Exposing PS5’s Stealthy Browser Access

After exploring your PS5, you might be surprised to find that the console doesn’t have a web browser built-in. This seems like a downgrade, as the PlayStation 4 included a web browser from the start.

As it turns out, there’s a hidden web browser in the PS5 you can access through a convoluted method. We’ll show you how to browse the web on your PS5 if you really need to.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

How to Access the PS5 Web Browser

To use the web browser on the PS5, first head to theSettings page from the main menu. Here, select theUsers and Accounts section, followed byLinked Services .

At the time of writing, though the app formerly known as Twitter is now called X, the PS5 still uses the Twitter name and logo. Thus, chooseTwitter > Link Account to open a login page for the service.

If you’ve connected your Twitter/X account to your PS5 in the past, you’ll need to unlink it first to use this method.

Don’t actually log in here. Instead, use the left stick to hover the cursor over the Twitter bird logo at the top of the page, then click it with theX button.

When you do this, you’ll be faced with a login page like you would in any desktop browser. Since you can’t search X without an account anymore, we’ll need an alternative method to access the web at large. The trick lies in selectingSign in with Google . Click this to open Google’s login page.

Here, selectTerms at the bottom of the login page. This will lead to a long page with all of Google’s terms and conditions.

Use the right stick to scroll down to the very bottom (it will take a moment) and you’ll see a link toGoogle at the bottom-left. Click this.

Selecting this link will bring you to a stripped-down version of the familiar Google homepage. From here, you have free reign to search for whatever you like and browse the web using your PS5.

Because there’s no browser address bar, you’ll need to search Google and click links to go anywhere. It’s clunky, but functional.

Is the PS5 Web Browser Worth Using?

As you might expect given how Sony hid the browser away, the PS5 web browser isn’t anything fantastic. Basic sites that only have text and images load fine, but anything that requires multimedia isn’t reliable.

You can probably pull up a video site that doesn’t have a dedicated PS5 app to enjoy watching its content, but don’t expect to use complicated web apps or play games. Using the software keyboard is a pain (unless youconnect a physical keyboard to your PS5 ). Plus, using the Google login workaround every time is inefficient and prevents you from linking your X account with your PSN account.

For most people, there are few reasons you’d actually want to use the browser on your PS5. Chances are that you have a smartphone nearby that’s much easier to use and will work with almost all websites, unlike the clunky PS5 browser experience. The only scenario we can think of where this browser would come in handy is if you want to look something up while using PlayStation VR and don’t want to take the headset off.

This is probably why Hideaki Nishino from Sony said that the company “ha[s] doubts about whether a web browser is necessary.” There’s a chance that the PS5 could get a better browser in the future, but it’s likely not a priority when everyone has better ways to access the web.

Oddly, the PS5 does have an options page underSettings > System titledWeb Browser that has settings for deleting cookies and similar. It’s not clear why this exists when the browser isn’t meant for general use.

Meanwhile, if the lackluster web browser left you wanting more, you should check out otherhidden features of your PS5 .

Browse the Web on PS5, If You Really Need To

Now you know how to reach the PS5’s limited web browser. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it could be a fun trick for showing off to friends. Otherwise, it’s not much more than a PS5 Easter egg.

Also read: