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How to take a screenshots and record gameplay on a PS5

With in-game photo mode becoming the new standard, players are taking more screenshots than ever before. Games like Ghost of Tsushima and recent installments of Assassin’s Creed have invested a great deal into their screen-grab mechanics, giving players unique ways to frame and capture in-game images, which they can then share with friends or a general audience.

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On the PlayStation 4, you could take well-timed photos by clicking the Share button on the controller and even save your last 15 minutes of in-game footage. The PlayStation 5 takes things to the next level, giving you more control over the capture and recording process. Here’s what you need to know.

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How to take a screenshot on the PS5

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Step 1: Open the Create menu

You will use the Create button on your DualSense controller to capture in-game images. The button is located left of the trackpad. It’s in the same spot as the Share button on the PS4’s DualShock 4 controller. Pressing the button will pause the game/app you’re currently using and open the Creative menu.

From here, you can take a screenshot, begin recording video, and review any previously captured clips or pictures. The Create button effectively blends parts of the media gallery with the Creative menu. You can also link your PS5 with your Twitch or YouTube channel and begin streaming via the Creative menu.

Step 2: Take your screenshot

Once you’ve opened the Creative menu, the first thing you will be prompted to do is take a screenshot of whatever is currently visible on your screen (you should also notice a small camera icon at the bottom center of the screen).

The photo will be saved as either a JPG or PNG, depending on your settings. You can switch these settings at any time via the creative menu. Press the Create button, and you’ll see an Options tab on the far right side. You can also take a quick screenshot by holding down the Create button until a notification appears in the upper-right corner.

Using the media gallery/editing photos

You can edit your recently captured screenshots directly from the creative menu. Click on the paintbrush icon to edit your photos. You can also share, favorite, or delete the same photo by clicking the appropriate icon. When editing, your options are limited to cropping and adding text. You can change your text’s color, font, and position if you’d like, but intense editing will still have to be done in exterior apps such as Photoshop. You can easily transfer your data from the media gallery to an external storage device.

Sharing media

You can share your screenshots or video clips via the curved-arrow button in the medial gallery/creative menu. Link your Twitter, YouTube, and PSN accounts together to live-post directly from your PS5 console.

Mike Colucci
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Michael Colucci is a lifelong video game fan based out of the greater Boston area. He's the one insistent on searching every…
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