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To adjust your PS5’s picture output, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Start with Resolution set to Automatic, choose an HDR mode that suits your content, and enable 120 Hz Output only when both your TV and the game support it. The TV, HDMI input, cable, receiver and game all affect which modes are available.

Where to find the PS5 video settings

On the PS5, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. The menu includes Resolution, HDR, 120 Hz Output, VRR and other output controls. Select Video Output Information to inspect what the connected HDMI device reports for resolution, HDR and VRR.

Sony says the console detects the TV’s capabilities and automatically selects the best available resolution when Resolution is set to Automatic. This is a sensible starting point; the result still depends on the display and the rest of the signal path. (Sony’s PS5 resolution support guide.)

Set the resolution for your TV

Use Automatic for most setups

In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, set Resolution to Automatic. If you are configuring a 4K display and need to select the output explicitly, Sony’s guide says you can choose 2160p, provided the display and signal path support it.

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Check a 1440p display

If you have a supported 1440p display, select Test 1440p Output in Video Output. Sony says the test checks SDR and HDR at 60 Hz and 120 Hz, as well as VRR; results vary by TV. To use 1440p after checking compatibility, set Resolution to 1440p.

Choose an HDR mode

In Video Output, select HDR. The two modes handle non-HDR content differently:

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There is no universally correct choice for every TV and viewing preference. After selecting a mode, use Adjust HDR and follow the console’s on-screen process to adjust brightness and HDR rendering for your display.

Enable 120 Hz output when the TV and game support it

Turn on 120 Hz Output in Video Output if your TV supports 120 Hz and the game offers a 120 Hz frame-rate mode. The setting permits compatible output; it does not make every game run at 120 frames per second. A game may need its own performance or frame-rate option enabled.

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If a particular game causes display problems on a monitor or another display device, Sony recommends turning 120 Hz Output off.

Understand VRR and ALLM

VRR

Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) adjusts the display’s refresh rate in real time when the TV and game support it. Sony notes that results vary by TV. The PS5 also offers an option to apply VRR to unsupported games; turn that option off if it causes unexpected behavior.

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ALLM

On a compatible TV, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) can switch the TV to a low-latency mode while gaming. Setting ALLM to Off does not necessarily stop low-latency behavior while VRR output is active. To disable that behavior, turn VRR off as well.

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Troubleshoot missing 4K/120 Hz or a flickering picture

A PS5 may show a blank screen when 4K/120 Hz is expected, or fall back to 1080p/120 Hz, if any part of the connection cannot carry that mode. Check the setup in this order:

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  1. Confirm the TV and HDMI input: Check the TV’s specifications for 4K/120 Hz support on the input you are using. Some TVs require an enhanced HDMI mode to be enabled in the TV’s own settings. Consult the TV manual for the correct port and menu label.
  2. Update the TV firmware: Install the current firmware available for your TV.
  3. Bypass intermediaries for diagnosis: If the PS5 connects through a receiver or another device, connect it directly to the TV temporarily. This helps determine whether the intermediary is affecting the signal.
  4. Check the HDMI cable: Try the cable supplied with the PS5 first. If replacing it, use an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable rated for 4K/120 Hz. A new cable will not add support to an incompatible TV input, receiver or game.
  5. Check PS5 output settings: Set Resolution to Automatic or 2160p, and Video Transfer Rate to Automatic.
  6. Reduce transfer rate if the image flickers: Try Video Transfer Rate -1 or -2. Sony says limiting the rate may improve picture quality in this situation, but it also restricts some output formats.
Video Transfer Rate Output formats Sony says are limited
-1 4K/120 Hz and some 4K 50/60 Hz RGB/YUV444 DeepColor output.
-2 4K/120 Hz and 4K 50/60 Hz RGB/YUV444 output.

Change one setting at a time so you can tell which adjustment affects the picture. If the reduced transfer rate fixes flickering but removes a mode you want, restore Automatic and continue checking the TV input, firmware and any intermediary device.

What 4K and HDR support does—and does not—guarantee

Sony says all PS5 consoles have 4K and HDR capabilities and supports 4K 120 Hz video output and HDMI 2.1. That does not guarantee every TV, HDMI port or receiver will deliver every mode: the complete connection must support the chosen signal, and the game must support the relevant output or frame-rate option.

For any setup, verify the display’s supported resolution, refresh rate, HDR and VRR capabilities, the specific HDMI input in use, and whether a receiver or switch supports the same signal. TV menu names and available modes vary by manufacturer, and PS5 setting labels may differ slightly by locale or system software.

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