to use a personal screenshot, choose a design or animated effect that is offered on your console. The available selection can vary, so follow the choices actually shown in the Welcome hub.

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Use the PlayStation-generation appearance option

Sony also documents a PlayStation-generation-inspired appearance setting under Settings > System > Appearance > Appearance and Sound. This is separate from choosing a Welcome hub screenshot or widget layout. Menu labels and availability can differ with region or system software, so follow the labels displayed on your console if they do not match that path exactly. The Welcome hub support guide covers this appearance option.

Use this option if you are looking for the documented PlayStation-generation-inspired appearance, not if you are trying to move a widget or pick a screenshot. The hub background, its widget arrangement, and the broader appearance setting are related to presentation but are distinct choices. When a menu label differs, use the closest matching option on your own system rather than relying on a path that may reflect a different regional page or software version.

Set up Accessibility for quicker access

If you regularly open accessibility settings, add the Accessibility control to Control Center when it is available in the editing view. That makes it a shortcut from the overlay rather than requiring you to navigate through Settings each time. It is an access convenience, not a change to how individual accessibility features behave. Sony’s PS5 accessibility settings guide explains the console’s accessibility settings.

This is especially useful when your goal is simply to reach those settings more directly. The customization step places the shortcut in the overlay; use the accessibility settings themselves to choose or adjust a feature. If you do not see the control in the edit view, rely on the options available on your console rather than assuming that every regional setup presents the same control list.

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Game presets are a different kind of personalization

Game presets set certain supported defaults for PS5 games. They are useful if you prefer a consistent starting point for supported game settings, but they do not rearrange Control Center icons or Welcome hub widgets. Find them at Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets.

Depending on the game and supported options, presets can cover difficulty, Performance Mode or Resolution Mode, first- or third-person camera movement, subtitles and audio, and multiplayer session preferences. Sony limits these presets to PS5 games and notes that some options may not apply to every game. A game can therefore use its own settings or omit a preset option even when you have configured a preference in the console. See PlayStation Support’s game presets instructions for the documented location and limits.

Use Game Presets when the goal is to set a supported default that a PS5 game may follow. For example, the categories include difficulty and Performance Mode or Resolution Mode, as well as camera movement, subtitles and audio, and multiplayer session preferences. These are not guaranteed to be available or handled identically by every game. They are also not shortcuts displayed in Control Center: changing the presets does not change the icons, cards, Welcome hub widgets, or hub background.

Because the settings apply only to PS5 games and may not apply to all games, treat them as preferences rather than a command that overrides every title. If a game does not follow a configured preference, check the game’s own settings for an equivalent option. The console-level setting and a game’s own options are separate places to check.

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If an option is missing

  • A Control Center icon will not hide: Sony says some icons cannot be hidden. Try moving the icon instead, or leave it in place if the console does not offer it as a movable or hideable control.
  • A card or game action is absent: Control Center cards and controls are contextual. Check while using the relevant game or feature; an activity card is not necessarily available in every title.
  • A Welcome hub widget is not listed: Widget availability can depend on region. Use the widget choices shown on your console rather than assuming every example applies to your account or location.
  • The Welcome hub or a menu path looks different: Sony announced the Welcome hub as a phased rollout on September 12, 2024. That announcement is historical rollout context, not a promise that every console or region has the same interface today. Check the current options on your system and consult the relevant regional support page.
  • A game does not follow a preset: Game presets apply only to PS5 games, and Sony says some settings may not apply to all games. Look for the option within that game’s own settings if it is not taking effect.

The 2024 rollout announcement is available in the PlayStation Blog post dated September 12, 2024; it should not be treated as a current regional availability checker.

Before troubleshooting a missing option, identify which feature you are editing. A missing Control Center card may be a context issue, while a missing Welcome hub widget may reflect regional availability. A game that ignores a preference may not support that preset option. These differences call for different checks; changing a background, layout, or game preset will not make an unavailable card or widget appear.

There is no separate purchase requirement in the documented customization steps. You can use the console’s built-in options to move or hide eligible controls, arrange available widgets, choose a hub background, and set supported game preferences. The limits are feature support, regional availability, and the choices presented by your console—not a need to buy another item to complete the layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I move or hide an icon in the PS5 Control Center?

Press the PS button, highlight a control icon, and press Options. Select the icon, move it to the desired position, and press X to set it. To hide an eligible icon, move it into Hidden Controls. Sony notes that some icons cannot be hidden.

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How do I restore a hidden Control Center icon?

Open the Control Center editing view, select the icon under Hidden Controls, move it into the displayed controls area, and press X to set its position.

Why don’t I see the same Control Center cards in every game?

Cards and available controls depend on context. Activity actions are associated with supported games, and voice chat, broadcast, and media cards relate to their respective features; they are not guaranteed to appear in every game or situation.

How do I add or remove Welcome hub widgets?

Open the Welcome hub from the PS5 home screen and choose Edit Widgets. Toggle the widgets you want on or off, then move or resize the widgets you keep. Available widgets can vary by region.

Can I use my own image as the Welcome hub background?

Yes. Sony describes using an image selected from Media Gallery, as well as designs or animated effects offered on the console. Make sure the screenshot you want is available in Media Gallery before selecting it.

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What is the difference between a Welcome hub preset and a custom layout?

Change Preset applies a ready-made layout shown on your console. A custom preset lets you tailor the widgets, their positions, and their sizes. A preset is convenient; a custom layout offers more control over the arrangement.

Do PS5 game presets change the Control Center or Welcome hub?

No. Game Presets are separate gameplay preferences found under Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets. They can set supported defaults for PS5 games, but do not rearrange interface icons or widgets.

Why isn’t a game following my game preset?

Game presets apply only to PS5 games, and some options may not apply to every title. Check the game’s own settings if the preference is not taking effect.

Do I need to buy anything to customize these PS5 screens?

No separate purchase is required for the documented steps. Control Center editing, Welcome hub widget and background choices, and Game Presets are built-in console features, subject to availability and game support.

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The Bottom Line

Use the Control Center to reorder or hide eligible shortcuts, the Welcome hub to arrange widgets and choose a background, and Game Presets for supported PS5 gameplay defaults. Presets and custom layouts offer a convenience-versus-control choice; cards, widgets, and game options can vary by context, region, or title. These documented customization steps use built-in PS5 settings and do not require a separate purchase.

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