After a pretty lengthy beta period, Sony slipped out PlayStation 4 firmware update 5.50 today like flatulence in a busy lift. The silent but deadly system software update is packing some pretty powerful features, including a whole host of parental control options that should come in handy as the console covets a more casual audience. But what are the six features you simply need to know about? We’ve got you covered.
Main menu quick flick
One nifty feature in PS4 firmware update 5.50 that no one’s talking about is the ability to jump from the extreme left and right ends of the main menu using the L1 and R1 buttons. This means that, rather than scroll through your list of apps, you can instead jump between the PlayStation Store and the Library with a single button press. It’s a microscopic addition, but we’re all about these minor usability enhancements.
Remove items from your Library
Speaking of the Library, it’s now finally possible to hide items from the purchased portion of your PlayStation Store archives. This means that you can finally file away useless applications like old betas and alphas that may have long expired, as well as games and demos that you no longer plan to play. You can, of course, recover anything that you remove by pushing the Options button and accessing app purgatory.
Custom wallpapers via USB
You could already create custom wallpapers for your PS4 using images that you’d captured using the Share button. However, with the arrival of PS4 firmware update 5.50, you can now copy images from your computer to a USB stick and customise your console with photographs of friends, family, pets, or pop stars. Follow our full guide for a walkthrough on how to create custom PS4 wallpapers from USB.
Delete Notifications
What’s the point in a pretty backdrop when you’ve got about a billion Notifications cluttering up your console? This is one for the obsessive compulsive among you: it’s finally possible to bin all the activity updates and patch notices that have been stuck in your system tray for days. You can delete Notifications individually or in bulk, and if you’re as OCD as this author, you’ll be leaning on the latter option a lot.
PSVR icons
Games that support PlayStation VR will now show an icon next to them. While browsing through the PS4’s list of apps, you’ll find virtual reality titles have an extra symbol to demonstrate that they support the optional device. Again, it’s another minor quality of life improvement, but it’s one that should help you to better organise your PSVR games.
System-wide PS4 Pro supersampling
Okay, so this one has been widely publicised, but if you missed the memo it deserves repeating: PS4 Pro now comes with a system-wide supersampling option. If you’re not a regular Digital Foundry reader, this feature essentially forces games that run at a higher resolution to downscale on 1080p screens. The end result is cleaner image quality, though your mileage will of course vary depending on the game. You can find out how to enable system-wide supersampling for PS4 Pro through the link.
Have you found any other nifty features in PS4 firmware update 5.50? What are your favourite additions so far? Are you happy with the upgrade overall? Quick flick your way into the comments section below.
Comments 28
@get2sammyb
The quick flick was one of my favorite additions of the beta. I sort my games by genre and have around 20 folders, so making getting to my Library quicker was welcome.
https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2018/02/sony_officially_details_ps4_firmware_update_5_50#comment4333177
@lacerz nothing like a good quick flick
Thanks for the article. It was very informative. I apologize for the lack of flavor in this comment, I just appreciate the article.
Didn't know about those l1 and r1 buttons, thanks!
But being unable to remove notifications from quick menu (when you hold your ps button) is such a glaring omission to me. I almost never visit dedicated notifications tab on homescreen so this bothers me a lot. I know how easily you can do it on Xbox one so I'm not sure why Sony didn't opt for something like that. Hopefully they'll do it in the future.
"Sony slipped out PlayStation 4 firmware update 5.50 today like flatulence in a busy lift."
Noice. 😂
Thx Sammy - the VR icon is extremely helpful!
So I've read maybe from this site that supersampling can help or hurt how a game looks. Is this true, or did I imagine this?
The quick flick is good but I felt you should also be able to to a slower scroll from left to right using R2 & R1.
Off topic, but the oversampling update has reminded me how much I want to get a PS4 Pro. Just waiting for the right deal. All that aside, a really nice update - scouring through my concept art and wallpaper folders now to see if there's anything I like enough to replace my Persona 5 dynamic theme!
The first one sounds useful. I usually scroll right, check my trophies and then turn it off so I can get there quicker. May update tonight.
Wish in general that demos, trailers and trials didn't add to your account period and makes all things the above in there own locations in the store like they have. It would make download lists under PS3 and 4 slot cleaner. How many who still have a PS3 use the download history option under account to find old stuff, if they removed the above I would drop from 870 items to about 640 it's that needed and should of been like this from the start
The added option to delete notifications, and hiding in the library is great. Why still no delete option in What's New? Not the ads but the other stuff.
I have a theory Sony released the patch when it did to stop me from watching the Nintendo Direct on the YouTube app.
Thanks didn’t know about the L1 R1 that’s very good shortcut
I can finally remove the fifa 16 demo. There really is a god!
@sinalefa Turn what off?
@delukze
The console. I just checked and the shortcut only works on the lower row of the UI so I still have to scroll right manually to turn it off or use the PS button for faster access.
@sinalefa It's faster using the quick menu to turn it off.
@get2sammyb Hey I was thinking : a great article would be a list of top titles where the Push Team has effectively found a real difference on a 1080p screen when the supersampling option is enabled.
Off course we can try ourselves with our own titles, but I think a list like that can push us to dig out some old title and play it again with a better picture would be nice ! What do you think ?
@Gt_1067 just use the regular left stick....
@Yowza
Duh 😉. I know that. I meant like the way it scrolls on Xbox.
@delukze @sinalefa That's actually a little pet peeve of mine as well. Quit a game, scroll up to the system bar, then scroll all the way to the right to turn it off. I was hoping R1 would work on there as well. I know you can hit the PS button then turn off from there but somehow that seems like more work than scrolling to the right.
Am I mistaken, or has this update also banned people from using captures as custom themes? If so I'm furious, it's so ******** mean!
@rjejr
For me it is part of a ritual.of sorts now. Quit game, go to bar, check trophies and finally turn off.
Never told you, but glad to have you back here. Place just wasnt the same without a cheap old man complaining about release dates, delays and derailing threads with Ntinendo.
@sinalefa It's ok to be back, but it's good to be missed, so thanks.
I'm not a big trophy person so checking isn't really my thing. I do check in game sometimes but mostly just to see how far along I am in the game, I know I usually finish about 50% of trophies when I play a game. I did finally get the plat in Jak & Daxter so I could have one, and when I first got my PS4 I had 999 bronze so I thought the system maxed out at 999, not considering that's how many I had. Lots of the old Square JRPG used to max out at 999 or 9999.
So which update is better, Switch 5.0 or PS5 5.5? Though I suppose if I had a Pro this would win for the super sampling, but I don't. I did buy Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival on Sunday, shows you were my gaming wonders too these days.
@rjejr
Congrats on the Plat. A few days ago I got the one for Celeste and that was my 10th.
Both updates are meh but yes, supersampling would be a nice thing to take advantage of. Maybe I should ask Jax to send me a Pro, still woild beat a X1 for me.
System wide super sampling? Wait I could have sworn andrew house and that weird never leaves his basement guy said that was a given at launch
@sinalefa I think about a Pro and a 4k TV while taking random snapshots playing Horizon. It's been a month now and I still can't get over how awesome looking that game is, it's nuts. Great music too. But then I think I'm old and my eyes aren't that good so it really isn't going to look any better on a Pro and 4k tv to me. Maybe slightly better, but not enough to justify the price. Best to save that money for a PS5, may only be another 18 months.
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