Stop PS5 Screen Flickering With These Simple Fixes!
Few other things can ruin your gaming mood faster than PS5 screen flickering in the middle of an epic gaming adventure.
Don’t worry–this guide will help you solve the problem really quickly.
The flickering in 90% of the cases is caused by an HDMI connection issue, which is either from the HDMI ports or the HDMI cable.
However, the PS5 display flickering has proven to also appear because of other things such as a resolution mismatch, TV settings, or PS5 settings.
This quick guide will walk you through all this, so let’s get started!
How to Fix When the PS5 Screen Flickering in 9 Ultimate Steps!
Note: Have you noticed a pattern in the flickering, such as vertical or horizontal lines?
1. Soft Reset the PlayStation 5 Console
So, before attempting anything more complicated, our first suggestion is to soft reset the PS5 console, without draining the power.
You can achieve a simple soft reset by pressing the “Power” button on the PS5, waiting for ~5–10 seconds, and then pressing it again.
Wait until the console LED lights off before attempting to restart the system by pressing the “Power” button again. Now, determine if the display is still flickering.
How to “Hard” Reset the PS5 Console?
In case the soft reset did not do anything, we recommend performing a hard reset on the PS5, thus discharging the power supply.
All you have to do is disconnect the console power cable for at least 60 seconds, until the motherboard and all hardware components have drained entirely.
2. Use the Original PS5 HDMI Cable
Your PlayStation 5 console might not work appropriately with a third-party or an unoriginal HDMI cable, as it tends to conflict with the video formats.
So, to determine if that causes the flickering, ZontSound recommends using the original HDMI supplied by Sony or purchasing an authentic replacement.
If possible, test with an alternative HDMI cable before purchasing an original replacement to determine if the cable was the issue.
Test on a Different Input!
Before replacing the HDMI, plug the cable into an alternative HDMI input on the back of the TV to check if the TV is responsible for the flickering.
Do not forget to change the selected source in the TV input menu to test the functionality of the TV HDMI inputs.
⚠️Important: If you are transferring a 4K signal from your PS5 to the TV with an HDMI cable that is longer than 10 feet, it is beyond the 4K cable length limit, and you’re likely to experience flickering, a black screen, or no signal.
3. Change the 4K Video Transfer Rate
Adjusting the 4K Video Transfer Rate is a certain solution when your PS5 screen flickers on and off on a 4K TV.
The feature is intended to increase the compatibility of the PS5 console with 4K as much as possible and has a range of quality adjustments.
Follow these steps to adjust the 4K Video Transfer Rate easily:
- Navigate to the “Settings” tab in the settings of your PS5.
- Navigate to “Screen and Video” and go to “Video Output”.
- Now, select “Video Transfer Rate” from the options below.
- Set the feature to “-1” or “-2” to lower the 4K transfer rate.
- Next, exit the settings and test the transfer rate of the PS5.
If you are using a 4K TV with your PS5, it is advised to skip this step, even if it could resolve the flickering.
Hence, increasing the 4K video transfer rate with a compatible TV shouldn’t cause any problems whatsoever, but you could still test.
4. Deactivate the PS5 HDCP Setting
The High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, or “HDCP” in short of your PS5 is a protection system that prevents the unauthorized recording of broadcast content.
It could sometimes cause functionality issues with the HDMI feed, leading to consistent blackouts or flickering.
Follow these simple steps to set the HDCP to “Off”:
- Open the “Settings” tab and navigate to “System”.
- Press on “HDMI” and select “Enable HDCP” below.
- Highlight the “OFF” slider to deactivate the feature.
Once the feature is off, play any content on your PS5 and determine if the flickering is still there.
We recommend testing on online platforms, such as Netflix or YouTube, instead of idling on the homepage, as HDCP-related flickering is often caused while viewing live or online PS5 content.
5. Troubleshoot PS5 Screen/Monitor
If your PS5 screen is still flickering, there is a significant chance that the flickering is caused by the TV or display connected to your PS5.
Hence, the next step is to exit the source of your PS5 console through the TV and test for several minutes to check whether the flickering is still there.
You can test your TV on cable channels or downloaded online applications for at least 3–4 minutes to determine if the flickering is still there.
Test on a Different TV or Monitor
Perhaps, the monitor or TV you are using with the PS5 has simply malfunctioned and can no longer receive the HDMI signal effectively.
To determine if the issue is with the console or not, ZontSound recommends connecting an alternative viewing device over any video connection.
If you have a spare monitor that supports VGA, DVI, DVI-D, or Optical, feel free to test the PS5 with any of the supported video connections, except HDMI.
6. Adjust the PS5 RGB Range Settings
Well, if you are like me, still wondering why the PS5 screen is flickering after trying many other solutions, adjusting the RGB range solved the issue for me.
Flickering is possible, especially when the RGB Range in the settings of your console has been misconfigured.
The RGB Range has a total of two values–” Limited” and “Full”, and each value modifies the illumination of the pixels.
- To adjust the RGB Range, go to “Settings” → “Screen and Video” → “Video Output” → “RGB Range” and check the available values.
Tip: We recommend testing the PS5 on both “Limited” and “Full” to check if there will be a difference in the pixel behaviour and whether that would resolve the flickering.
7. Start the PlayStation 5 in “Safe Mode”
You can determine if a particular video setting or feature causes the flickering by launching the PS5 under “Safe Mode”.
The Safe Mode boots the PS5 system with only the essential functions active and provides access to base video/system configurations.
Follow these steps to start the PS5 in “Safe Mode”:
- Hold the “Power” button on the PlayStation 5.
- Wait until the PS5 powers off and release it.
- Press the button again and wait for the beep.
- Wait for the second beep after ~7 seconds.
- Now, connect the controller over USB to test.
- Press the “PS” button on the PS5 DualSense.
Now, you can browse through most of the PS5 system settings and adjust all of the available configurations, without any online services and potential interference.
You can learn all about how to use the PS5 Safe Mode in this Sony Safe Mode user guide.
Note: If your PS5 screen is not flickering in Safe Mode, this shows that the issue is coming from a setting on your console, so select “Restore Default Settings”.
8. Update the PlayStation 5 Firmware
An outdated version of the PS5 firmware could also result in persistent flickering, especially if you have disabled the Automatic Updates function.
When you’re running a very old firmware, which is not supported by the game or app that you are using, flickering could be an indication of incompatibility.
Follow these steps to update the version of the PS5:
- Access the “Settings” of your PS5, then go to “System Software”.
- Now, head to “System Software Update and Settings” and wait.
- If a newer update is available, follow all the on-screen instructions.
Note: Verify the PS5 has established a secure internet connection before starting the update.
9. Reset the PS5 to Default Settings
If the PS5 screen flickering is still there, then it is time for a factory restoration.
Perhaps, an underlying system issue is causing the broadcast of your console to be disrupted consistently, and the only solution is to reset all settings to defaults.
Follow these steps to factory reset your PS5:
- Navigate to the homepage of your PlayStation 5.
- Next, head to “Settings” → “System” from below.
- Enter the “System Software” page from the menu.
- Navigate to the “Reset Options” page in the menu.
- Select “Restore Default Settings” to start the reset.
- Select “Restore” and wait until the PS5 resets itself.
Note: Based on the PS5 performance, the reset might last for ~3–4 minutes.
When to Seek Professional Help?
If the flickering persists after conducting a factory reset, and you have exhausted all of the remaining solutions, it is time to get in touch with Sony customer support.
They should be capable of providing the professional care your product needs and addressing the problem.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.
