I Tried the PS5’s Hidden Browser So You Don’t Have To

If you’re looking for the PS5 web browser but can’t seem to find it, that’s because Sony doesn’t want you to. There’s a way to access it, but whether it’s worth using is a different story. Here’s what I found out after trying it.

How to Access the Hidden Browser on Your PlayStation 5

If you want to access the PS5 web browser, you’re going to need a workaround. This is possible by using the Google sign-in page that pops up when linking a YouTube account to your console. From there, you can maneuver your way to the Google Search page and visit some websites.

Before proceeding, make sure you’ve updated your PS5. Then, head to Settings > Users and Accounts > Linked Services and select “YouTube” from the list of services. If you’ve already linked your YouTube account, unlink it before proceeding.

On the next screen, select “Link Account” at the bottom. Then, select “Use Browser” in the bottom right corner.

The Google sign-in page will appear, but the address bar at the top will be locked. So, using the left analog stick to move the cursor, select “Terms” in the bottom right of the sign-in form. Then, push the right analog stick down to scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Google” in the footer.

This will open a basic version of the Google Search page. Select the search bar, enter your query using the virtual keyboard, and then hit “Done” to close it. Then, click the “Search” button to start the search.

You will see some results appear in the browser. You can then click on the links to visit the respective pages. Congratulations, you’re now surfing the web on a PS5.

Is the PS5 Web Browser Worth Using?

Considering the browser is very basic, you won’t be able to do anything fancy with it. I could visit websites to read articles or visit streaming sites like YouTube and Twitch to watch videos.

I even managed to log into Facebook, but it looked so downgraded from the experience I am used to.

The takeaway is that you can use the browser to visit websites that contain text, images, and videos. It seems to have the core technologies it needs to load them, such as HTML5 and JavaScript. However, don’t expect everything to look and work like it would in a fully functional browser.

With that said, I encountered problems when running browser games. I sometimes like to unwind by playing browser games on itch.io. The PS5 web browser doesn’t seem to support core technologies, like WebGL or input APIs, required to play many of these games. I suspect you’ll run into similar problems when trying to run other multimedia applications and web apps.

The user experience isn’t great, considering the address bar is locked. For instance, if I want to visit another website, I have to press the circle button a few times to return to the Google Search page and search for it. This can get pretty tedious.

Not to mention, accessing the feature in the first place is not that straightforward. Using the DualSense controller and onscreen keyboard to navigate is clunky and unintuitive for web browsing.

For these reasons, I wouldn’t recommend using the hidden browser on the PS5, especially if you have a computer or smartphone close by. I prefer the built-in browser on my smart TV over this one. It’s also ideal since it prevents you from linking your YouTube account to the console in the future.

You might be wondering why the PS4 has a browser right in the open, but the one on the PS5 is hidden. One theory is that web browsers are often used to discover exploits that lead to custom firmware being installed on consoles. Another is that Sony saw that no one was using it and figured it didn’t add anything significant to the user experience.

But Sony had to include a browser for linking services that require access to a sign-in page. Hence, the hidden one.

There are some great features you should be using on the PS5, but the hidden browser isn’t one of them. While I didn’t find it useful, it doesn’t mean you won’t either. It’s there for you to try, but keep the limitations in mind.