PS4 Green Screen (Discoloration) Issue – How to Fix It?

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 / By

While the PC versus console debate is an everlasting one with many factors involved, one thing that we can all agree on is the fact that a console is the best option for those who are looking for convenience, as they are designed to allow you to load up a game as quickly as possible.

That being said, even though it’s true that you’re more likely to face technical issues on a PC, this doesn’t necessarily mean that consoles are completely free of such problems, meaning that you will need to perform a bit of troubleshooting now and then to get things back in working order.

In today’s article, our topic will be one particular problem that you can face while you’re using your PS4 where the screen turns completely green, regardless of whether you’re in the menus or a game, and practically makes it impossible to use your PS4 until the issue is resolved.

So, how can you fix the issue of your PS4 displaying a green screen?

Below, you can find the solutions we recommend applying to resolve the green screen issue that you are encountering on your PS4:

  • Power cycle your monitor or TV.
  • Power cycle your PS4.
  • Disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable on both ends.
  • Clean the HDMI ports and connectors on both ends.
  • Disable HDCP on your PS4.
  • Change the RGB Range setting on your PS4.
  • Connect the HDMI cable to a different port on the monitor or TV.
  • Replace the HDMI cable with a new one.
  • Connect your PS4 to another monitor or TV.

In the following sections, we will further discuss the solutions we recommend applying to fix the green screen issue you’re experiencing on your PS4 and find out what can contribute to the occurrence of this problem.

How to Fix the PS4 Green Screen (Discoloration) Issue?

Turning your PS4 on for some gaming and seeing that the screen is entirely green can definitely be a worrisome experience, especially if you haven’t encountered any issues related to your PS4 up until now.

Below, you can find sub-sections for all the fixes we recommend applying if you are encountering the green screen problem on your PS4, where we will have detailed guides on the processes of applying each individual solution and explain how that particular process can contribute to fixing the problem.

Power Cycle Your Monitor or TV

Power cycling the monitor or the TV that your PS4 is connected to is the very first solution we recommend applying, as it’s the most straightforward process on our list that has the potential to automatically resolve minor display connectivity issues and save you from having to dive deeper into the troubleshooting process.

Here is a quick step-by-step guide that you can follow to power cycle your monitor or TV:

  1. Turn your monitor or TV off by pressing the Power button.
  2. Unplug your monitor or TV from power.
  3. Wait for a minute or two while the device is unplugged from power.
  4. Plug the monitor or TV back into power.
  5. Turn the monitor or TV back on.

Following the procedure above will cause your monitor or TV to re-initialize, causing the HDMI connection between it and your PS4 to be refreshed in the process.

Power Cycle Your PS4

The following solution on our list is to power cycle the PS4, which is another straightforward process you can get done in less than a minute to potentially automatically resolve the issue you’re facing before we move on to the more demanding troubleshooting steps.

Below, we have outlined the steps that you can follow to power cycle your PS4:

  1. Press and hold the Power button on your PS4 until the power indicator light completely goes off, indicating that the PS4 is fully powered off.
  2. Unplug the PS4 from power.
  3. Wait for a minute or two while the PS4 is unplugged from power.
  4. Plug the PS4 back into power.
  5. Press the Power button on your PS4 to turn it back on.

Following the procedure above will cause all the hardware and software components of your PS4 to re-initialize, prompting the display connection between it and the monitor to be refreshed in the process.

Disconnect and Reconnect the HDMI Cable on Both Ends

Disconnecting the HDMI cable on both ends and reconnecting it is a simple solution that will reset the link between the monitor and the PS4, make it possible to verify the integrity of the cable, and ensure that the connectors are correctly seated in the ports.

For this process, you can start by pulling out the HDMI cable from one of the devices first, followed by the other, to free both connectors from the ports.

After disconnecting the HDMI cable completely, our recommendation would be to thoroughly inspect the cable and the connectors on both ends for any signs of damage (burnt, broken, or bent connector, kinked cable, exposed wires, etc.) to ensure that the cable does not have any visible issues.

Once you have confirmed that the cable has no visible issues, you can plug the cable back into the devices while ensuring that the connector is fully pushed into the port.

When the HDMI connector is correctly connected to a port, you shouldn’t be able to see it from the outside, and it should sit tightly in the port without any wiggle.

Clean the HDMI Ports and Connectors on Both Ends

In some cases, cleaning the HDMI ports on the devices and the connectors on the cable can become necessary to ensure a healthy connection, as dust and dirt can eventually find their way into these spaces and prevent the data from being transmitted as intended.

Below, you can find a step-by-step guide that you can follow to clean the HDMI ports and connectors:

  1. Turn your PS4 off and unplug it from power.
  2. Turn your monitor/TV off and unplug it from power.
  3. Unplug the HDMI cable from both ends.
  4. Lightly brush the ports and the connectors with a soft brush to get rid of the dust.
  5. Remove the dust inside the ports and the connectors by blowing compressed air into them.
  6. Clean the ports and the connectors thoroughly with a cotton bud that is lightly soaked with isopropyl alcohol.
  7. For safety purposes, give the isopropyl alcohol a few hours to dry before you plug your devices back into power.

Please ensure that the connectors and the ports are completely dry before you plug the devices into power to prevent permanent damage.

Disable HDCP on Your PS4

Some users have reported that disabling HDCP resolved the green screen issue they’re facing on their PS4, which is a simple enough solution that is definitely worth trying, especially considering that HDCP directly impacts the signal that travels through the HDMI connection.

To disable HDCP on your PS4, you can follow the steps below:

  1. Navigate to the PS4 dashboard by pressing the PlayStation button on the controller.
  2. Navigate to the Settings section from the dashboard.
  3. Navigate to the System section.
  4. Uncheck the box next to the Enable HDCP entry.

Please note that disabling HDCP can prevent you from accessing video streaming services, such as Netflix, on your PS4, which is why we recommend putting it back on if it doesn’t solve your problem.

Change the RGB Range Setting on Your PS4

Another simple fix worth trying is changing the RGB range setting on your PS4, which technically alters the data that the PS4 sends to your monitor over the HDMI connection and can help you get rid of the green screen problem in some cases.

To change the RGB Range setting on your PS4, you can follow the steps we have outlined below:

  1. Navigate to the PS4 dashboard by pressing the PlayStation button on the controller.
  2. Navigate to the Settings section through the dashboard.
  3. Navigate to the Sound and Screen section in Settings.
  4. Navigate to the Video Output Settings section.
  5. Select the RGB Range option from the menu.
  6. Switch the RGB Range setting to Limited.

If modifying the RGB range setting does not solve your problem, we recommend returning it to its original value.

Connect the HDMI Cable to a Different Port on the Monitor or TV

As a malfunctioning HDMI port can easily be the reason behind the HDMI connection between your PS4 and monitor (or TV) not behaving as intended, connecting the cable to another port you haven’t tried before can sometimes fix the connection and resolve the problem you’re facing.

For this solution, all you will need to do is to locate the spare port on your TV or monitor and plug the HDMI cable that runs from your PS4 into that port instead.

While the HDMI ports are usually located next to each other on most monitors, you may have to look at different areas, such as the sides (or the back if you’re already using a port on the side) if you’re using a TV.

Replace the HDMI Cable With a New One

If any solutions that don’t involve the replacement of hardware did not solve the problem in your case, starting by changing the HDMI cable is the best way to move forward, as a malfunctioning HDMI cable is perfectly capable of creating the issue you’re facing, and it’s a simple one cheap one to replace.

While there isn’t anything specific that you need to be aware of when purchasing the HDMI cable, we highly recommend going with one from a reputable brand and seller, as this will drastically reduce the chance of you experiencing a problem related to the cable down the line.

Even though cheaper cables will usually do the job, it’s generally not worth taking the risk of the HDMI cable malfunctioning due to poor quality, as such a scenario usually ends up with a lot of time wasted on troubleshooting.

Connect Your PS4 to Another Monitor or TV

The next and final solution we recommend trying regarding the green screen problem is to connect your PS4 to another monitor or TV, which is essentially a direct way to determine whether the problem resides with the PS4 or the monitor (or TV) you’re using.

If you don’t experience the green screen problem after connecting your PS4 to an entirely different monitor or TV with a new HDMI cable, we can practically conclude that the problem lies with the monitor or TV you have been using and that your PS4 isn’t the culprit.

On the other hand, if the green screen issue persists, even with a new HDMI cable and a new monitor (or TV), a hardware problem related to your PS4 is highly likely.

What Causes the PS4 Green Screen (Discoloration) Issue?

Having a better understanding of what causes the green screen issue to appear on your monitor or TV when you’re using your PS4 is the best way to have better control of the situation and not panic upon encountering the problem.

The green screen issue you’re encountering on your PS4 results from a corrupted HDMI connection between the PS4 and the monitor (or TV), which can stem from many factors ranging from a problematic HDMI port on either device to a malfunctioning HDMI cable.

Fortunately, in most cases, the green screen problem can be resolved through minor troubleshooting processes such as power cycling the devices and reconnecting the cable, as unfixable hardware errors on either device causing the issue is a rare case.

Conclusion

Even though it can be incredibly distressing to see the screen suddenly turn green while you’re enjoying a game on your PS4, solving this problem, in most cases, is a straightforward process that you can go through in a few minutes.

Here is a quick summary of the solutions we recommend applying to resolve the PS4 green screen problem:

  • Power cycle your monitor or TV to resolve any minor connectivity issues from the monitor/TV side.
  • Power cycle your PS4 to resolve any minor connectivity issues from the PS4 side.
  • Disconnect and reconnect the HDMI cable to ensure that the connectors aren’t damaged and are seated tightly in the ports.
  • Clean the HDMI ports and the cable’s connectors to eliminate the chance of dust and dirt preventing a healthy connection.
  • Disable the HDCP on your PS4 feature to rule out the possibility of it causing the issue.
  • Change the RGB range setting on your PS4 to alter the signal that goes to the TV from the PS4.
  • Connect the HDMI cable to a different port on your TV or monitor to rule out the possibility of the problem being related to a particular port.
  • Replace the HDMI cable to ensure that the cable is not the culprit behind the problem.
  • Connect your PS4 to another monitor or TV to determine whether the PS4 or the monitor/TV is the problem.

While highly unlikely, if none of the solutions we have mentioned above has worked for you, we highly recommend contacting Playstation Support as a hardware issue (potentially related to the HDMI port on your console) is the most plausible explanation in such a scenario.