Like the PS4 before it, the Sony PS5 allows you to play music and video directly from a USB flash drive through the console. The process is straightforward, but a few practical reminders can help everything run more smoothly the first time you set it up.

The PS5 supports MP3 audio and MP4 video playback from a USB flash drive. While the console is capable, it does not support every audio or video format available. To avoid compatibility issues, stick with widely supported formats—MP3 for audio and MP4 for video—and you should have no trouble.

It’s also worth noting that the PS5 supports the same media formats as the PS4 family and plays video at resolutions up to 3840 × 2160 (4K). Attempting to play 8K video files will not work, as the PS5 does not currently support 8K output.

Pro tip: organize your MP3 audio and MP4 video into folders before copying them to the USB flash drive. The PS5 uses folder structure to create playback order, effectively treating each folder like a simple playlist. While this requires a bit of manual organization, it makes browsing and playback far more manageable. For example, separate folders by artist, album, or video type.

When playing media from a USB flash drive, video and audio are accessed from different areas of the system interface.

Do not use the Media section. That area is reserved for streaming content and media purchased through the PlayStation Store.

To watch video, long-press the PS Button and select Media Gallery from the main menu. Then navigate to USB on the far right. Video files can only be accessed through this path.

Navigation follows this basic path:

PS5 Home ? Media Gallery ? USB

Files within each folder are indexed in order, similar to a playlist. You can use R1 and L1 to skip between files, while the left and right directions on the D-Pad allow for smaller, chapter-style skips within a video.

To play audio, press the PS Button once to open the Control Center quick bar, then select the Music icon. The interface is fairly minimal, but it gets the job done.

Music playback can continue in the background while you navigate menus or play games. Once music is playing, you can pause tracks, skip songs, or adjust playback directly from the Control Center without interrupting gameplay.