How to Enable 120Hz on PS5—and Fix It When It Doesn’t Work

Guide · Updated October 12, 2026

To enable 120Hz on PS5, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, then set 120 Hz Output to Automatic. You also need a game with a 120 fps mode, a display that accepts a 120Hz signal at your chosen resolution, the correct HDMI input, and—in many games—a performance or 120 fps option enabled inside the game.

Turning on one console setting does not force every game to run at 120 frames per second. The PS5 can send a 120Hz video signal only when the entire chain supports it: game, console, cable, HDMI port, display settings, and any receiver or capture device between the console and screen.

How to turn on 120Hz output on PS5

From the PS5 home screen, open Settings.
Select Screen and Video.
Select Video Output.
Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic.
Open Information for the Connected HDMI Device and check the resolutions and refresh rates the PS5 detects.
Launch a game that supports 120 fps and enable its 120 fps, high-frame-rate, or performance option if the game provides one.

Sony’s official PS5 video-output guide says the 120 Hz Output setting enables 120Hz video for compatible TVs and games. The same page explains that the console normally detects the connected display and automatically chooses an available output.

What you need for 120 fps on PS5

Requirement	What to check
Compatible game	The game must offer a 120 fps or high-frame-rate mode. PS5 settings cannot add one.
120Hz display	Your TV or monitor must accept 120Hz at the resolution you want to use.
Correct HDMI port	Some displays support their highest refresh rate on only one or two inputs.
Suitable cable	For 4K at 120Hz, use the PS5 cable or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable.
Display input mode	Your TV may require Enhanced, 4K 120, Game, or a similarly named HDMI setting.
Game setting	Many games require you to select Performance, 120 fps, or High Frame Rate in their own menu.

Do not assume a screen advertised as “120 motion,” “effective 120Hz,” or a similar marketing term accepts a real 120Hz input. Check its manual for the supported signal formats on the exact HDMI port you are using.

120Hz and 120 fps are related, but not identical

Refresh rate describes how many times a display can update each second. Frame rate describes how many frames the game produces each second. A 120Hz output gives a compatible game room to display as many as 120 frames per second, but it does not guarantee the game will maintain that rate.

Some PS5 games target 120 fps by reducing resolution, ray tracing, image quality, or visual detail. Others use a 120Hz container for a 40 fps graphics mode. Because 40 divides evenly into 120, that mode can feel smoother than 30 fps while retaining more visual detail than a typical 60 or 120 fps performance mode.

Choose based on the game. Competitive shooters and racing games often benefit most from faster response and clearer motion. A slower single-player game may look better in a higher-resolution mode.

Set Performance Mode as your PS5 preference

If a supported game keeps choosing a resolution-focused mode, set the console’s default preference:

Open Settings.
Choose Saved Data and Game/App Settings.
Select Game Presets.
Open Performance Mode or Resolution Mode.
Select Performance Mode.

This is a preference for games that support the preset, not a universal override. Still check the game’s own Video, Graphics, or Display menu. A title may label its option “120 FPS Mode,” “High Frame Rate,” “Favor Performance,” or something similar.

How to confirm the PS5 detects 120Hz

Go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Information for the Connected HDMI Device. This screen reports the capabilities the PS5 receives through the current HDMI connection.

If the expected 120Hz format is missing, the problem is probably outside the game. Check the HDMI port, TV input setting, cable, receiver, soundbar, switch, or capture card. If 120Hz appears there but a particular game remains at 60 fps, check whether the game supports 120 fps and whether its in-game mode is enabled.

For a 1440p monitor, use Test 1440p Output in the Video Output menu. Sony says this test checks SDR and HDR at 60Hz and 120Hz, plus VRR where supported.

Why 120Hz may work at 1080p but not 4K

A display may accept 1080p at 120Hz yet lack the bandwidth or input support for 4K at 120Hz. Sony confirms that PS5 supports 4K 120Hz over HDMI 2.1, but every part of the connection must handle that format.

For 4K 120Hz, Sony recommends the cable supplied with the PS5 or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. Connect the console to the display’s correct high-bandwidth HDMI input and enable that input’s enhanced format in the TV menu. Names vary by manufacturer, so use the display manual rather than copying settings meant for a different model.

If you only want 1080p or 1440p at 120Hz, HDMI 2.1 may not be required by the signal itself. What matters is whether the display accepts that exact resolution and refresh rate through its HDMI input.

Fix a PS5 that still shows 60Hz

1. Confirm the game actually supports 120 fps

Not every PS5 game has a 120 fps mode, and support can differ between the native PS5 version and a PS4 version running through backward compatibility. Check the developer’s current documentation or the game’s graphics menu.

2. Use the right HDMI port

Move the cable to the input identified for 4K 120Hz, 120Hz, or gaming in the display manual. A television can have several HDMI sockets while reserving full bandwidth for only some of them.

3. Enable the display’s enhanced input setting

Open the TV or monitor menu and look for the manufacturer’s high-bandwidth HDMI option. It may need to be enabled separately for each port. Game Mode can reduce input latency, but Game Mode alone does not prove that a 120Hz signal is supported.

4. Connect the PS5 directly to the screen

Temporarily remove a receiver, soundbar, HDMI switch, splitter, capture card, or adapter. Sony’s picture and sound troubleshooting page recommends connecting the console directly to the display when diagnosing output problems. An intermediate device may pass 4K 60Hz but block 4K 120Hz.

5. Check the cable

For 4K 120Hz, start with the HDMI cable included with the PS5. If you replace it, use a certified Ultra High Speed HDMI cable and avoid unnecessary adapters or unusually long cable runs while testing.

6. Return resolution and transfer rate to Automatic

In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, set Resolution and Video Transfer Rate to Automatic while troubleshooting. Sony notes that setting Video Transfer Rate to -1 or -2 limits 4K 120Hz output, so those options are not a fix if your goal is 4K at 120Hz.

7. Update the PS5 and display firmware

Install current PS5 system software and check the TV or monitor manufacturer’s support page for firmware. Sony specifically recommends current display firmware when troubleshooting high-resolution signals.

8. Power-cycle the connection

Fully turn off the PS5 and display, then disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable. If the HDMI handshake remains wrong, power down both devices completely before turning the display on and then the console.

What if the screen goes black when 120Hz starts?

A brief blank screen can occur when a game switches video modes. A persistent black screen suggests the display or another device in the HDMI chain is not accepting the selected signal.

Reconnect the PS5 directly to the TV or monitor.
Use the included PS5 HDMI cable.
Try the display’s designated high-bandwidth HDMI input.
Confirm that input’s enhanced format is enabled.
Turn off 120 Hz Output temporarily if the display becomes unusable in supported games.

Sony advises turning the 120Hz setting off if compatible games produce video-output problems on a monitor or other display. That is a diagnostic fallback, not evidence that the console is damaged.

Should you enable VRR too?

VRR and 120Hz are separate features. A 120Hz mode raises the display’s available refresh rate; variable refresh rate lets a compatible display adjust its refresh rate in real time to follow the game more closely. You can benefit from one without necessarily using the other.

Set VRR to Automatic if your TV or monitor supports it, then test the games you play. Sony warns that results vary by TV and provides an “Apply to Unsupported Games” option that should be disabled if it causes unexpected behavior.

Does PS5 Pro change the setup?

The basic 120Hz steps are the same on PS5 and PS5 Pro. PS5 Pro can improve image quality or performance in supported games, but it cannot make a 60Hz display accept 120Hz or add a 120 fps mode to a game that lacks one. Our PS5 vs. PS5 Pro comparison explains the larger hardware differences and when the upgrade is useful.

Quick checklist

120 Hz Output is set to Automatic on PS5.
The game supports a 120 fps or high-frame-rate mode.
That mode is enabled inside the game.
The connected HDMI device information shows the expected 120Hz format.
The cable is connected to the display’s correct HDMI input.
The display’s enhanced or high-bandwidth input option is enabled.
Any receiver, switch, soundbar, or capture card supports the same signal—or is bypassed.
Resolution and Video Transfer Rate are set to Automatic while testing.
The PS5 and display firmware are current.

The bottom line

Set 120 Hz Output to Automatic, verify the connected display reports 120Hz support, and then enable the game’s own performance mode. If it still does not work, test the PS5 directly on the correct HDMI input with the included cable. Most failures come from an unsupported game mode, the wrong TV port, a disabled enhanced-input setting, or an intermediary device that cannot pass the signal.

If the console behaves strangely beyond video output, our guide to clearing the PS5 cache and rebuilding the database safely explains Sony’s maintenance options—but those steps are not the first fix for a missing 120Hz signal.

Instructions and signal requirements were checked against PlayStation Support on October 12, 2026. Menu labels and individual game options can change with system or game updates.