How To Get PS5 Screenshots on Your Cell Phone Using the New Auto-Upload Feature

Sony is finally making it easier to get PS5 screenshots on your cell phone, thanks to a new update that enables auto-uploading.

Whenever you capture an image or video clip using an Xbox Series X console, it is automatically stored in a cloud library where you can instantaneously find it on the corresponding phone app.

Yet, as we noted in our PS5 vs Xbox Series X comparison, the process for doing the same thing on PlayStation hardware has always been a lot fiddlier and less intuitive.

Until now, whenever you took a PS5 screenshot, it would go straight into your media gallery on the console itself. However, if you wanted to transfer that picture onto another device—be it your laptop, tablet or smartphone—then you had to follow a couple of extra steps that weren't particularly organic.

You essentially had two awkward choices. You could post the content in question on social media directly from your PS5, and then download it using another device and quickly delete the unwanted post. Or you could send a screenshot to another PlayStation Network (PSN) user as an attachment, before then logging into your PS App and downloading it from the chat history there.

Neither of these options were very convenient, especially when you consider that Xbox lets you just press a button and then immediately access your screenshots from any device.

PS5 Auto-Upload Feature Is Now Available

Thankfully, Sony has just implemented a long-requested update that makes it much easier for North American users to get PS5 photos and video clips on their cell phones.

After being available in Japan for some time now, the new "Auto-Upload" feature appears to be rolling out in phases across the United States. Pockets of gamers are reporting that they can now access their PS5 screenshots on their phones, without having to jump through any irritating hoops.

There's no guarantee that you will be able to access this update just yet, as different users seem to be getting it at different times. That being said, it is being rolled out gradually and makes things far easier once it has been activated.

With Auto-Upload enabled, any new photos or videos that you capture on PS5 will automatically be ready to view on your PS App (for up to 14 days). It's worth noting that compatible video clips will be limited to a duration of just three minutes though.

How To Get PS5 Screenshots on Your Mobile Device

Provided that Auto-Upload is ready for use on your console, then all you need to do is turn it on.

The pop-up message asking you to do this will appear when you next open the Media Gallery app on the PlayStation 5 dashboard. Here, you will be given a choice to either enable Auto-Upload straight away, or to defer the update until later.

If you choose to ignore the pop-up, or accidentally close it without reading, then don't worry. You can manually trigger Auto-Upload at any time by going into the "Captures and Broadcasts" section of your PS5.

To summarize, this is how you enable Auto-Upload for PS5 screenshots and videos:

  • Boot up your PS5 and navigate to the Media Gallery app
  • When the pop-up appears asking if you want to enable auto-upload, choose "Enable Auto-Upload"
  • Alternatively, find the option in the "Captures and Broadcasts" menu
  • Sign into the PS App on your mobile device. Any new screenshots you take from here on out will be automatically uploaded to this platform.
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How To Find the PS5 Media Gallery

As described above, you will need to open the Media Gallery app on your PS5 to enable auto-upload.

If you don't have this pinned to the dashboard already, then it can be found by scrolling all the way to the "Game Library" menu.

Select this button (which resembles a DualSense Controller in front of a row of boxes) and then scroll down until you see an icon of a camera. Clicking on this will take you through to the Media Gallery, where you can enable Auto-Upload.

In related PlayStation news, a new 2021 recap feature has just launched which lets you review your gaming activity from last year and share the results on social media.

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