How to change the audio output on PS4 consoles

How to change the audio output on PS4 consoles

Learn how to change the audio output on your PlayStation®4 console.

How to change the primary audio output port on PS4 consoles

When you connect your PlayStation®4 console to your TV, home theater, or other connected device, the audio format that is output from the PS4™ console is automatically optimized for that device. If you connect a device to the PS4 console's DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) port, you can manually change the audio output setting.

  1. Go to Settings > Sound and Screen.
  2. Select Audio Output Settings > Primary Output Port.
  3. Select DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL).
  • Note that if the selected output format from the PS4 console is not supported by the connected device, the speakers might be damaged.
  • If a device that is not compatible with the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) standard is connected to the PS4 console using an HDMI cable, video and audio cannot be output from the console. You can turn HDCP off for gameplay only by following the instructions below.

How to change HDCP settings on PS4 consoles

HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, and it prevents gameplay and video content from being recorded using external computers or video capture systems. By default, it is encoded on the HDMI output on the PS4 console.

You can enable or disable HDCP setting by following the steps below.

  1. Go to Settings > System.
  2. In the Enable HDCP setting, place a check in the box to enable, or remove the check to disable HDCP.
  3. Acknowledge that all applications will close when you make this change.
  • This feature works for gameplay only. If you attempt to play a Blu-Ray, DVD, or DRM video through a streaming service, the PS4 console will display a message instructing you to enable HDCP to view the content.

How to set output to headphones

You can set the audio that is output to your compatible headset. You can select all audio, or only chat audio.

  1. Go to Settings > Sound and Screen.
  2. Select Audio Output Settings > Output to Headphones. The default setting is Chat Audio.

How to set audio format (priority)

You can set the format of audio output from the PS4 console.

  1. Go to Settings > Sound and Screen.
  2. Select Audio Output Settings > Audio Format (Priority). The default setting is Linear PCM.

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