To identify a ghost in Phasmophobia, first find the room where activity is concentrated, then use the appropriate equipment to confirm evidence and narrow the candidates in your journal. A cold room, a single ghost orb, or an unusual event is a lead—not a complete identification. This guide focuses on a cautious first investigation; exact mechanics can change between game versions, so check the current in-game journal and settings.
What to take on a beginner contract
For a first pass, bring an EMF Reader, thermometer, and video camera when available. Add a light if you need one to navigate safely. This is a practical starting set, not a universally optimal loadout: the best choices depend on the contract, equipment tier, weather, and difficulty. GameSpot’s beginner tips recommends these items for locating activity and the likely ghost room.
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The equipment discussed here is carried and used in-game. The Phasmophobia Wiki equipment guide describes default items, optional items added to a loadout, and tiers with different properties. Unlocks and item behavior may vary by the current game version.
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- Check rooms methodically. Look for activity and compare temperatures rather than deciding from one sound or event. A room that is colder than nearby rooms can be a useful location clue.
- Check the breaker. If it starts off, turn it on early when you can do so safely. GameSpot notes that this lets the property move back toward its normal temperature, which makes room comparisons more useful.
- Account for weather. Snow can lower temperatures across the property. Cold breath or a low reading alone does not establish that you have found the ghost room—or confirm Freezing Temperatures evidence.
- Recheck as activity shifts. Once you have a likely room, place evidence tools there. If clues point elsewhere, search again rather than forcing the first guess.
Locating the room and identifying the ghost are separate jobs: temperature and activity help you decide where to investigate; evidence tools and the journal help you decide what the ghost is. GameSpot’s guide discusses room-finding, breaker state, and weather-related temperature pitfalls.
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What each evidence tool tells you
Use each instrument to test the clue it is designed for. Record evidence when it is confirmed, and avoid treating an ambiguous event as proof. The following functions are described in the equipment guide; exact tier properties may differ.
| Tool | What it tests or helps with | Beginner use |
|---|---|---|
| EMF Reader | EMF Level 5 evidence and activity readings | Check after interactions; an activity reading is not by itself confirmation of EMF Level 5. |
| Thermometer | Room temperature, including Freezing Temperatures evidence | Compare rooms and consider breaker state and weather. A relatively cold room is not automatically freezing evidence. |
| Video Camera | Ghost orbs when viewed with night vision | Scan the likely room from a useful vantage point. Check the Mimic caveat below before treating orbs as decisive. |
| D.O.T.S. Projector | D.O.T.S. evidence | Place it so its coverage can intersect the ghost’s movement; placement and properties vary by tier. |
| Spirit Box | A response to questions asked through the device | Follow the game’s requirements. If voice recognition is a problem, try the text-based UI setting described by GameSpot. |
| UV Light | UV evidence, including fingerprints or footprints | Check surfaces promptly after interactions. |
| Ghost Writing Book | Ghost Writing evidence | Place it in the likely room early; writing can take time. |
GameSpot’s beginner guide covers practical use and common caveats for these tools. Consult the in-game descriptions for the equipment tier you actually have.
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How to narrow the ghost candidates
- Place the relevant tools in the likely room and watch or check them according to their function.
- Enter confirmed evidence in the journal rather than relying on memory or a hunch.
- Use the journal’s remaining candidates to decide which evidence to test next.
- Use behavior as a supporting clue only after building an evidence record.
Evidence availability can depend on difficulty. The community evidence reference describes Nightmare contracts as limiting each ghost to two evidence types, with one hidden. That rule is version-sensitive; verify the selected difficulty and current in-game information before assuming how many clues a contract will provide.
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Do not overread ghost orbs
GameSpot warns that the Mimic can show ghost orbs even though orbs are not its official evidence. Treat an orb sighting as a clue to evaluate alongside the rest of the evidence, not as a stand-alone identity.
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Use behavior to break ties, not replace evidence
Some traits can help distinguish candidates when evidence is limited. The community-maintained ghost identification reference describes examples such as a Revenant’s movement behavior, an Obake’s six-fingered handprint, and an Oni’s inability to produce a mist-form ghost event. These are specialist clues; circumstances and updates can affect how useful a behavior is. Confirm the evidence pattern first, then use a behavioral clue to test a remaining possibility.
Stay alive while collecting evidence
- Turn off active electronics when hiding during a hunt. GameSpot notes that active electronics can make a player easier for a ghost to detect; it also describes a specific interaction between active electronics and a Raiju.
- Choose a hiding route before you need it. Learn nearby hiding options and exits instead of relying on looping. Looping is risky, especially against fast ghosts.
- Treat Incense as timed help, not automatic protection. Its effect and capabilities depend on tier and timing. Practice using it rather than assuming it will rescue you whenever you light it.
- Build confidence on smaller maps and lower difficulty. This gives you more opportunity to learn room searches, tool placement, and escape routes before taking on tougher conditions.
For the basic game framing, the official PlayStation page describes Phasmophobia as an online co-op horror game for up to four players and notes a consequence-free practice mode. Practice is a useful place to learn equipment handling without the normal contract stakes.
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Common beginner mistakes
- Calling a cold room Freezing Temperatures. Room-to-room comparison helps locate activity, but weather and breaker state matter; confirm the evidence with the relevant tool.
- Identifying the ghost from one orb or event. Check the full evidence combination and account for the Mimic caveat.
- Assuming every difficulty provides the same evidence. Read the selected difficulty and use the journal to evaluate the evidence actually available.
- Leaving evidence tools in the van or carrying too many at once. Bring a small initial set, find a likely room, then place the tools that test the remaining evidence candidates.
- Continuing to use electronics while hiding. Switch active equipment off during a hunt and prioritize reaching a safe hiding place.
- Letting speech recognition block a test. GameSpot describes a text-based UI alternative for Spirit Box and cursed-object interaction when voice recognition is difficult.
Version and mechanics note
The detailed equipment, evidence, and behavior references cited here are community-maintained, and their mechanics can change as the game is updated. GameSpot’s cited guides are dated July 2 and July 23, 2026; the official PlayStation page provides high-level product information rather than a complete mechanics reference. For a live contract, trust the current game’s journal, item descriptions, difficulty settings, and observed results over any fixed guide wording.
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