You just unboxed a PlayStation 5, or maybe you finally splurged on that OLED you’ve been eyeing for months, and you’re ready for that buttery-smooth frame rate. Then you fire up Call of Duty or Fortnite, and everything feels… exactly the same. It’s frustrating. You’ve got the hardware, but the "120Hz" dream feels like a marketing myth. Honestly, figuring out how to turn on 120Hz PS5 isn’t just about flipping a single switch in the menu; it’s a bit of a hardware puzzle that involves cables, handshake protocols, and sometimes, fighting with your TV’s "Smart" settings.
Most people think if they have a 4K TV, they’re good to go. That’s a huge misconception. 4K and 120Hz are two very different beasts. In fact, many 4K TVs sold even today are capped at 60Hz. If your screen can't physically refresh 120 times per second, no amount of menu-diving on your console is going to change that.
The Boring Hardware Stuff You Actually Need to Know
Before we even touch the DualSense controller, we have to talk about the pipe. Think of your HDMI cable as a water pipe. If you’re trying to shove 4K resolution at 120 frames per second through a narrow pipe, it’s just not going to fit. You need HDMI 2.1.
The PS5 comes with a "High Speed" HDMI cable in the box. Use it. If you’re using an old cable from your PS4 Pro or a random one you found in a drawer, you’re likely stuck at 60Hz. HDMI 2.1 supports 48Gbps of bandwidth, which is what allows the console to scream at high speeds while keeping the image sharp.
But wait.
Your TV has ports. Usually four of them. On many mid-range Sony, Samsung, or LG sets, only ports 3 and 4 actually support the 2.1 standard. If you’ve plugged your PS5 into HDMI 1 because it seemed logical, you might be accidentally throttling your entire experience. Check the labels on the back of the set. Look for "4K@120Hz" or "eARC/ARC" markings. Sometimes, you even have to go into the TV’s internal "External Device Manager" and turn on "Input Signal Plus" or "Enhanced Format" just to let the TV know it's allowed to work that hard. It's a weirdly common hurdle.
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How to turn on 120Hz PS5 in the system settings
Alright, let's assume your cables are legit and your TV is ready. Grab the controller. We’re going into the guts of the OS.
First, navigate to the Settings gear icon in the top right of the home screen. Go to Screen and Video, then select Video Output. Scroll down until you see Enable 120Hz Output. You’ll usually see two options: "Automatic" and "Off." Keep it on Automatic.
Here is the kicker: the PS5 home screen doesn't run at 120Hz.
It stays at 60Hz. You won't see the change until you launch a game that supports it. This leads to a lot of "Did I do it right?" anxiety. To check if the handshake is actually working, stay in that Video Output menu and look at Information for the Connected HDMI Device. If it says "3840 x 2160 - 60Hz" while you're on the menu, don't panic. That’s normal. The real test happens once the game boot sequence finishes.
The Secret "Performance Mode" Shortcut
There is another layer. Sony included a system-level preference that tells games what you care about most. If you go to Settings, then Saved Data and Game/App Settings, and finally Game Presets, you can set your "Performance Mode or Resolution Mode" preference.
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If you set this to Performance Mode, many games will automatically toggle their 120Hz or "High Frame Rate" settings without you having to find them in the game’s own messy sub-menus. It’s basically telling the console, "I value speed over pretty shadows."
Why Your Game Still Looks "Blurry" at 120Hz
There is no free lunch in physics or rendering. When you enable 120Hz, the PS5 has to work twice as hard. To keep up, it usually has to drop the resolution. You might notice that God of War Ragnarök or Spider-Man 2 looks slightly softer when 120Hz is active.
This is where VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) comes in.
If you have a compatible TV (like an LG C-series OLED or a high-end Sony Bravia), make sure VRR is turned on in both the PS5 settings and your TV settings. VRR allows the TV to sync its refresh rate to the console’s output in real-time. If the game dips from 120fps to 100fps during a heavy explosion, VRR prevents the screen from "tearing" or stuttering. It makes the transition feel seamless. Without VRR, 120Hz can sometimes feel "choppy" if the game can't maintain a perfect lock on the frame rate.
A Quick List of Games to Test This On
Not every game does 120Hz. In fact, most don't. If you want to see if you actually fixed it, try these:
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- Call of Duty (Warzone or Modern Warfare III): You have to manually enable "120Hz Refresh Rate" in the in-game Graphics settings.
- Fortnite: Go to settings, then "120 FPS Mode." If it’s greyed out, your hardware handshake failed.
- Doom Eternal: Pure speed. One of the best implementations.
- Destiny 2: Only supports 120Hz in Crucible (PvP) matches. The regular world stays at 60Hz.
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart: Offers a "40fps" mode on 120Hz displays which is a weird, beautiful middle ground for people who want high fidelity but smoother motion.
Troubleshooting the "Black Screen" Issue
Sometimes, when you try to turn on 120Hz PS5, the screen just goes black. Or it flickers like a dying strobe light. This is almost always a "handshake" error.
If this happens, it usually means your HDMI cable is failing to carry the signal. Try lowering the "4K Video Transfer Rate" in the Screen and Video settings to -1 or -2. This reduces the chroma subsampling (basically, it compresses the color data a tiny bit) to save bandwidth. It often stabilizes a shaky 120Hz signal on cheaper cables or through older soundbars.
Speaking of soundbars—if your PS5 is plugged into a soundbar and then into the TV, that soundbar must have HDMI 2.1 passthrough. Most don't. If you’re struggling, plug the PS5 directly into the TV and use the eARC port to send audio back to the soundbar.
The Reality of 120Hz Gaming in 2026
We are a few years into this console cycle. Developers are getting better at optimization, but the "4K 120fps" dream is still mostly reserved for less demanding titles or older ports. For massive triple-A games, you’re usually choosing between 4K at 60fps or a lower resolution (like 1080p or 1440p) at 120fps.
Is it worth the hassle?
Honestly, for shooters and racing games, yes. The input lag reduction is massive. You feel more connected to the character. For a slow-paced RPG? Maybe not. You might prefer the crispness of 4K. But knowing how to turn on 120Hz PS5 gives you that choice.
Actionable Next Steps
To ensure you are actually getting the performance you paid for, follow these definitive steps:
- Verify the Port: Ensure the HDMI cable is in a port labeled 4K/120Hz or HDMI 2.1 on your display.
- Enable Enhanced HDMI: Go into your TV's "Input" or "External Device" settings and toggle "Enhanced" or "Ultra HD Deep Color" for that specific port.
- Toggle the PS5 Settings: Set "Enable 120Hz Output" to Automatic and "Game Presets" to Performance Mode.
- The In-Game Check: Open a supported game (like Fortnite) and look for a specific "120 FPS" toggle in the game's internal video settings.
- Confirm the Handshake: While the game is running, go back to the PS5's Video Output Information screen. It should now reflect 120Hz. If it still says 60Hz while a high-frame-rate game is active, your cable or TV settings are the bottleneck.