Introduction
Nothing can be more frustrating than notifications popping up on your PlayStation 5 and taking you out of the flow of a game, or message notifications popping up that you don’t want other people to see. Thankfully, Sony gives you a lot of control over how notifications are displayed on your PS5, and you can choose to turn them off entirely, or you can can control whether certain message types are displayed and how those message types are shown. This includes notifications for when your friends go online, notifications from games, game invitations, notifications for trophies and more. I’ll cover how to do both in this article.
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Steps to Turn Off All Notifications on PS5
First let’s look at how to turn off all notifications on your PS5, or to turn off previews for all notifications.
- Navigate to your PS5 home screen, and then click the “Settings” icon. You’ll land on the Settings screen.
- Click “Notifications.” The Notifications screen is shown.
- If you want to turn off all notifications on your PS5, click to turn off the toggle associated with “Allow Pop-Up Notifications.” Alternatively, if you want to remove the preview for everything and just get simple alerts, scroll down this list and turn the toggle off associated with “Show Preview” if you no longer want to display message previews.
Steps to Turn Off Some Notifications on PS5
Alternatively, if you’d like to control whether certain types of notifications are displayed on your PS5 and how those notifications are displayed, you can do that at a more granular level. Let’s walk through the steps to control individual notifications on your PS5.
- Navigate to your PS5 home screen, and then click the “Settings” icon. You’ll land on the Settings screen.
- Click “Notifications.” The Notifications screen is shown.
- Make sure “Allow Pop-Up Notifications” is toggled on.
- Scroll down to the Select Which Pop-ups You Want to See and How You See Them Section, click any of those options to bring up a menu, and then choose whether or not to show pop-up notifications for those items, whether or not to show pop-up notifications in games, whether or not to show pop-up notifications in videos, and whether or not to show pop-up notifications during broadcasts.
Five Reasons to Turn Off Notifications on PlayStation 5
1. Minimizing Distractions
Notifications can be a significant distraction when you’re trying to focus on a game or other activities on your PlayStation 5. While some players may find them helpful, others may find them disruptive, taking away from the immersive experience of gaming. When you turn off notifications, you can minimize these distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.
2. Privacy
Privacy is a significant concern for many people, especially when playing with others online or in public spaces. With notifications turned on, others around you may be able to see or hear the alerts, which can be a concern for some. By turning off notifications, you can keep your gaming activity private and avoid any potential privacy issues.
3. Battery Life
Notifications can consume battery life on your PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, especially if the vibration feature is enabled. When notifications are coming through regularly, it can quickly drain the battery, leaving you without a controller when you need it most. By turning off notifications, you can help preserve your controller’s battery life, allowing you to game for longer without interruption.
4. Annoyance
Notifications can be incredibly annoying, especially if you’re receiving them frequently or in quick succession. While some may find them helpful, others may find them disruptive or intrusive. By turning off notifications, you can reduce this annoyance and make your gaming experience more enjoyable.
5. Immersion
One of the most significant benefits of turning off notifications is that it can help you stay immersed in the game world. When notifications pop up on your screen, they can break the immersion that you’ve built up, taking away from the gaming experience. By turning them off, you can stay fully engaged with the game and enjoy it to the fullest extent possible.
Will Turning Off Notifications Affect My Ability to Receive Important Updates or Messages?
Many people may be concerned that turning off notifications on their PS5 will mean they miss out on important updates or messages. However, this is not the case. Turning off notifications will only affect the types of notifications you receive, not the important updates or messages that the PS5 is designed to deliver.
Updates and messages are generally delivered through different channels, such as the PlayStation 5 system updates or direct messaging within games. These updates and messages will still be delivered, regardless of whether you have notifications turned on or off.
If you’re worried about missing out on important updates or messages, you can always check your PS5 system settings to ensure that you’re receiving them through the appropriate channels. By doing so, you can ensure that you’re always up to date with the latest news and information, without being interrupted by notifications that may not be relevant to you.
