What to Do When Your PlayStation 5 Screen Is Black

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A simple guide to fixing a PS5 black screen resolution

Co-authored by Darlene Antonelli, MA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: July 9, 2025 Fact Checked

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Common Fixes

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Answers from Around the Web

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BSOD

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Is your PS5 turning on to a black screen, or does the screen go black when you're playing it? Read on to learn multiple ways that you can troubleshoot this issue.

Fixing a Black Screen on Your PS5

First, make sure a disc isn't inserted in the console, causing the black screen. Then power cycle your TV (or display) and PS5. If none of that fixed the black screen, it may be an issue with the HDMI port on your TV, on your console, or the HDMI cable. Change to another port or use a new cable to solve this.

Section 1 of 3:

Easy Fixes for a PS5 Black Screen

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A corrupted disc might be displaying a black screen. You can easily fix this by removing the disc.
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Troubleshoot your TV or monitor. Chances are that your TV is not on, does not work, or isn't displaying your console. Here are a few things you can try on your TV or monitor:
- Turn it on and off, making sure that it's working.
- Unplug it from power for a few minutes, then reconnect it.
- Try another console on the TV or monitor. If the other console is displaying, the issue is most likely with your PS5, and further troubleshooting will help.
  - If your TV or monitor doesn't show the different console, try using the original console with another TV or monitor to see if it displays on a different screen. If it does, the problem might be with the original TV or monitor.
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Power cycle your TV and PS5. If your PS5 is connected to something else, like a computer monitor, power cycle that instead. To do this:
- Turn off your PS5 by pressing and holding the Power button (the lowest button) until you hear 2 beeps.
- Disconnect your TV and PS5 from power. Pull the power cable from the outlet for your TV while it's on; the PS5 should be off.
- Press and hold the Power button on the PS5 for 30 seconds. This will get rid of any built-up charge.
- Plug everything back into power. If you're using an adapter or surge protector, skip it and plug directly into the wall outlet.
- Press the Power button on your PS5 to turn it back on.
- Turn your TV or monitor on.
  - If this didn't fix your black screen issue, continue to the next troubleshooting step.
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Use a different HDMI port. The current port may not be working, causing the screen to be black.
- After changing the port, remember to change your TV or monitor's Input source!^{[1]
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Use a different HDMI cable. If changing the port didn't fix your issue, a different HDMI cable might! Make sure you're using the correct HDMI cable, however. You should use the 2.1 cable that came with the PS5.^{[2]
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- Check out this wikiHow article for more tips on fixing HDMI issues.
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Check the power cable attached to your PS5. After dismissing HDMI issues, look at the power cable to see if it's supplying the right amount of power to your console to display images and sound. If you see any damaged sections (including kinks or frayed edges), you should replace the entire cable.
- You can buy replacement power cords for cheap online.
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Change video output in Safe Mode. You'll need to connect the controller with a USB cable since Bluetooth functionality to wirelessly connect won't work. Follow these steps to boot into Safe Mode:
- Press and hold the Power button until you hear 2 beeps to turn your PS5 off.
- Wait for your console to turn off (the lights will turn off).
- Press and hold the Power button again and wait for 2 beeps before releasing it.
- You'll see "Safe Mode" in the top left corner of your screen.
  - Once Safe Mode launches and your controller is connected with a USB cable, press the PS5 button, then go to 2. Change Video Output.
  - Select Change HDCP Mode > HDCP 1.4 Only.
  - Your console will restart, but if your screen is still black, return to the previous menu and change the HDCP to Automatic.
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Change the resolution in Safe Mode. Return to Safe Mode using the previous step, then continue here:
- Press the PS5 button once the console is in Safe Mode and your controller is connected with a USB cable.
- Select Change Video Output.
- Select Change Resolution.
- You'll see a message on-screen that the PS5 will restart, and you can then select the resolution.
- Select OK.
- Press the PS5 button on your controller to use it, then select a resolution to use: Automatic, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, or 2160p.
- To get rid of your black screen issue, you should cycle through every one of these to see which one fixes the black screen. For instance, the first time you're going through this step, select 720p, let your console restart, and if it doesn't work, return to Safe Mode and change the resolution again to 1080i.
  - This is most likely the case if you got a new TV or monitor with a different resolution than your older display.
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Reset your PS5. If you've tried everything else, this is your last and best option for fixing the black screen yourself. Be aware that resetting your console will also get rid of any personalization, including accounts, profiles, and Wi-Fi information. To reset your PS5:
- Launch Safe Mode and connect your controller with a USB cable.
- Select Reset PS5.
- You'll see a message warning you that resetting deletes all users and data from the console.
- Select OK.

Section 2 of 3:

Answers from Around the Web

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Unplug the TV from power for a few minutes, then plug it back in. Many Reddit users found this simple solution fixed the black screen issue for them.^{[3]
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- They also warned that turning it off did not work; you need to physically unplug the TV from the wall outlet.
This Reddit thread points out that a PS5 in an enclosed space can overheat. Likewise, if it's in a dusty environment, the dust can get inside the PS5 and cause it to overheat and not work properly.^{[4]
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Section 3 of 3:

Is this the Black Screen of Death?

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It can be caused by various reasons, including software glitches and faulty HDMI ports. You can easily troubleshoot the BSOD using these easy fixes, like power cycling your TV and console.