San Mateo, California, April 9, 2026, 13:10 PDT
- Some PS5 home screens are getting a shake-up: instead of the usual Games/Media split, users now see distinct top-row icons for PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Store, Games, Library, and Media.
- The redesign was initially linked to Sony’s beta crowd, though more recent reports indicate that even some non-beta PS5 owners are noticing it—no firmware update required.
- Sony hasn’t officially acknowledged the redesign. Tom’s Guide reported it reached out to PlayStation for comment.
Sony is starting to push out a new-look PlayStation 5 home interface to select users, swapping the original Games/Media toggle for individual tabs. Now, PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Store, Games, Library, and Media each get their own spot, along with Sony’s subscription and digital storefront. Clips and screenshots circulating in the gaming press show users flicking through these tabs with the L1 and R1 buttons on the controller.
This shift affects how users access PlayStation Plus, the Store, and their game library right from the home screen. It’s notable because Sony is still actively revising the PS5 interface, not just tweaking back-end functions. Last year, Sony brought back home-screen customizations inspired by classic consoles, a move VP of Product Management Shuzo Kikuchi attributed to an “overwhelmingly positive response” from the community. PlayStation.Blog
There’s still no solid timeline for when the update will hit everyone. Polygon noted Wednesday that the new look started showing up in Sony’s beta-testing program, where invited users try out features that aren’t final yet. TechRadar traced the latest coverage to a screenshot from a PlayStation firmware beta participant. Then on Thursday, PlayStation LifeStyle said some people not enrolled in the beta were also seeing the revamped UI—hinting Sony might be flipping a server-side switch rather than pushing out a full system update.
There’s a subtle shift here, but you’ll notice it. Right now, the PS5 top bar just offers Games and Media. The updated version breaks that up—PS Plus, PS Store, Games, Library, and Media each get their own icon up top. Below that, the horizontal strip still shows your installed PS5 and PS4 games.
Push Square later shared a video of the refreshed screen, noting that, at first, only a handful of users could see the update. Both TechRadar and Tom’s Guide, citing screenshots and user accounts, pointed out the new look brings back some of the PS4-era navigation. That, they suggested, might help users get to the library or store faster.
The final version isn’t set in stone yet. Sony’s own beta page points out that test software could be unfinished, look different from the full release, or not launch at all. Earlier PS5 beta announcements have also flagged that features might shift a lot before they go public.
For Sony, PS5 software updates have long circled back to player feedback. Platform Business Group CEO Hideaki Nishino, in a 2022 beta announcement, said the team had been “listening to your feedback.” By 2024, VP Hiromi Wakai pointed to updates shaped by “feedback from our PlayStation community.” Then in 2025, Kikuchi referenced more UI tweaks—again, “based on player feedback.” PlayStation.Blog
Sony isn’t the only company reworking the dashboard experience on the fly. Last month, Microsoft said Xbox Insiders were getting early access to expanded home-screen groups, extra color options, and new per-game Quick Resume controls—tweaks to its suspend-and-resume function—before releasing them more broadly. Senior product manager Alex Charters pointed to player feedback as a key influence: it “shape[s] how we build and improve the player experience.” Xbox Wire
No official word yet from Sony on the home-menu overhaul. Tom’s Guide reported it reached out to PlayStation for comment, leaving the current consensus that the new menu is genuine but only partially rolled out—and could change before launch.
