Input lag is the delay between pressing a button or moving the controller and seeing the game respond. Most of the time, people blame the controller, but the TV/Monitor, HDMI connection, game settings, or network can also cause all kinds of Input lag on PS5s. Since there are quite a few possible reasons for Input Delay on PS5, we're going to guide you through all the currently known and working fixes.

Takeaways:

  1. PS5 input lag can come from the display, HDMI connection, controller, game settings, or network.
  2. Testing each part of your PS5 setup separately helps find out what is causing the delayed response between controllers and the action taking place on screen.

How to Fix Input Lag on PlayStation 5

Rather than instantly blaming your DualSense controller and your PS5, the first thing to check is your TV and the settings that you are using. Most new TVs use smoothing, noise reduction, sharpening, and other processing to improve picture quality. Some of this processing adds latency because the TV must process the image before displaying it.

  • Open the TV's picture settings while the PS5 input is selected.
  • Select Game, Game Optimiser, Low Latency, or the equivalent mode.
  • Disable motion smoothing, frame interpolation, noise reduction, and other unnecessary picture-processing features.
  • If your TV has an A/V Sync or lip-sync setting, test with it disabled as well.
  • On the PS5, open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output.
  • Set ALLM to Automatic if your TV supports it.

ALLM allows a compatible TV to automatically switch to its low-latency mode when gaming. If your TV does not support ALLM or does not switch modes correctly, enable Game Mode manually.

Don't expect to have all of these options on your TV, and don't expect making all of these changes to have a massive change. They are part of a collection of fixes you should be working on.

Try Using Performance Mode in the Game

If you are only having issues with a single game or a small selection of games, try using Performance Mode. This isn't available in all games, but if the game with issues has the option, use it and see what happens. Below is a generic way to access this option.

  • Open Settings > Saved Data and Game/App Settings > Game Presets.
  • Select Performance Mode or Resolution Mode > Performance Mode.
  • Open the affected game's display or graphics settings.
  • Select Performance, 60 FPS, or 120 Hz mode if available.
  • Open Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output and leave 120 Hz Output and VRR set to Automatic when supported.

Connect the PS5 Directly to Your TV

If you are running your PS5 through something before it gets to the TV, connect it directly. The more junk that you have in the display chain, the more issues you'll have with Input Lag.

Test Your DualSense Controller Over USB

If inputs pause, arrive in bursts, or affect only one controller, test the DualSense directly through USB.

Simply connecting a cable does not necessarily switch the controller to wired communication. The PS5 can continue using Bluetooth unless the communication method is changed.

  • Connect the DualSense directly to the PS5 using a USB data cable.
  • Open Settings > Accessories > Controller (General) > Communication Method.
  • Select Use USB Cable.
  • Test the PS5 menus and the same offline game.
  • If the problem disappears, move nearby wireless devices away from the console and test Bluetooth again.
  • Open Settings > Accessories > Controller (General) > DualSense Wireless Controller Device Software and install any available update.

Check the HDMI Cable You're Using

HDMI cables are quite a common cause of Input Lag. Really long, cheap or old-format HDMI cables are worth evaluating. For example, I had a cheap 10m HDMI cable, and the input lag is noticeable compared to a higher-quality 1.5m cable. If you don't have a choice but to use a long cable, make sure it is a decent-quality one.