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Check the console light before changing the TV
Look at the PS5’s power indicator. Solid white means it is on; orange means rest mode. Blue that never settles to white suggests a console startup problem. For a powered-on PS5 with no picture, connect it directly to the screen, then check whether Safe Mode can display an image. That separates a normal-output problem from a path that cannot show even the recovery menu.
Applies to: PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, and PS5 Pro connected to a TV or monitor over HDMI. Display capabilities and console-model-specific video options vary.
When does the picture disappear?
The TV’s no-signal message describes what reaches that input, not which device failed. A PS5 that never finishes starting, one that loses video when a game launches, and one connected through a capture card need different next steps. Keep track of the last image you saw: nothing, the startup logo, the home screen, or a game.
The console light stays blue
Does it ever become solid white?
Check startup stateWhite console light, no picture
Can a direct connection show Safe Mode?
Try the recovery displayHome screen works; a game goes black
Does disabling 120 Hz output change it?
Test the video modeDirect HDMI works; a receiver or capture card does not
Which device brings the failure back?
Isolate the HDMI chain1. Establish whether the console has finished starting
Wake an orange-lit console using its power button or a paired controller. Solid white is the powered-on state. Sony identifies persistent blue or blinking white, rather than the normal transition to steady white, as a console error requiring startup troubleshooting.
The distinction matters because replacing HDMI equipment will not resolve a console that cannot finish booting. If yours keeps switching itself off or never reaches the on state, use PlayStation’s power-indicator guidance and support route. Do not assume a black screen establishes a broken HDMI socket.
2. Remove the intermediate HDMI devices
Connect the PS5 straight to the TV or monitor using its supplied HDMI cable. Bypass the receiver, soundbar passthrough, HDMI switch, splitter, and capture device. Select the input matching that physical port. Then compare one other cable and one other screen input if available.
If direct video works, reconnect one intermediate device at a time. The first addition that reproduces the failure identifies the part of the chain to investigate; it does not automatically prove that device is defective. Its supported video formats and configuration also matter.
If the screen cannot display its own menu or other sources either, use the related TV guides. This page concentrates on a PS5-specific failure instead of repeating every television input check.
3. Try Safe Mode’s video-output controls
Turn the PS5 fully off. From off, hold the power button until the second beep, roughly seven seconds after the first. Connect the controller by USB and press PS. In the visible Safe Mode menu, select Change Video Output, then Change Resolution. Change HDCP Mode is another display-related option in that menu.
If Safe Mode appears but normal startup loses the picture, you have evidence that this connection can carry an image in at least one mode. Use the display options to recover a supported output, then retest normal startup. Do not attempt blind button sequences if you cannot see the menu.
Do not select Reset PS5 or Reset PS5 (Reinstall System Software) to test an HDMI problem. Those choices delete user data. Entering Safe Mode is different from choosing an erase option.
4. If only games lose the signal, test the output mode
With a working picture, open Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output. Sony recommends turning off 120 Hz Output when compatible games cause display problems. Test the same game again. If that restores the image, check your screen’s supported ports, cable, and high-refresh settings before enabling it again.
For 4K flickering, Sony also provides Video Transfer Rate values of -1 and -2 to limit the output. Treat these as separate comparisons and note the original value. Restore a setting if it does not help. Avoid changing resolution, HDR, and refresh options together, because you lose the information about which change mattered.
A working home screen does not establish that every game’s output mode will work through the same equipment. Consult the TV manual for the exact HDMI input’s capabilities, particularly when a receiver or capture device is involved.
5. Restart both ends and compare another screen
Sony’s picture troubleshooting includes fully switching off the screen and console, disconnecting their power for 20 minutes, then reconnecting. Wait for the PS5 to shut down and its power indicator to go out before removing power. Also check the screen manufacturer’s firmware and high-resolution setup instructions.
If possible, try the PS5 directly on another display with a cable known to work. Keep a short comparison record: original screen and cable, replacement cable, second screen, and Safe Mode result. Repeating the same failed setup with different game discs adds little to an HDMI diagnosis.
6. Know when the remaining test needs service
If an awake console cannot produce any image on multiple working displays and cables, including Safe Mode, take those results to PlayStation support. State whether the power light reaches white and whether any startup logo appears. A no-picture report with those details is much more specific than “my PS5 is broken.”
If the connector is visibly damaged or a plug only works when held at an angle, stop forcing it. These checks can narrow the failing path; they cannot establish which board or socket needs replacement without inspection. Use PlayStation’s repair assessment rather than ordering parts from the symptom alone.
Frequently asked questions
Does a white PS5 light prove the HDMI port is broken?
No. It identifies the console’s powered-on state. Compare the direct connection, screen, cable, and Safe Mode before drawing a hardware conclusion.
Why does the PS5 menu work but a game shows a black screen?
The game may switch to a video mode the full connection does not handle. Follow the 120 Hz and output-mode comparison in step 4 while you still have a working menu.
Will the Safe Mode check delete my games?
The display check uses Change Video Output. The separate reset and system-software reinstallation options can erase data and are not part of this guide’s test.
What if Safe Mode is black too?
Do not navigate it blindly. Compare a direct connection, another cable, and another display, and record the power-indicator state for support.
Sources and review notes
Checked on . Sony’s instructions cover power state, HDMI checks, Safe Mode, and video options. The comparison sequence and interpretation are Glitchary diagnostic guidance. Glitchary is independent of Sony.