The best TV settings for PS5
The PS5 can push a picture most people never actually see, because the TV is on the wrong port or the wrong mode. Get five things right and you unlock 4K, 120Hz, HDR and VRR, with the low input lag that makes games feel sharp under your thumbs. Here they are, in the order that counts.
First: The right HDMI port and cable
4K at 120 frames a second needs a full HDMI 2.1 connection from end to end. On the TV, plug into the port marked 4K120, HDMI 2.1, or on some sets the one badged Game; not every port on a TV is equal, and the wrong one quietly caps you at 4K60. Use the Ultra High Speed HDMI cable that came in the PS5 box, or one that carries those exact words. The HDMI cable guide covers which cable and port you need, and the TV Capability Test shows what your set reports.
Turn on the TV's Game Mode
This is the one that changes how the game feels. Game Mode strips out the picture processing that sits between your controller and the screen, dropping the input lag from around 100 milliseconds to under 20 on a decent set. Turn it on for the HDMI input the PS5 is plugged into. Because the PS5 supports ALLM, most modern TVs now flip into Game Mode by themselves the moment a game starts. Our gaming settings guide goes deeper on the rest.
Set the PS5 video output
On the console, go to Settings, then Screen and Video, then Video Output. Set Resolution to 2160p, and leave 120 Hz Output and VRR on Automatic. The PS5 then uses each one whenever the TV and the game allow, and steps back when they do not. If one of these is greyed out, the TV or the port does not support it, which sends you back to the port and cable above.
Run the HDR setup
Still under Screen and Video, open HDR and set it to Automatic, then run the three-screen adjustment. On each screen you raise a symbol until it just fades into the background. This matches the console's HDR range to your exact panel, so bright skies are not blown out and dark corners are not crushed. Do it in the light you normally watch in, because a bright room and a dark room want different points.
Turn off motion smoothing
Anything that "improves" motion adds delay, so switch off motion smoothing for the game input. Game Mode disables most of this processing for you, but the smoothing setting is worth checking by hand, because it is the one that both softens fast motion and adds lag. Leave noise reduction and dynamic contrast off for games too.
Let the PS5 check itself
The console can confirm the connection for you. Under Screen and Video, the Video Output screen lists which features the current cable and port actually support, and offers a transfer-rate test. Run it, and you can see at a glance whether 4K, 120Hz, HDR and VRR are really getting through. If the test falls short of what your TV should do, it is nearly always the port or the cable, not the console.
Questions people ask
How do I get 4K 120Hz on PS5?
Plug into the TV's HDMI 2.1 port with an Ultra High Speed cable, then set the PS5 video output to 2160p with 120 Hz Output on Automatic. The game itself also has to support 120Hz. Use the console's connection test to confirm the port is passing it.
Does the PS5 need Game Mode on the TV?
Yes. Game Mode is what cuts input lag from around a tenth of a second to under 20 milliseconds. The PS5 can switch it on for you through ALLM, but it is worth confirming Game Mode is enabled for the HDMI input the console uses.
Why is my PS5 not showing 4K or HDR?
Almost always the wrong HDMI port or a cable that is not Ultra High Speed. Move to the port marked 4K120 or HDMI 2.1, use the cable that came with the PS5, and the greyed-out 4K and HDR settings should come back.
See what your set supports with the TV Capability Test, get the cable right with the HDMI cable guide, and read the full gaming settings guide for consoles and PC alike.