For a compatible TV or monitor, start at Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Leave Resolution on Automatic, enable VRR and 120 Hz Output if the display and game support them, set HDR to On When Supported, and run Adjust HDR. Then check the game’s own graphics modes: these console settings enable supported output features, but they do not make every game run at 120 fps.
Before changing settings, check what the PS5 Pro detects from the display. Sony’s video-output guide explains the console’s signal and HDMI-device information screens, supported options, and troubleshooting steps. Display capabilities, input ports, menus, and game modes vary.
The key is to separate three things: what the TV or monitor can accept, what the PS5 Pro can send over the connected HDMI path, and what the game actually renders. A feature can be enabled in a menu yet remain unavailable if one part of that chain does not support it. These recommendations are based on Sony’s support guidance checked October 30, 2026; they are not results from hands-on testing.
Which PS5 Pro settings should you change first?
Use the console’s detected signal as your starting point, then enable features your display and the game actually support. A menu option cannot add a capability the connected HDMI setup does not report.
- Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Check Current Video Output Signal and Information for the Connected HDMI Device. These show the output signal and what the connected device reports for features such as resolution, HDR, and VRR.
- Set Resolution to Automatic. Sony says this selects the highest resolution the TV reports supporting.
- For a compatible display and supported game, turn on VRR and 120 Hz Output.
- Set HDR to On When Supported, then open Adjust HDR and follow its calibration screens.
- Leave Video Transfer Rate on Auto unless troubleshooting a signal problem.
These are output settings, not a universal graphics preset. After setting them, open the installed game’s own graphics or display menu and compare the modes available there.
It helps to check the reported signal again after each change, especially when a feature is missing. The current signal and connected-device information can tell you whether the console is actually outputting the resolution or refresh-rate capability you expect, rather than leaving you to guess from the setting label alone. If the reported options do not match the display’s advertised capabilities, investigate the display input, cable path, and any device between the console and screen before buying new hardware.
Should I turn VRR on for PS5 Pro?
Turn on VRR when both the display and the game support it. VRR lets a compatible display adjust its refresh rate for supported games; it does not force unsupported games to use VRR or guarantee a fixed frame rate.
In Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output, set VRR to Automatic or enable it using the available setting. Sony also provides Apply to Unsupported Games as a separate option. It is optional: if an unsupported game behaves unexpectedly after enabling it, turn that option back off.
Use the regular supported-game setting as the sensible starting point. The additional unsupported-games option is a compatibility experiment, not a requirement for VRR to work in games that support it. If an image or game behaves differently after switching it on, return to Video Output and disable that option before changing unrelated settings. That makes it easier to identify which change affected the result.
Do not choose 8K output as a way to improve VRR. Sony states that VRR is disabled during 8K output, so that combination gives up the refresh-rate feature rather than enhancing it.
VRR and 120 Hz Output are related but distinct settings. VRR adjusts refresh behavior for compatible combinations; 120 Hz Output allows a supported high-refresh output. A display may support one feature without providing the other through the particular HDMI input or connection you are using, so confirm both in the console’s connected-device information.
Does 120 Hz Output make every game run at 120 fps?
No. 120 Hz Output allows the PS5 Pro to output at 120 Hz for compatible displays and games; it is not a command that makes every game render 120 frames per second.
Enable it under Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > 120 Hz Output when your display and the game support it. A game must also offer a mode designed to take advantage of a higher refresh rate. Its options and performance targets are title-specific, and the display’s reported capabilities determine what the console can output.
Think of the console setting as making a supported output available, not as a promise about the game’s frame rate. The TV’s refresh capability and the game’s rendering mode both matter. If a game offers no high-refresh option, enabling 120 Hz Output does not create one. Likewise, a game-specific mode that targets a particular frame rate is not proof that all scenes or all games will behave identically.
Sony describes PS5 Pro benefits and Game Boost as dependent on the title. The mode names and trade-offs differ between games, so inspect the actual options in the game you are playing instead of assuming every title has an identically named Performance mode or the same frame-rate target. For example, Sony attributes a PS5 Pro mode targeting 60 fps in The Last of Us Part II Remastered to Naughty Dog lead programmer Vincent Marxen. That is a specific mode and target, not a general PS5 Pro benchmark. Sony’s product-page examples of compatible games reaching 60 fps or up to 120 fps describe capabilities, not a measured result for every title.
If you enable 120 Hz Output and run into an output problem, turn it off temporarily and check whether the picture returns. Then verify that the display input, intermediary equipment, and game support the feature before trying again. A reversible setting change is a better first diagnostic than assuming the console or display needs replacement.
Should HDR be Always On or On When Supported?
Choose On When Supported if you want HDR output for HDR-compatible content while leaving non-HDR content in SDR. Always On also converts non-HDR content to HDR output, which is a different behavior, not a calibration setting.
Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR and select On When Supported. Then choose Adjust HDR in Video Output and complete the console’s calibration prompts. Sony documents the HDR mode choices and the separate adjustment menu in its PS5 HDR setup guide.
HDR output and HDR calibration address different things: the first determines when the console sends HDR; the second adjusts the console’s HDR output. A display must still support HDR for HDR output to be available.
For a straightforward setup, keep the distinction clear: On When Supported preserves SDR for non-HDR content, while Always On asks the console to convert that content to HDR output too. Neither selection changes whether a particular game was made with HDR support. Running Adjust HDR is a separate step, and it does not make a non-HDR display capable of showing HDR.
What do ALLM, RGB Range and Video Transfer Rate do?
These settings address different parts of the HDMI picture path. Leave the defaults alone unless you have a specific compatibility problem or a reason to change them.
ALLM: low-latency display mode
On a supporting TV, ALLM can switch the TV into its low-latency mode while gaming. It does not create additional frames or increase a game’s rendering rate. Sony notes that VRR output can still activate the TV’s low-latency mode even when ALLM is set to Off.
ALLM is a display behavior, not a graphics-performance mode. If the TV changes picture behavior while you play, that does not mean the game is rendering more frames. On a TV that supports ALLM, leave the setting available if you want the display to switch into its low-latency mode for gaming; do not treat it as a substitute for choosing a game’s own frame-rate mode.
RGB Range: avoid unnecessary changes
Leave RGB Range at its default unless the connected HDMI device reports the range incorrectly. Changing it without a mismatch to correct can create a picture-level compatibility problem rather than improve performance.
This is a setting to investigate only when there is a specific HDMI range mismatch to address. It is not a general smoothness, HDR, or resolution enhancement. If you do not have a reported range issue, changing it adds another variable without solving the more common questions of display support or connection compatibility.
Video Transfer Rate: keep Auto unless resolving flicker
Keep Video Transfer Rate on Auto for a working connection. Sony identifies -1 or -2 as settings to try when addressing flicker, but documents output restrictions involving 4K at 120 Hz and color-format combinations. They are troubleshooting trade-offs, not general picture-quality upgrades. If changing the rate removes flicker but also removes a format or refresh-rate option, return to Auto and continue checking the connection.
In other words, “-1” is not a better default. Try a lower transfer rate only when you are troubleshooting flicker, and check the reported output afterward. If the adjustment reduces a feature you want—such as 4K at 120 Hz or a color-format combination—restore Auto rather than keeping the limitation for its own sake. Sony’s guidance treats these values as compatibility remedies, not as a way to improve a stable picture.
Should I enable Enhance PSSR Image Quality?
Enhance PSSR Image Quality is a PS5 Pro option for certain compatible games, and Sony says it is turned on by default. Leave it enabled unless you have a reason to change it; it is not a global switch that guarantees a frame-rate increase in every game.
PSSR is not an across-the-board multiplier for frame rate. Sony describes the option as applying to certain compatible games, so its presence should not be read as a promise that every installed title receives the same image or performance benefit. Start with the default, assess the specific game’s own modes, and change the option only if you have a particular reason to test a different result.
Do not confuse it with Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games. That is a separate PS5 Pro feature intended for PS4 titles, and it requires a display capable of 4K or 1440p. If the PS4-game enhancement behaves unexpectedly, Sony advises disabling it. Neither option replaces the game’s own graphics modes.
The two labels concern separate use cases: Enhance PSSR Image Quality is for certain compatible games on PS5 Pro, while Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games is a separate enhancement for PS4 titles. If you are troubleshooting an unexpected result in a PS4 game, disabling the latter is Sony’s stated recommendation. Do not treat that PS4 setting as another name for PSSR.
How do I check a 1440p monitor?
If you use a 1440p monitor, run the console’s Test 1440p Output before choosing that resolution. Sony’s test checks SDR and HDR output, 60 Hz and 120 Hz, and VRR.
- Connect the monitor and open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
- Select Test 1440p Output and review the available results for the monitor.
- If the test supports the modes you want, select Resolution and choose 1440p.
- Recheck Current Video Output Signal and the game’s own display options.
A successful test establishes what the connected setup reports for those output modes; it does not mean every game supports every refresh-rate or VRR feature.
The test is useful because the words “1440p monitor” alone do not answer whether the full set of desired options is available through the current connection. Review the test results for the combination you care about, including HDR, refresh rate, and VRR, and then confirm the active signal. If the test does not report a mode, changing the game’s graphics setting cannot make the connection support it.
Why is my PS5 Pro not showing 4K at 120 Hz?
Check the complete connection path before buying new equipment. Sony’s troubleshooting guidance starts with display support and firmware, then checks the cable, HDMI connection, input selection, console settings, and intermediary devices.
- Confirm the display and input. Check that the TV supports 4K at 120 Hz and that you are using an HDMI input that supports it. Install available TV firmware updates and enable any TV-side setting needed for that input.
- Try the included HDMI cable. Sony recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for 4K 120 Hz troubleshooting. Start with the cable included with the console; do not assume a replacement is needed.
- Connect the console directly to the display. Temporarily remove an AV receiver, capture device, or other intermediary from the connection path. If the feature appears in a direct connection, check the intermediary’s compatibility and settings.
- Check the PS5 Pro output settings. Set Resolution to Automatic or 2160p, and keep Video Transfer Rate on Auto.
- Try another HDMI port or cable if video is missing. Sony also recommends checking another port or cable when the console does not show video.
- Update the console software. Go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update and Settings and check for an update.
After each change, return to Current Video Output Signal and Information for the Connected HDMI Device to see whether the reported capability changed. Sony’s 4K and video-output support page covers these output checks and connection troubleshooting.
Follow the order rather than replacing several parts at once: first confirm the display specification and firmware, then the correct input and its TV-side setting, then the cable and any receiver or capture device, and finally the PS5 Pro output settings and software. A direct connection is a particularly useful isolation test. If 4K 120 Hz appears when the console is connected directly, that points to the intermediary device or its setup as the next thing to check—not automatically to a defective console.
The included HDMI cable is the practical first test. If the signal is still missing after checking the compatible port and trying a direct connection, testing another cable or port may help isolate the issue. Sony recommends an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable for 4K 120 Hz troubleshooting, but that does not make a purchase the first step. Check that any replacement is rated for the capability you need, and verify the display input as well; a new cable cannot add a feature that the TV or HDMI path does not support.
When no video appears, Sony also recommends trying another cable or HDMI port. Keep that symptom separate from a signal that is visible but lacks a specific feature: for the latter, use the reported output information to see which capability is missing. This narrows troubleshooting and avoids treating every picture problem as the same fault.
How should I choose a game’s graphics mode?
Choose based on the trade-off the game actually offers on your connected display. The console-level settings above make supported output features available; the game decides how it uses its rendering modes.
- Prioritize smoothness: choose a mode whose in-game description prioritizes frame rate, if the game offers one.
- Prioritize image detail: choose a mode emphasizing resolution or ray tracing when that matters more to you than a higher or steadier frame rate.
- Compare image stability: if a mode description mentions image reconstruction or stability, consider that alongside resolution and frame-rate goals rather than treating one feature as a universal upgrade.
- Revisit the choice per game: mode names, supported features, and targets are not uniform across titles.
There is no single best combination for every PS5 Pro game. Start with the output options your screen reports, then make the final smoothness-versus-image-quality choice inside each game.
When comparing modes, read what the game says each one prioritizes instead of relying on a preset name. One title may make a clear frame-rate-versus-resolution choice; another may describe ray tracing, image reconstruction, or other trade-offs differently. The point is to decide what matters most in that particular game and then check whether its chosen mode behaves as expected on your display.
If smoothness is the priority, favor the game’s mode that explicitly prioritizes frame rate when one is offered. If image detail matters more, a mode emphasizing resolution or ray tracing may be preferable. Image stability is another consideration where the game describes it. Those criteria are not a universal ranking: a feature label by itself does not establish a specific frame rate or guarantee that one mode will look best on every screen.
Revisit the choice when you change games, displays, or output configurations. A console-wide setting may enable a capability, but each game’s own implementation determines which modes are offered and what trade-offs they make. Sony’s example of a 60-fps-targeting PS5 Pro mode for The Last of Us Part II Remastered is useful context precisely because it is tied to that title, not a universal target.
Is a different TV or cable worth buying?
Only consider new hardware after confirming what the current setup supports. If you are shopping for a display specifically for PS5 Pro gaming, check the actual specifications for the features you want: 4K, 120 Hz, VRR, and HDR. For a 4K 120 Hz VRR HDR setup, verify that the particular HDMI input supports the needed combination; a feature listed somewhere in a product description does not necessarily establish that every input has it.
If your display already supports the feature, first check its current firmware, the correct HDMI port and any TV-side setting, then test the included cable and a direct console-to-display connection. A replacement Ultra High Speed HDMI cable is a troubleshooting option after those checks, not a guaranteed fix. Neither a new cable nor a console setting can make an unsupported display input provide 4K 120 Hz or VRR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I turn VRR on for PS5 Pro?
Yes, when the display and game support it. Set VRR to Automatic or enable the available setting in Video Output. Apply to Unsupported Games is optional; turn it off again if an unsupported game behaves unexpectedly.
Should HDR be Always On or On When Supported?
Choose On When Supported if you want HDR for compatible content and SDR to remain SDR for non-HDR content. Always On also converts non-HDR content to HDR output. Run Adjust HDR separately to configure the console’s HDR output.
Why is my PS5 Pro not showing 4K 120 Hz?
Check that the display and the specific HDMI input support 4K at 120 Hz, update the display firmware, try the included HDMI cable, and connect the console directly to the screen to rule out a receiver or capture device. Then verify Resolution is Automatic or 2160p and Video Transfer Rate is Auto. Check the reported signal after each change.
Does 120 Hz Output make every game 120 fps?
No. It enables 120 Hz output for compatible displays and games; the game must also support a suitable mode. Frame-rate targets and mode choices vary by title.
Should I turn on Enhance PSSR Image Quality?
Sony says the PS5 Pro option is on by default and applies to certain compatible games. It is reasonable to leave it on, but it is not a universal frame-rate boost. Do not confuse it with the separate Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games feature.
Is Video Transfer Rate -1 better?
Not as a general setting. Sony identifies -1 and -2 as options to try for flicker, but they can restrict output, including 4K at 120 Hz and color-format combinations. Keep Auto for a working connection and use the lower setting only as a troubleshooting test.
Can I use PS5 Pro VRR with an 8K output setting?
No. Sony says VRR is disabled during 8K output. If VRR is the feature you want, use a supported non-8K output configuration.
Does the PS5 Pro include an HDMI cable suitable for troubleshooting 4K 120 Hz?
Sony recommends trying the included HDMI cable first when checking a 4K 120 Hz connection. If the signal is still missing, test the display’s compatible input and a direct connection before buying another cable.
What does ALLM do on PS5 Pro?
On a supporting TV, ALLM can switch the display into its low-latency mode while gaming. It does not create frames or raise the game’s rendering rate. Sony notes that VRR output can still activate the TV’s low-latency mode even when ALLM is Off.
Should I use Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games?
It is a separate PS5 Pro feature for PS4 games, not the same option as Enhance PSSR Image Quality. It requires a 4K- or 1440p-capable display. If it behaves unexpectedly, Sony advises disabling it.
What should I do if 1440p output is missing?
Run Test 1440p Output in Video Output and review its results for SDR, HDR, 60 Hz, 120 Hz, and VRR. If the test supports the modes you want, select 1440p and confirm the active signal. A successful test does not mean every game supports every mode.
The Bottom Line
For most compatible setups, keep Resolution on Automatic, VRR and 120 Hz Output enabled when supported, HDR set to On When Supported, Adjust HDR calibrated, and Video Transfer Rate on Auto. Confirm the signal the PS5 Pro detects, then choose graphics modes game by game. If a feature is missing, check the display input, firmware, included cable, and intermediary devices before shopping for replacements.