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How to Customize the PS5 Control Center and Home Screen

Rearrange eligible PS5 Control Center icons, customize Welcome hub widgets and backgrounds, and learn how game presets differ from home-screen personalization.
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On PS5, you can rearrange or hide eligible Control Center icons, then personalize the Welcome hub on the home screen with widgets, layouts, and a background. Press the PS button to open Control Center; use the Welcome hub’s Edit Widgets and Change Preset options to adjust its layout. These are separate customizations: Control Center changes quick-access controls, while the Welcome hub changes the home-screen panel.

This guide walks through both areas, explains what can vary by game or region, and distinguishes interface customization from game presets. The steps use built-in PS5 features; you do not need to buy an accessory or separate software to rearrange controls or widgets.

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What you can customize on PS5

The PS5’s home-screen personalization described here centers on the Welcome hub, an area for widgets and backgrounds. Separately, the Control Center is an overlay for quick access to console and game functions while you play. You can arrange eligible controls in that overlay and adjust the Welcome hub without buying anything extra; both use built-in console features.

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The two areas serve different purposes. Control Center is designed to give you access to frequently used console and game functions without leaving gameplay. The Welcome hub is a home-screen space where you can organize widgets and choose the background behind them. Moving a Control Center icon will not alter the Welcome hub, and changing the Welcome hub does not change the controls shown in the overlay.

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Control Center cards and controls depend on context. A game may show Activities or other game-related options, while voice chat, broadcast, or media cards may appear in relevant situations. Controls can include Home, Switcher, Notifications, Game Base, Music, Sound, Mic, Accessories, Profile, and Power. The full set is not guaranteed to appear in every game or context. PlayStation’s PS5 features overview describes these context-dependent features.

That distinction matters when you are customizing: the icon arrangement is a set of shortcuts you can organize, while cards and game-specific actions can reflect what you are doing. For example, an Activity may offer a way into a supported game activity, but its availability depends on the game and situation. Do not expect every card or action to appear in every title.

Rearrange or hide Control Center icons

Use this process to put frequently used controls where they are easier to reach or move less-used eligible icons out of the displayed area. The arrangement applies to the controls displayed in Control Center; it is not a way to remove a game’s cards or change the Welcome hub.

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  1. Press the PS button on your controller to display Control Center.
  2. Highlight an icon in the control area and press Options.
  3. Select the icon you want to move.
  4. Move it to the position you want, then press X to set it.
  5. To hide an eligible icon, move it to Hidden Controls. Repeat for other icons as needed, then press Options to return to the original screen.

To restore a hidden icon, open the icon arrangement screen, select it under Hidden Controls, and move it into the displayed controls area. Sony notes that some icons cannot be hidden, so an unavailable hide action does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. The PlayStation Control Center instructions provide the official steps.

When moving an icon, make sure you select the control you intend to move before changing its position, then confirm with X. If you want to change more than one shortcut, repeat the same process for each icon. Use Hidden Controls as the destination for eligible items you do not want in the displayed area, rather than trying to remove an icon in another way.

Choose what belongs in quick access

Think of the displayed controls as shortcuts, not a fixed list that every player must keep. You might prioritize controls you use during play—such as sound, microphone, or Game Base—and put eligible controls you rarely need in Hidden Controls. The exact useful arrangement depends on your habits, and the console’s contextual cards remain separate from the icon arrangement.

For example, if you often adjust audio or mute your microphone while playing, keeping Sound or Mic among the displayed controls may make those settings quicker to reach. If you more often check notifications, friends, or your profile, you may prefer those options in a convenient position. These are preference examples, not required arrangements; the best layout is the one that brings your frequently used eligible controls within easy reach.

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There is no need to hide every control you use infrequently. You can leave the default arrangement in place, move only a few icons, or hide eligible controls and restore them later. The customization is reversible: return to the arrangement view and move a hidden control back into the displayed area when your preferences change.

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For an accessibility shortcut, add the Accessibility control to Control Center if it is available in the arrangement screen. It can provide a faster route to accessibility settings. See PlayStation’s accessibility settings instructions for more information about those settings.

Personalize the Welcome hub

The Welcome hub is the customizable widget-and-background area on the PS5 home screen. Open it from the home screen, then use Edit Widgets to choose which widgets appear. Sony’s support instructions also describe moving and resizing widgets, applying a layout through Change Preset, and creating a custom preset. The precise labels or availability can differ by region or system software, so follow the labels shown on your console if they vary.

  1. Go to the PS5 home screen and open the Welcome hub.
  2. Select Edit Widgets to add or remove the widgets you want displayed.
  3. Move or resize widgets to organize the information on the screen.
  4. Select Change Preset to apply one of the provided layouts, or create a custom preset if you want to arrange the hub yourself.
  5. Review the result on the Welcome hub and adjust the widgets or their positions to suit your preferences.

Start by deciding what you want the hub to show. If you want a quick glance at account or activity information, keep the relevant available widgets and remove ones that add clutter. If you want a more compact arrangement, resizing and repositioning widgets can help give the displayed items a layout that suits your use. The available widgets and the organization choices remain limited to the options shown on your console.

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Widget examples in Sony’s instructions include storage, battery status, friends, messages, trophies, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Plus, News, Accessibility, Media Gallery, and wishlist information. This is an examples list, not a promise that every widget will be available to every account: Sony says widget availability may depend on region. The Welcome hub support page explains its customization options.

Use Edit Widgets when you want to choose which panels are present; use the moving and resizing options to change how included panels fit together. A widget that is not offered in your region cannot be added through a different layout choice. Similarly, a preset may show a particular selection or arrangement, but you can use the editing controls to tailor the hub where those controls are available.

Preset layout or custom arrangement?

A preset is the quickest choice if one of the offered layouts already groups the information you care about. A custom preset is more useful when you want to choose widgets and arrange them to fit your own priorities. You can also remove widgets you do not use rather than leaving them in the layout simply because they were included in a preset.

Think of a preset as a ready-made starting arrangement and a custom preset as a way to make your own arrangement. If you are unsure which widgets you want to keep, a provided layout lets you see an organized version of the hub first. If it does not suit you, edit the widgets, reposition or resize them, and save or select a custom arrangement as the console allows.

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Widgets are informational shortcuts and panels; they are not the same as Control Center icons. Changing a Welcome hub layout does not rearrange quick-access controls, and hiding a Control Center icon does not remove a Welcome hub widget.

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Change the Welcome hub background

The hub can use a background design or animated effect, or an image selected from Media Gallery. Choose according to whether you prefer a ready-made look, motion, or a personal screenshot. These are Welcome hub background choices, not a change to Control Center.

Use the background options shown in the Welcome hub on your console to select a design or animated effect, or choose an image from Media Gallery. PlayStation’s feature description confirms these background types but does not provide a universal button-by-button path for every system version or region. If the option labels differ on your console, use the choices displayed there. Sony’s PS5 features overview describes Welcome hub backgrounds.

A design or animated effect is a built-in visual choice, while a Media Gallery screenshot lets you use an image already available on the console. The choice is about the hub’s appearance: it does not change widgets, the Control Center icon order, or in-game settings. You can choose a background based on whether you prefer a ready-made design, an animated look, or a personal image.

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Use a Media Gallery screenshot

If you want a screenshot as the hub background, first make sure the image is available in Media Gallery. Then select the Media Gallery image through the Welcome hub’s background choices. If you do not see the expected image, check that it is in Media Gallery and that you are choosing the image-based background option rather than a design or animated effect.

After selecting an image, check the result on the Welcome hub to make sure it is the one you intended. If it is not offered, return to Media Gallery and confirm the screenshot is there, then try the image-based background choice again. The supported background types are designs, animated effects, and Media Gallery images; there is no need to look for a separate paid theme to carry out the documented customization.

Welcome hub appearance setting

Sony also documents a PlayStation-generation-inspired appearance option under Settings > System > Appearance > Appearance and Sound. This is a separate appearance setting from choosing a Welcome hub widget layout or background. Menu labels may differ by region or system software; use the closest matching labels on your own console. The Welcome hub support instructions include this option alongside hub customization information.

Keep the distinction clear: changing this appearance option is not the same as selecting a background image, and neither action changes which widgets are displayed. If your goal is to make the Welcome hub more useful, edit widgets and their layout; if your goal is a different visual treatment, check the background and appearance choices shown on your console.

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Game presets are a different kind of personalization

Game presets set supported gameplay defaults; they do not customize Control Center or Welcome hub layouts. To find them, go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets. Available defaults can cover difficulty, Performance Mode or Resolution Mode, first- and third-person camera movement, subtitles and audio, and multiplayer session preferences.

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These presets apply to PS5 games only, and Sony warns that some settings may not apply to every game. They are useful when you want supported games to start with preferred defaults, but they will not move a widget, change a background, or add a Control Center shortcut. See PlayStation’s game preset instructions for the documented settings and limitations.

For instance, a game preset can set a preferred supported difficulty or choose between Performance Mode and Resolution Mode where the game recognizes that default. Camera, subtitle, audio, and multiplayer session preferences are also among the supported categories. These settings are not universal commands: a title may not support a particular option or may handle it differently. If a game does not follow a preset, check that it is a PS5 game and whether that specific option is supported by the title.

Use the feature that matches the change you want. Choose Control Center customization to change quick-access controls; edit Welcome hub widgets or background for the home-screen panel; and use Game Presets for supported defaults inside PS5 games. All are forms of personalization, but they affect different parts of the console experience.

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Fix common customization problems

  • An icon will not hide: Sony says some Control Center icons cannot be hidden. Try another eligible icon rather than assuming the arrangement process failed.
  • A control or card is missing: Controls and cards are contextual. What appears can depend on the game or activity, so a card shown in one situation may not appear in another.
  • A Welcome hub widget is missing: Widget availability can depend on region. Check the options offered by your console; not every example listed by Sony is necessarily available in every region.
  • You cannot find the same menu wording: Support instructions cover different regions, and labels may vary by region or system software. Match the on-screen option that corresponds to the described action.
  • A screenshot is not offered as a background: Confirm that the image is in Media Gallery, then check the Welcome hub’s image background choice.

If an icon appears to be missing after a change, first distinguish between an icon you moved into Hidden Controls and a card that is not currently available in the game or activity. Hidden controls can be restored from the arrangement screen; contextual cards are not managed by that icon arrangement. This can prevent you from searching the wrong menu for a control.

If a widget layout does not look as expected, return to Edit Widgets, confirm which widgets are enabled, and review their positions and sizes. A preset and a custom layout are alternatives for organizing the hub, not a way to unlock widgets unavailable in your region. For background issues, confirm the desired image is in Media Gallery and select the image option rather than a design or animation.

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Availability context

PlayStation announced the Welcome hub in a September 12, 2024 system-update post and described its rollout as phased. That announcement is historical rollout context, not a guarantee of current availability for every console or account. For widget choices, use the current options shown on the console and Sony’s support information, which notes regional availability. The original PlayStation Blog announcement records the phased rollout.

The names and availability of individual widgets or settings may differ depending on region and system software. The examples above describe options documented by PlayStation, but the console’s own menu is the practical guide to what is currently available to you. If an item is absent, that alone does not mean your console is malfunctioning.

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I open the PS5 Control Center?

Press the PS button on your controller. Control Center appears as an overlay for quick access to console and game functions.

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Can I hide every Control Center icon?

No. Sony says some icons cannot be hidden. For eligible icons, open the arrangement screen with Options and move them to Hidden Controls; you can move a hidden icon back into the displayed controls area later.

Why do Control Center cards change between games?

Cards and available controls are contextual. Activities and other game-related options depend on the supported game or current situation, so the same set is not guaranteed everywhere.

How do I change the PS5 Welcome hub widgets?

Open the Welcome hub from the home screen and select Edit Widgets to add or remove widgets. Sony also documents moving and resizing widgets, using Change Preset, and creating a custom preset. Available widgets can vary by region.

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Can I use a screenshot as the Welcome hub background?

Yes. The Welcome hub can use an image selected from Media Gallery. Make sure the screenshot is in Media Gallery and choose the image background option rather than a design or animated effect.

Are game presets the same as home-screen customization?

No. Game Presets are found under Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets and set supported gameplay defaults for PS5 games. They do not arrange Control Center icons or Welcome hub widgets, and some options may not apply to every game.

Do I need to buy anything to customize the Control Center or Welcome hub?

No separate purchase is required for the documented icon, widget, layout, or background customizations. They use built-in PS5 features.

The Bottom Line

Press the PS button and use Options to rearrange eligible Control Center icons or move them to Hidden Controls. On the home screen, use the Welcome hub’s Edit Widgets and Change Preset options to organize widgets, then choose a design, animated effect, or Media Gallery image for its background. Remember that widget availability can vary by region, contextual cards can differ by game, and Game Presets affect supported PS5 gameplay settings rather than the interface.

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