If you bought a modern 4K QLED TV and a PS5, you probably expected “4K + smooth 120fps gaming” to be a quick win. But many people run into the same frustrating message: 120Hz doesn’t appear, the TV shows 4K only at 60Hz, or the PS5 says “120Hz not supported.”
The good news is that this is usually a settings + connection issue, not a hardware failure. In most cases, you can fix it in minutes once you follow the right order.
This guide walks you through a practical setup checklist, then covers the most common reasons 120Hz won’t enable—and how to solve each one.
144Hz 4K QLED TV for console gaming
1) Before you start: understand what the PS5 can (and can’t) do
A common misunderstanding is thinking 120Hz is a global PS5 setting that applies to everything. In reality:
The PS5 can output up to 120Hz, but only in games that support 120fps.
Many games offer 120Hz only in a specific mode (often called Performance Mode).
Movies and streaming apps are not “120Hz content.” Your TV can be 120Hz/144Hz capable, but streaming video usually won’t run at 120fps.
So your goal is to ensure:
The TV input supports high refresh
The PS5 is configured correctly
The game is actually running a 120fps mode
2) Hardware checklist (simple, but critical)
Before changing settings, confirm these basics:
Use the correct HDMI port on the TV
Many TVs have multiple HDMI ports, but not all ports support advanced gaming features equally. Use the TV port intended for:
If your TV has ports labeled with “gaming,” “4K 120,” or similar, start there.
Use a reliable HDMI cable
If you see random black screens, “no signal,” or the TV drops back to 60Hz, the cable is often the weak link. A poor cable can still work at 4K60 and fail at higher bandwidth modes.
Quick test: if changing settings causes the screen to flicker, drop out, or go black, swap the cable first.
3) TV settings: the #1 reason 120Hz doesn’t show up
Most modern TVs require you to enable a higher-bandwidth mode per HDMI port. This might be called:
Enhanced HDMI
HDMI Enhanced Format
4K High Bandwidth
HDMI 2.1 Mode
Input Signal Plus
If this is OFF, your TV may “cap” the input at 4K60 even though the panel supports more.
What to do
Open TV Settings
Find HDMI / External Inputs / Input Signal settings
Enable the enhanced/high bandwidth mode on the exact port your PS5 uses
Save, then restart the TV (if prompted)
Important: Some TVs store these settings per HDMI port. Enabling it on HDMI 1 won’t help if your PS5 is on HDMI 3.
4) PS5 settings: the correct setup order
On the PS5, go to:
Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output
Then follow this practical setup:
Step A: Resolution
Set Resolution to Automatic (or 2160p if your display detects it correctly). Automatic usually works best during troubleshooting.
Step B: 120Hz Output
If you see 120 Hz Output, set it to Automatic.
Step C: VRR (optional but recommended if your TV supports it)
If your TV supports VRR and you want smoother frame pacing:
Enable VRR
If you’re troubleshooting a signal problem, temporarily turn VRR off, confirm 120Hz works, then turn VRR back on.
Step D: HDR settings
HDR doesn’t “create” 120Hz. It’s separate. If you’re stuck, set HDR to On When Supported and keep the rest simple.
5) The game setting most people miss: Performance Mode
Even with the TV and PS5 configured correctly, many games require you to select the right game mode.
Go to:
Settings → Saved Data and Game/App Settings → Game Presets → Performance Mode or Resolution Mode
Set it to Performance Mode.
Then, inside certain games, you may still need to enable:
120Hz Mode
Performance Mode
High Frame Rate Mode
Reality check: if the game doesn’t support 120fps, the PS5 won’t output 120Hz for it.
6) How to confirm you’re actually running 120Hz
Don’t rely on “it feels smoother.” Confirm it.
Option A: Check TV info panel
Most TVs have an “Info” or “Signal” menu that shows:
resolution (e.g., 3840×2160)
refresh rate (e.g., 120Hz)
Option B: Check PS5 video output info
On PS5, go to:
Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output → Video Output Information
Look for a refresh rate or output mode that indicates higher refresh behavior.
If you only see 60Hz, go back to the troubleshooting section below.
7) Fix “120Hz Not Supported” — common causes and solutions
Cause 1: Wrong HDMI port
Symptom: 120Hz option never appears, even after enabling settings.
Fix: Move PS5 to a different HDMI port—preferably the one intended for gaming/high refresh—then re-enable enhanced HDMI mode for that port.
Cause 2: Enhanced HDMI / high bandwidth mode is off
Symptom: TV always reports 4K60.
Fix: Enable enhanced mode on that exact port and restart the TV.
Cause 3: Cable can’t handle the signal reliably
Symptom: screen goes black when enabling 120Hz, flickers, drops signal, or falls back to 60Hz.
Fix: Swap the HDMI cable. This is the fastest way to isolate a bandwidth issue.
Cause 4: Game doesn’t support 120fps (or it’s not enabled)
Symptom: PS5 settings look correct, but output stays at 60Hz in most games.
Fix: Confirm the game supports 120fps and you enabled its high frame rate mode. Also set PS5 Game Preset to Performance Mode.
Cause 5: VRR compatibility quirks
Symptom: 120Hz works only when VRR is off, or you get flicker.
Fix: Turn VRR off, confirm stable 120Hz, then re-enable VRR. If flicker persists, keep VRR off for that specific game or reduce optional processing on the TV.
Cause 6: TV picture mode blocks gaming features
Symptom: high refresh options don’t trigger unless you switch modes.
Fix: Use Game Mode (or allow ALLM to enable it automatically). Some TVs limit high refresh features in certain picture modes.
8) A clean “start-over” reset that solves many issues
If you’ve changed too many settings and aren’t sure what worked, do this:
Power off PS5 and TV
Unplug both for 30 seconds
Plug TV in, turn it on first
Enable enhanced HDMI mode on the correct port
Connect PS5, power it on
Set PS5 120Hz output to Automatic
Test with a confirmed 120fps game in Performance/120Hz mode
This “order of operations” fixes a lot of handshake problems.
Source:
