PS5 Makes It So Much Easier to Appear Offline and Busy

No more bothering

by Liam Croft Thu 19th Nov 2020

The PlayStation 4's approach to appearing offline wasn't exactly intuitive, because to select the status, you would have to actually log in to your profile and quickly switch the setting. Thus, you would actually appear online for a couple of seconds. However, on PlayStation 5, you can select your status from the moment you hit the log in screen. This neat little feature has been highlighted by Reddit user pathfinderrace with the quick video below, explaining how to do so.

Once you hit the log in screen, simply hold the Options button and a new tab will appear next to your profile with three different selections. You can choose to "Log In as Online", be logged as "Busy", or "Appear Offline" completely. As such, the purpose of appearing offline isn't defeated like it is on PS4 if you weren't already doing so beforehand.

If you're getting a PS5 today as part of the European launch, make sure to check out all of our coverage through this link. Do you feel the need to appear offline sometimes? Let us know in the comments below.

[source reddit.com]

Liam grew up with a PlayStation controller in his hands and a love for Metal Gear Solid. Nowadays, he can be found playing the latest and greatest PS5 games as well as supporting Derby County. That last detail is his downfall.

1
stupidget
Thu 19th Nov 2020

My PS5 was delivered this morning at 10:25 (5 mins early!!!) by DPD and I've only had a quick play on Astro's Playroom, but this Dual Controller is simply amazing!!! I didn't think it would make that much difference, but blimey it really is a game changer. Plus my lounge is eerily quiet now as there isn't the constant humming of fan in the background

2
BearsEatBeets
Thu 19th Nov 2020

You can do this on PS4. Done it many a time.

3
katamariUK
Thu 19th Nov 2020

You didn't need to log in as Online and then switch to Offline at all on PS4. If you press the Options button before selecting your profile, you can choose whether to show up as Offline or Online.

4
Shigurui
Thu 19th Nov 2020

So, exactly like PS4 then.

5
LiamCroft
Thu 19th Nov 2020

@Shigurui @katamariUK @BearsEatBeets Really? I had no idea about it.

6
Tulio517
Thu 19th Nov 2020

Yeah, I do this on my PS4 on a daily basis

7
BearsEatBeets
Thu 19th Nov 2020

@LiamCroft It looks like the PS5 makes you more aware of it by displaying press options button (which I don't think PS4 does). But yeah press options while on your profile and you can choice offline/online but 'busy' is new.

8
2cents
Thu 19th Nov 2020

My profile says “offline” for over a year now without noticing! My friends probably think I’m dead.

9
Constable_What
Thu 19th Nov 2020

@LiamCroft If, before you select your profile to log in to your PS4, you press the options button you will get the option to appear offline before you log in.

To be fair, it's really easy to miss, especially if you automatically log in.

10
jbreez00
Thu 19th Nov 2020

Since I've spent most of my time never having actually played online with the playstation since... maybe that modem you had to use quarters to screw in on the ps2 and exactly one multiplayer game in killzone 2, I though this was as easy as appearing busy/offline on the Xbox. Even on the ps4 this didn't seem a big problem (still didn't stop those e girls from hitting me up all the time though).