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For smoother motion, better control over who can see or contact you, and a console interface that fits your needs, start with PS5’s game presets, video output, privacy, and accessibility menus. These settings are preferences—not guarantees: performance options only affect games that support them, while display features depend on your screen and game.
Which PS5 settings can improve performance?
Begin with the game’s own supported modes, then check whether your display can use the video features you want. A console setting cannot make every game run at a particular frame rate or add support the game or screen does not have.
Choose Performance Mode or Resolution Mode
Go to Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets. Choose Performance Mode to favor smoother motion, or Resolution Mode to favor image quality. Sony describes these as game presets; they do not promise a specific frame rate. They apply to PS5 games that offer the relevant modes, and not every preset applies to every game. See PlayStation’s guide to customizing game presets.
This menu also offers presets for difficulty, first- and third-person camera movement, subtitles and audio, and online multiplayer sessions. Treat them as starting preferences: a game may use its own controls or override a preset.
#1 Best Overall
- Heighten Your Senses. Discover Deeper, highly immersive gaming experiences.
- Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback
- Chat online through the built-in microphone or connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack
- Play on more devices Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth wireless technology so you can easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers, Android and iOS mobile phones.
- Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range titles
Match video output to your TV or monitor
Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output. Automatic resolution selects the highest resolution supported by the connected TV. If you use a 1440p display, the Test 1440p Output option can check supported SDR and HDR output at 60 Hz or 120 Hz, as well as VRR when the display supports 1440p.
120 Hz output requires both a compatible display and a game that supports it. VRR (variable refresh rate) adjusts refresh rate in real time, but also depends on a compatible display and game; results can vary by TV. If either feature causes unexpected video behavior, Sony advises turning off the relevant option to troubleshoot. The official PS5 video-output guide describes these settings and their compatibility requirements.
VRR’s Apply to Unsupported Games option may help stabilize frame rate in games that do not support VRR. If it causes unexpected behavior, turn it off. ALLM automatically switches a supported TV into low-latency mode during play. Sony notes that VRR output can activate low-latency mode even when ALLM is set to Off, so check both settings if you are trying to disable that behavior completely.
Rank #2
- Haptic feedback - Feel physically responsive feedback to your in-game actions with dual actuators which replace traditional rumble motors. In your hands, these dynamic vibrations can simulate the feeling of everything from environments to the recoil of different weapons. .Operating temperature : 41 °F to 95 °F (5 °C to 35 °C)
- Adaptive triggers - Experience varying levels of force and tension as you interact with your in-game gear and environments. From pulling back an increasingly tight bowstring to hitting the brakes on a speeding car, feel physically connected to your on-screen actions.
- Built-in microphone and headset jack - Chat with friends online using the built-in microphone or by connecting a headset to the 3.5mm jack. Easily switch voice capture on and off at a moment’s notice with the dedicated mute button. Internet and account for PlayStation Network required.
- DualSense Controller PS5 and PC compatible. Not compatible with PS4.
- PS Remote Play requires Remote Play App connected to Wi-Fi, PS4 or PS5 console with the latest system software and compatible game. A PS4 or PS5 console with a wired connection via a LAN cable is recommended. Version 4.0 of the Remote Play App on iOS and iPadOS or version 4.1 on macOS is required for games to be playable with the controller over Bluetooth.
Choose an HDR preference
With HDR set to On When Supported, non-HDR games and apps remain in SDR. Always On converts even non-HDR-compatible games and apps to HDR output. Neither choice is a universal image-quality upgrade: select the behavior you prefer and use Adjust HDR to calibrate brightness.
Use video transfer-rate limits only to troubleshoot flicker
If the screen flickers, Sony suggests trying Video Transfer Rate at -1 or -2. These options limit some high-bandwidth output modes, so they are troubleshooting steps rather than routine performance tweaks. If the issue persists, restore the setting and check the display connection and compatibility.
Check model-specific controls before looking for them
Sony’s guide limits 8K output and Enhance Image Quality for PS4 Games to the CFI-7000 model group; 8K also requires a compatible TV and supported content. Enhance PSSR Image Quality is likewise limited to CFI-7000 and applies to certain PSSR-compatible games. These are not universal PS5 settings.
Rank #3
- Bring gaming worlds to life - Feel your in-game actions and environment simulated through haptic feedback*. Experience varying force and tension at your fingertips with adaptive triggers*
- Find your voice, share your passion - Chat online through the built-in microphone. Connect a headset directly via the 3.5mm jack. Record and broadcast your epic gaming moments with the create button
- A gaming icon in your hands - Enjoy a comfortable, evolved design with an iconic layout and enhanced sticks. Hear higher-fidelity** sound effects through the built-in speaker in supported games
- Multi-device connectivity - Connect using a USB Type-C cable or Bluetooth technology and easily play on more devices including Windows PC and Mac computers.
- Elevate PC gaming with advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in a range of blockbuster PC titles.
How do I change PS5 privacy settings?
Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Privacy. You can select a preset profile or review individual controls. Sony offers four presets, each representing a different approach to social visibility:
| Preset | General orientation |
|---|---|
| Social and Open | More open social visibility and interaction |
| Team Player | Emphasis on playing and interacting with others |
| Friend Focused | More limited to friends |
| Solo and Focused | More limited social interaction |
These are broad profiles, not substitutes for checking what each control does. Individual settings cover areas such as real name and profile-picture visibility, profile details, online status and current activity, gaming history, friend requests, parties, games and messages, blocking, and crossplay game invitations. Choose according to who you want to find you, view your activity, or contact you. Privacy changes are linked to your account and carry across devices. See PlayStation’s privacy settings guide.
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A family manager, parent, or guardian can set a child’s privacy profile and decide which controls the child may change. Parents and guardians can also view a child’s activity through the PS Family app. The controls available to a child can therefore differ from those available to an adult account; consult Sony’s child-account privacy guidance for details.
Rank #4
- Ultra Customizable Controls
- Mappable Back Buttons
- DualSense Wireless Controller Features Built In
- Replaceable Stick Modules and Caps
Which PS5 accessibility settings should I check?
Open Settings > Accessibility. The menu includes display and text options, a screen reader, closed captions, chat transcription, mono audio, controller settings, haptic feedback, and game accessibility information. You can add Accessibility to Control Center for quicker access. Options affect the console experience, but support for in-game features varies by title.
Make text and motion easier to use
Under display and text settings, you can adjust color filters and their intensity, text size, bold text, contrast, check marks for enabled settings, auto-scroll speed, and reduced motion. Invert Colors reverses text and background colors and turns HDR off, so check the display result if you use it.
Use captions and chat transcription where supported
Closed captions provide on-screen text for supported content. Chat transcription can convert other players’ voice chat to text and read aloud text you enter. In-game chat transcription requires support from the game. Sony’s Canada regional guide lists English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish for chat transcription; language availability can vary by region. Consult the PlayStation accessibility settings guide for the documented options.
Best Value
- Enjoy precise, comfortable control over 10,000+ supported Steam games.
- Easily pair the controller directly to your Windows PC via Bluetooth or play as you charge with the included USB Type-C cable
- Stay paired with up to four different Bluetooth devices, making it easy to enjoy the controller across Windows PC, Mac, PS5 consoles and smartphones. Discover more connection tips and tricks at playstation.com/pair-dualsense
- Access the latest available controller firmware directly from your PC with the free-todownload PlayStation Accessories app
- Play games streamed from your PS5 or PS4 console to your PC via the PS Remote Play App
Check controller, audio, and game-specific support
Haptic feedback settings have hardware limits: Sony’s guide identifies support for DualSense, DualSense Edge, and PS VR2 Sense controllers. For sound, Settings > Sound includes output-device selection and automatic device switching. Sony’s audio settings guide also describes microphone controls, including muting by default or when unused; available behavior can depend on connected equipment.
Before starting a game, use the console’s game accessibility information panel to check which features that title supports. Console-level settings do not guarantee that every game has the same captions, controls, or accessibility options.
Quick Recap
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