For most setups, set Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR to On When Supported, then run Adjust HDR with your TV in the HDR gaming picture mode you plan to use. This keeps SDR games and apps in SDR while allowing HDR content to use HDR output. Choose Always On only if you prefer the PS5 to convert SDR content to HDR output; it does not add HDR detail that was not authored into the content. Sony documents both options and the adjustment path.
Which PS5 HDR setting should you choose?
On PS5, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR. Sony describes HDR as offering a wider contrast, color, and brightness range than Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). The setting determines how the console handles content that was not made for HDR:
| PS5 option | What it does | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| On When Supported | Uses HDR for content that supports HDR and leaves non-HDR games and apps in SDR. | Choose this for conventional SDR/HDR switching. |
| Always On | Converts SDR content to HDR output as well as outputting HDR content. | Choose it only if you prefer that converted presentation. It is not a universal quality upgrade and does not create authored HDR detail. |
The distinction is about output treatment, not a single best-looking preset for every game. Sony’s HDR support page explains the available modes.
How to run Adjust HDR on PS5
- Confirm the display and connection. Check that the TV or monitor supports HDR and connect the PS5 to an HDR-capable HDMI input. If HDR or expected video modes are missing, check the TV manual for an HDMI input-format or enhanced-format setting. The PS5 Video Output screen also reports the connected HDMI device’s supported features. Sony’s 4K resolution and video output guide explains the connection checks.
- Set the TV’s gaming HDR mode. Use the picture mode you intend to use while playing. If the TV offers HGiG, check the TV’s own manual and confirm it is available for that model and gaming mode before selecting it.
- Choose the PS5 HDR behavior. Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > HDR and select On When Supported or Always On according to the distinction above.
- Run the console adjustment. Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Adjust HDR and follow the on-screen prompts. Sony confirms the menu path but does not publish one universal click count or brightness value for every display. Use the prompts with the display mode you actually play in.
Adjust HDR is a starting configuration for the connected setup, not a certificate that every TV is calibrated identically. The display’s tone mapping and capabilities affect how the calibration screens and games appear. Changing the TV’s HDR processing later can change the result, so run the console adjustment again if you change to a different tone-mapping mode.
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HGiG or TV tone mapping: which should you use?
HGiG is an optional, model-dependent gaming HDR behavior, not a PS5 requirement. LG says HGiG is intended to align the display’s rendering with game creators, but support varies by TV, console, and game. It can appear darker than Tone Mapping On; a darker image by itself does not mean the TV or PS5 is faulty. LG’s HGiG guidance describes its implementation and notes that menu paths differ across models and software versions.
If your TV supports HGiG in its gaming mode, you can try it before running Adjust HDR. Otherwise, use the TV’s supported gaming HDR mode and its own instructions. HGiG background recommendations discuss calibration-screen visibility, but they do not establish a numeric recipe that applies to every television. The HDR Gaming Interest Group document is background guidance, not a PS5-specific troubleshooting procedure.
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Why PS5 HDR can look washed out, dim, or clipped
Start with the signal path and display mode rather than repeatedly moving the PS5 adjustment. PS5 consoles support 4K and HDR, but the image quality available depends on the connected home entertainment equipment. Enabling HDR on the console cannot make an SDR-only screen HDR-capable, and a TV input may need to be configured to expose its expected video features. Sony notes that TV-side changes may be needed for HDMI 2.1 features.
- HDR is unavailable or not detected: Check that the display supports HDR, that the PS5 is connected to an HDR-capable HDMI input, and that the TV’s enhanced or HDR input format is enabled where required. Review the PS5’s Video Output information for the connected device’s supported features.
- The image looks washed out or too dim: Confirm the TV is in the intended gaming HDR picture mode and that its tone-mapping option matches the mode used when you ran Adjust HDR. HGiG may look darker than Tone Mapping On on some LG TVs; that difference alone is not proof of a fault.
- Highlights or shadow detail look wrong in one game: Games can have their own HDR brightness controls, and perceived results also depend on TV processing, room conditions, and model behavior. There is no sourced universal slider value that makes all games look identical.
If HDR still cannot be enabled after checking the display and input configuration, Sony directs users to PlayStation Repairs diagnostics. Avoid changing RGB range as a routine HDR fix: Sony says to change it only when an HDMI device is not sending range information correctly.
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What not to assume about PS5 HDR
- “Always On” is not automatically better. It converts SDR material to HDR output rather than preserving SDR for non-HDR content.
- One console calibration cannot standardize every display. TV tone mapping and model-specific behavior influence the result.
- There is no universal brightness recipe. Sony’s guide supplies the adjustment path, not one numerical value for all TVs.
- You do not necessarily need new hardware. The setup uses the connected PS5 and a compatible HDR display; the cited guidance does not establish that buying a TV, cable, or calibration tool is required.
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