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PS4 Output to Headphones: Choose Chat Audio or All Audio

Use Chat Audio for headset chat while PS4 game sound stays on the TV. Full game sound through both the TV and headphones depends on the TV, PS4 model, and connection.
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For TV game sound with headset voice chat, set Settings > Devices > Audio Devices > Output to Headphones > Chat Audio. To send all PS4 audio to a compatible headset, choose All Audio instead. These settings route audio; they do not provide a universal way to duplicate game sound to both the TV and headset. Simultaneous TV-speaker and headphone playback depends on the television and how the headphones are connected.

Choose the PS4 setting for the sound you want

On PS4, open Settings > Devices > Audio Devices > Output to Headphones. The choice determines what the compatible headset receives:

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Setting What it sends Use it when
Chat Audio Chat audio goes to the headset; the rest of the console audio remains on the primary output. Sony lists this as the default. You want game sound through the TV and voice chat in the headset.
All Audio All PS4 system audio is routed to the compatible headset, including game, music, and video audio. You want private listening through the headset rather than game sound through the TV.

Sony documents these as headset output choices, not as a control that duplicates all game audio to HDMI and a headset at once. PlayStation’s PS4 audio-output instructions explain the setting; Sony’s Gold Wireless Headset guidance describes listening to game and chat audio together in the headset.

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How to get TV game sound and headset chat

  1. Connect and turn on a headset compatible with the PS4.
  2. On the console, go to Settings > Devices > Audio Devices > Output to Headphones.
  3. Select Chat Audio. This is Sony’s default setting and the option intended for headset chat while other console audio stays on the primary output.
  4. Check that the TV is still receiving sound from the PS4. If it is silent, verify that the headset output is not set to All Audio.

This setup is not the same as hearing game sound in both places. If you need the game through the TV speakers and headphones simultaneously, the TV or an external audio route must support that arrangement.

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Can the TV play through its speakers and headphones at once?

Some TV models can send audio to their speakers and a connected headphone device simultaneously; others silence the speakers, depending on the model and connection. Sony describes a supported arrangement using the TV’s optical digital output and a headphone transmitter, but notes that connection type matters. A headphone jack, HDMI connection, or Bluetooth may prevent simultaneous playback on some televisions. Consult the manual and sound settings for your exact TV before buying a transmitter or other accessory. Sony’s guidance on TV speaker and headphone output covers this model-dependent behavior.

Other connection routes and their limits

PS4 optical output

On PS4 systems that have an optical port, Sony documents Settings > Sound and Screen > Audio Output Settings > Primary Output Port > DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL). The CUH-2000 series has no optical digital output terminal, so check the model number before planning an optical connection. A TOSLINK cable only connects compatible optical ports; it does not by itself make the TV and headset play simultaneously. Sony’s PS4 audio-output instructions include the model limitation and setting path.

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HDMI audio extractor

An HDMI audio extractor with an optical output may provide another route when the devices lack a suitable direct connection, but compatibility is not guaranteed by the fact that it has an optical socket. Check the PS4 model, the TV’s resolution and HDR requirements, HDCP support, supported audio formats, and the headset or transmitter’s inputs. Sony warns that an HDMI device incompatible with HDCP can prevent PS4 video and audio output. HDCP can be disabled for gameplay, but Blu-ray and DVD playback and DRM-protected streaming require it enabled. Sony’s audio-output and HDCP guidance explains these restrictions.

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Check audio format compatibility

PS4’s default Audio Format (Priority) is Linear PCM. The setting is under Settings > Sound and Screen > Audio Output Settings > Audio Format (Priority). Use a format supported by the connected receiver or audio device; Sony cautions that using an unsupported format can cause problems and may damage speakers. Check the receiving equipment’s specifications rather than assuming every format works with every headset, TV, or adapter. Sony’s audio-output instructions describe the setting.

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Troubleshoot missing sound

  • TV goes silent after connecting a headset: Check Output to Headphones. If it is set to All Audio, try Chat Audio when you want game sound on the TV.
  • No optical connection on the console: Confirm the PS4 model. CUH-2000 systems do not have a DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) terminal.
  • TV speakers stop when headphones connect to the TV: This may be a limitation of the TV or the selected connection. Check the model-specific manual and audio menu for simultaneous output support.
  • Audio device produces no sound: Confirm that its input and supported audio format match the PS4 output setting.
  • HDMI video or audio fails with an attached device: Check HDCP compatibility. Disabling HDCP is limited to gameplay; protected discs and DRM streaming need HDCP enabled.

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