Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output on your PS5. Leave Resolution on Automatic so the console selects the highest mode your TV reports, choose 2160p for a compatible 4K display, and set HDR to On When Supported unless you specifically want the console to convert SDR games and apps. Then run Adjust HDR and verify the result under Current Video Output Signal.
Find every resolution and HDR control
From the PS5 home screen, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Resolution, HDR, video transfer rate, the HDR adjustment routine and the connected HDMI device’s reported capabilities are all in this area. The PS5 reads the TV and HDMI chain when it starts and uses that information to select compatible output modes.
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The picture you can actually receive is limited by the entire signal path: the TV panel, its firmware, the HDMI port you use, the cable, and any receiver, switch or soundbar between the console and TV. Changing a PS5 menu option cannot add a capability that one of those components does not support.
Set the PS5 resolution
Use Automatic for most TVs
- Open Settings from the PS5 home screen.
- Select Screen and Video, then Video Output.
- Highlight Resolution and select Automatic.
Automatic tells the console to use the highest resolution the connected TV reports as supported. It is the safest choice when you change displays, use an AV receiver, or are unsure which HDMI input has the required capability.
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Select 2160p for a compatible 4K display
On a television that supports 4K, Sony labels the 4K resolution option 2160p. To select it, follow the same menu path and choose 2160p instead of Automatic. If 2160p is unavailable or the display loses the picture after you choose it, return to Automatic and check the TV, port, cable and intervening equipment before trying again.
Understand the available resolution choices
| Choice | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic | Selects the highest resolution reported by the connected TV. | Recommended default, especially when the HDMI chain changes. |
| 2160p | Manually requests the resolution Sony identifies as 4K. | Use with a compatible 4K TV when you want to verify or force that mode. |
| 1440p | Requests 1440p output on compatible displays. | Useful for a 1440p monitor or TV; run the built-in 1440p test first. |
| 8K output | A model-specific option, not a universal PS5 setting. | Only consoles in the CFI-7000 model group can expose this option, and the TV must support 8K/60 Hz with DSC. |
Do not treat a manually selected mode as an image-quality upgrade by itself. If the TV or an intermediary device cannot accept that signal, the setting can produce a blank or downgraded output instead of a better picture.
Confirm what the PS5 is really outputting
In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, open Current Video Output Signal. This screen reports the connected HDMI device’s capabilities and the current output. Use it after changing a resolution, connecting a different port, or changing an AV receiver or switch.
Compare the reported mode with the mode you intended to use. A 4K-capable television may still show a lower current output if the selected HDMI input, cable or intervening equipment does not pass 4K bandwidth. The signal screen is therefore more useful than relying on the TV’s picture label alone.
Choose how PS5 handles HDR
Set HDR to On When Supported
- Open Settings.
- Choose Screen and Video, then Video Output.
- Open HDR and select On When Supported.
With this mode, HDR-compatible games and apps can use HDR, while content that is not HDR-compatible remains in SDR. This preserves the source format instead of converting every title or app to an HDR output.
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Use Always On only if you want conversion
The alternative, Always On, converts games and apps that are not HDR-compatible to HDR output. It is an available preference, not a requirement for HDR games. If you prefer the PS5 to send HDR output even for non-HDR content, select it from the same menu.
| HDR setting | Non-HDR-compatible games and apps | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| On When Supported | Remain in SDR. | Starting point when you want each title to use its native supported format. |
| Always On | Converted to HDR output by the PS5. | For viewers who prefer a consistent HDR signal and accept conversion of SDR content. |
Run Adjust HDR
- Stay in Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Select Adjust HDR.
- Follow the three on-screen adjustment stages, changing the brightness control as instructed until the pattern reaches the requested appearance.
Adjust HDR is the PS5’s calibration procedure for fine brightness adjustment and optimized HDR rendering. Perform it after enabling HDR and repeat it if you move the console to a different TV or make substantial changes to the TV’s picture setup. The correct result depends on the connected display; there is no single numeric value that is right for every television.
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For a typical modern 4K television, begin with Resolution: Automatic and HDR: On When Supported. Run Adjust HDR, then inspect Current Video Output Signal. This combination follows the console’s capability detection while keeping non-HDR content in SDR. It is a practical starting point based on how the settings work, not a guarantee that every TV will look best with the same choices.
If your display is specifically 4K and you are diagnosing whether 4K is being negotiated, temporarily select 2160p and check the current signal. Return to Automatic if the manual request causes instability or is not accepted.
How to get 4K output from a PS5
4K output requires more than a 4K label on the television. The PS5 must be connected to a compatible 4K display through an HDMI path that can carry the selected mode.
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- Set Resolution to Automatic or 2160p.
- Connect the console to an HDMI input on the TV that supports the required 4K features; ports are not always identical.
- Use the supplied PS5 HDMI cable, or an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable rated for the 4K/120 Hz mode you are trying to use.
- Check the television’s firmware and any TV-side HDMI format or enhanced-bandwidth setting required by that input.
- Connect directly to the TV while testing. A receiver, soundbar, switch or capture device can limit the signal even when the TV and console each support 4K.
- Open Current Video Output Signal to verify what the console negotiated.
If Automatic selects a lower resolution, that is evidence that the TV or another component reported a limitation. It is not proof that the PS5 is defective.
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4K/120 Hz depends on the TV’s support, current firmware, the correct HDMI 2.1 input, a cable rated for the bandwidth, and a signal path without a limiting intermediary. Sony notes that 4K/120 Hz is not fully supported across the market, so compatibility issues can occur even among products advertised with HDMI 2.1.
Run this checklist in order
- Verify the TV specification. Confirm that the exact model supports 4K at 120 Hz, not merely 4K or 120 Hz at a lower resolution.
- Update the TV firmware. Install the manufacturer’s current firmware before troubleshooting the console settings.
- Use the correct cable. Start with the cable supplied with the PS5. If you replace it, choose an Ultra High-Speed HDMI cable explicitly rated for 4K/120 Hz. A replacement is unnecessary when the supplied cable and working setup already deliver the desired signal.
- Use the correct TV port. Plug the PS5 into the television’s HDMI 2.1-capable input. Some sets provide that bandwidth on only one or two ports.
- Remove intermediaries. Connect the PS5 directly to the TV. Test the receiver, switch or soundbar separately after direct connection works.
- Check TV-side HDMI settings. Some televisions require an enhanced, high-bandwidth or similar HDMI mode to be enabled for the chosen input. Use the label in your TV’s own menu.
- Set PS5 output controls. In Video Output, set Resolution to Automatic or 2160p, and set Video Transfer Rate to Automatic.
- Inspect Current Video Output Signal. Confirm whether the TV reports 4K/120 Hz capability and what the PS5 is currently sending.
If the signal remains at a lower mode after these checks, one component is not accepting the requested combination. Keep the stable mode rather than forcing a setting the chain cannot carry.
What to do when a 4K picture flickers
If the display flickers while the PS5 is outputting 4K, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Video Transfer Rate and try -1. If necessary, try -2. These values limit the output signal and can improve stability or picture quality on a marginal HDMI path.
This is a troubleshooting adjustment, not a universal picture-quality enhancement. The color formats and available modes can vary with the selected transfer-rate value, so check Current Video Output Signal after each change and keep the setting that gives a stable picture your equipment supports.
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Use 1440p on a compatible display
For a 1440p monitor or television, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and select Test 1440p Output. The PS5 can test SDR and HDR, 60 Hz and 120 Hz, and VRR support on compatible displays. After the test, set Resolution to 1440p if that is the mode you want to use.
The test is valuable because a display may accept 1440p but not every combination of refresh rate, HDR or VRR. Use its results to choose a mode the specific HDMI connection reports as supported rather than assuming that all 1440p features work together.
Understand the limited 8K option
Do not look for 8K controls on every PS5. Sony’s support guidance limits the 8K option to consoles in the CFI-7000 model group. Even on one of those consoles, the TV must support 8K/60 Hz and DSC (Display Stream Compression). A different PS5 model or an 8K television without those capabilities cannot be made compatible by changing Resolution to Automatic.
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2160p is missing from the menu
Check whether the TV actually supports 4K, whether the console is connected to the correct HDMI input, and whether a receiver or switch sits in the path. Reconnect directly to the TV, use the supplied cable, and inspect Current Video Output Signal. If the connected device does not report 4K capability, the PS5 will not offer 2160p as an available mode.
The TV shows a lower resolution than expected
Leave Resolution on Automatic and examine the current signal. A lower result usually reflects a limitation reported by the TV or by an HDMI component between the console and display. Verify the TV’s firmware, the port’s bandwidth setting, the cable rating and any intermediary equipment before changing other PS5 options.
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HDR games look different from SDR games
Confirm that HDR is enabled in Video Output and run Adjust HDR. If you selected Always On, remember that SDR games and apps are being converted to HDR output. Select On When Supported when you want non-HDR-compatible content to stay in SDR.
4K/120 Hz works when connected directly but not through a receiver
The receiver or another intermediary is limiting the signal path. Keep the direct PS5-to-TV connection for 4K/120 Hz, or verify that every intermediary input and output is rated for that exact mode and has current firmware. The PS5 cannot compensate for a bandwidth limit in external equipment.
The screen flickers after selecting a high-bandwidth mode
Return Resolution to Automatic if necessary, then test Video Transfer Rate at -1 and -2. Confirm that the cable is properly connected and that the TV input’s enhanced HDMI mode is enabled. Keep the lowest transfer-rate limitation that removes the instability while preserving the mode your TV supports.
Quick decision guide
| Your equipment or goal | PS5 settings to try | Additional check |
|---|---|---|
| General 4K TV setup | Resolution: Automatic; HDR: On When Supported; run Adjust HDR. | Check Current Video Output Signal. |
| Verify or force 4K | Resolution: 2160p. | Use a compatible 4K TV input and direct HDMI connection while testing. |
| Native HDR where available | HDR: On When Supported. | Non-HDR content remains SDR. |
| Convert all content to HDR output | HDR: Always On. | SDR games and apps are converted by the console. |
| 1440p display | Run Test 1440p Output, then Resolution: 1440p. | Review separate SDR/HDR, refresh-rate and VRR test results. |
| 4K/120 Hz not available | Resolution: Automatic or 2160p; Video Transfer Rate: Automatic. | Check TV support, firmware, HDMI 2.1 port, cable and intermediaries. |
| 4K picture flickers | Try Video Transfer Rate: -1, then -2. | Recheck the current signal because supported formats can change. |
| 8K requirement | Use the 8K option only where the console exposes it. | Requires a CFI-7000-group console and an 8K/60 Hz DSC-capable TV. |
What the PS5 settings can—and cannot—change
Resolution and HDR menus control the signal the console requests and how it treats content. They cannot upgrade a non-4K panel to 4K, add 120 Hz to a TV that does not support it, or make an HDMI receiver pass a bandwidth it was not designed to carry. The displayed result is always the product of the console’s setting and the weakest supported capability in the connected setup.
For that reason, troubleshoot in the order the signal travels: confirm the TV’s specification and firmware, use its appropriate HDMI input, verify the cable, remove intermediary equipment, then inspect the PS5’s output settings and current signal. This isolates a capability mismatch instead of repeatedly changing unrelated picture controls.
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