Sony’s latest PS5 firmware is live, and this time it’s all about emojis and messaging tweaks.
Sony pushed out a new system software update for the PS5 this week, and it is about as low-key as firmware updates get. Version 26.03-13.20.00, weighing in at just over one gigabyte depending on region, is now available to download and brings two changes to the console. Neither one will alter how you play games.
The first addition expands the emoji library available for message reactions. The second delivers improvements to messaging screens and general usability across parts of the interface. That is the full scope of what Sony is calling an April 2026 system update.
What the PS5 update actually changes
For those hoping this patch signals something bigger on the horizon, the realistic expectation is a longer wait. Sony released a notably substantial PS5 firmware update back in February 2026, and the company tends to space out its larger patches across the year rather than rolling them out in quick succession. PS5 Pro owners in particular benefited from that February update, which delivered PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution 2, a meaningful visual upgrade that made supported games look noticeably sharper on the premium hardware.
By contrast, the April patch is part of a quieter category of updates the company regularly issues between major releases. The January 2026 firmware, version 26.01-12.60.00, followed a similar pattern, introducing stability improvements alongside minor tweaks to friend widgets and messaging. This week’s update follows that same rhythm, which is to say it keeps the system ticking without adding anything that demands immediate attention.
The bigger PS5 picture in 2026
What the update lacks in ambition, the PS5’s release calendar is starting to make up for. Housemarque’s Saros, a third-person sci-fi roguelite from the studio behind Returnal, arrives on PS5 next week. The game leans into bullet-hell mechanics and promises a particularly tactile experience through the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback system. Further down the calendar, Marvel’s Wolverine is scheduled for a September release, and speculation around a new PlayStation State of Play in April or May continues to circulate, with Sony expected to outline more of its 2026 software lineup in the coming weeks.
The timing of this minor firmware drop also arrives in the wake of a period of turbulence for PS5 hardware pricing. Console prices increased multiple times in recent months, driven by a combination of chip shortages, rising memory costs and broader market pressures. Sony reported a spike in console sales ahead of the April 2 price adjustments as consumers moved quickly to purchase before the increases took effect.
There are no accompanying updates for the PS4 or PS Portal remote player alongside this patch. For PS5 owners monitoring backend system feature updates, at least two have been deployed quietly over the past week through the console’s system menu, though Sony has not provided any public documentation on what those changes include. It is unclear whether the company intends to address them separately or whether they will surface as part of a future patch note release.
For now, update your emoji game. The bigger stuff is coming, just not today.