PS5 keeps turning off by itself? Here's how to fix it

While there are a lot of potential problems with game consoles, random shutoffs have to be among the worst, perhaps second only to a console dying completely. If your PlayStation 5 keeps turning off by itself, here are some of the reasons why that might be happening — and what you can do to prevent it.

5 reasons why your PS5 randomly turns off, and how to fix it

Some of the items in this list might seem obvious to check, but others won’t be — and you might have to do a little detective work if you suspect one of them is to blame.

1. Overheating

Like most modern electronics, the PS5 is engineered to shut down if gets dangerously hot. This one should be relatively easy to scan for — the next time you play a game, wait until you’re about 15 to 30 minutes in or later, then touch the side of your console and put your hand in front of its vent. If the heat seems unusual, it’s time to take action.

Make sure that your console is sitting in a well-ventilated space, and not exposed to direct sunlight for hours at a time. You may also need to purge dust from the inside, in which case you’ll need a can of compressed air, and possibly a Torx T8 screwdriver to open up your PS5 and/or clean out the fan. In fact, that fan is a dust magnet, so it should be a focus if there seems to be a lot of build-up in general. As a preventative measure, set up a regular cleaning schedule for your PS5 to keep the console mostly dust-free inside and out.

2. A weak power connection

The PS5 tends to consume anywhere between 200 and 350W of power if it’s not in Rest Mode. That’s not as much as a gaming PC, but it’s still more than a lot of other appliances, so it’s possible that it might not be getting enough juice if it’s sharing a powerbar with other high-demand electronics and they’re all on at the same time. Some other examples of power-hungry devices can include heaters, air conditioners, and yes, some TVs.

On a simpler level, it’s worth checking that your power cable is undamaged and firmly plugged in at both ends. A loose connection may only work intermittently, and damage can not only affect power, but pose a fire hazard — stop using your PS5 immediately if it looks like the cable is browning or severely frayed. In that scenario, you’ll have to get a replacement cable.

3. Rest Mode

Speaking of Rest Mode, it’s worth enabling most of the time, since it can keep downloads and controller charging going while using a fraction of the energy a “live” PS5 needs. If it’s causing havoc, however, you’ll want to turn it off, and instead fully power-down your console when you’re away. Go to Settings > Power Saving > Rest Mode and select Don’t Put in Rest Mode.

4. Outdated firmware

Sony periodically updates the PS5’s firmware to fix bugs and add features — a September 2023 update added support for Dolby Atmos and 8TB M.2 drives, for example. It’s the bugfixes we’re concerned about though, so be sure to go to Settings > System > System Software > System Software Update to see if a new download’s available.

5. HDMI Link

This feature turns your TV on whenever your PS5 powers on, something many people would consider a basic convenience. But there’s a non-zero possibility that it’s causing your console to drop into Rest Mode or shut off completely, in which case you may need to disable it by going to Settings > System > HDMI. Just remember to keep your TV remote handy, and hit that power button before each gaming session.