If you are experiencing a flickering screen on your PS4, it’s an issue that is caused by one of five reasons:
- Your SP4 has not been configured correctly (most common reason)
- You have a damaged PS4 HDMI cable
- There is a problem with the PS4 Output setting
- You are using the incorrect PS4 HDMI mode
- You have a HDCP error
The below guide will help you identify which of these five reasons you are experiencing. There is a simple fix for each one.
Why does my PlayStation 4 Keep Flickering?
Reason 1. Your PS4 Has Not Been Configured Correctly
Your PS4 will experience a flickering screen if the settings on your PS4 have not been configured correctly.
This will include the size you have set for the resolution of the screen from your PlayStation. If it is too high, your TV screen may incur difficulty displaying the image without flickering if it cannot support high definition.
THIS IS THE MAIN REASON FOR THE ISSUE OF FLICKERING.
Other reasons why your PS4 will be flickering on and off include;
Reason 2. Damaged PS4 HDMI Cable
If the HDMI cable that is being used to connect your PS4 to your TV is damaged, the image seen on your screen will be distorted and will flicker on and off.
A faulty cable will result in a loss of connection between the two devices and interfere with what is seen on your screen.
Reason 3. PS4 Output Setting
There is an output setting named ‘Deep Colour Output’ in your PS4 settings. If this setting is enabled, it can sometimes cause your PS4 to have a flickering screen.
Reason 4. Incorrect PS4 HDMI Mode
The mode for your HDMI port on your TV needs to correlate with the PS4 version you are using. If your TV supports a 4K image and you have a PS4 Pro, your HDMI port should be set to 2.0 mode.
A TV that does not support high-definition will need to be set to a lower HDMI port mode. If this is incorrect, it can be the cause of a flickering Black screen on your Sony console.
Reason 5. HDCP Error
HDCP is the ‘High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection’ settings that are by default, enabled on your PlayStation 4. This is to ensure you can have access to protected digital shows and games.
If this is turned off, or there is an error with this setting on your console, the output video from your PS4 will have display issues.
How to Fix PS4 Flickering Screen
You can fix the PS4 flickering screen issue by changing the resolution setting on your console. If your TV is struggling to display an image the higher resolution setting may not be supported and will need to be set lower. You can change this on your PS4 by following these four simple steps;
Step 1. Access ‘Settings’ on your console
Step 2. Click on ‘Sound and Screen’
Step 3. Choose ‘Video Output Settings’
Step 4. Select ‘Resolution’
You will now be able to amend this to a lower setting to help prevent your PS4 screen from blinking.
Note, a non-4K TV will need to have a resolution of 1080 or lower.
Additional fixes you can execute on your console that will help fix your PS4 stuck on a flickering screen problem include;
Fix 1. Replace HDMI cable
If your HDMI cable is damaged, you will need to replace it. This will ensure you get a proper connection between your PS4 and TV so there are no problems when transferring the data between the two.
You can first test out a different port to see if the current one you are using is faulty.
FIX 2. Change PS4 Output Setting
If ‘Deep Colour Output’ is currently turned on, you will need to disable this setting to help stop your PS4 from displaying a Black flickering screen.
Step 1. Launch ‘Settings’ on your PS4
Step 2. Select ‘Sound and Screen’
Step 3. Choose ‘Video Output Settings’
Step 4. Click on ‘Deep Colour Output’ and turn it off
You should now relaunch your PS4.
Fix 3. Update PS4 HDMI Mode
If you are an owner of a PS4 Pro and your TV is 4K enabled, you will need to check that your HDMI mode is set at 2.0
A standard PS4 connected to a TV that cannot display a high-definition image will need to be set to 1.4 or on auto.
Check to make sure your mode corresponds with your console and TV.
Fix 4. Check PS4 HDCP setting
There could be an issue with the HDCP setting on your console. You may need to reset your PS4 or disable the HDCP configuration.
How to Power Reset PS4:
Step 1. Unplug your TV from the mains
Step 2. Take the HDMI cable out from both devices
Step 3. After a couple of minutes, reconnect the HDMI and plug your TV back in
This will reset your console including the HDCP.
How to Disable HDCP on PS4:
Step 1. Click on ‘Settings’
Step 2. Select ‘System’
Step 3. Here you will be able to untick ‘Enable HDCP’
If you turn the HDCP off and does not stop the PS4 flickering screen problem, we suggest you re-enable it. Keeping it off can interfere with being able to stream certain programs and movies from online services such as Netflix.
PS4 Flickering No Signal
If your PS4 is flickering with a ‘no signal’ error on the screen, this will confirm your TV is not receiving an adequate amount of signal through the HDMI cable that is connected to your PS4 console. This problem arises because your HDMI cable is damaged, or the port it is connected to is faulty.
Your TV will not be able to display the image associated with the game or application you are using on your PS4. Instead of seeing ‘No Signal’ you might also experience the PS4 no HDMI signal White light on your screen, also known as the ‘PS4 White light of death’ error.
How Do I Fix My PS4 When it Says No signal?
Just like Fix 1. for the PS4 flickering screen problem, testing the HDMI cable and checking that the port is not damaged will help you confirm if you need to replace your cable with a new one.
It is also advised to check your TV’s connection as this could be causing interference with your PlayStation console.
Once this has been checked, you should not experience the PS4 screen flickering with static.
PS4 Lagging and Freezing
If your PS4 is lagging and freezing when you are trying to play, or make use of an online streaming application, you could be dealing with an internet connection problem. Your PS4 needs to be connected to a stable network to process your requests and reach the PSN server.
Additional reasons why your PS4 is lagging and freezing can arise from;
- The game you are attempting to play is causing your PS4 to crash
- The PlayStation server is down
- Your PS4 disk space is too full
- Corrupted software is on your console
If you want to stop your PS4 from lagging and freezing you can execute these four quick solutions;
- Test a different game to check if it is a specific game that is causing the problem
- Free up space on your console
- Restart your PS4
- Complete a system update
Your Sony PlayStation should not incur any further setbacks.
Conclusion
With this guide, we hope you now understand why your PS4 was experiencing a flickering screen, and that one of our solutions was able to stop this error on your Sony.
However, if you are still having problems with your console, there may be an issue with your TV’s hardware or an underlying fault with your PS4.
If that is the case, we recommend that you make use of PlayStation’s support page.
