The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is one of the most popular gaming consoles out today, partly due to its advanced hardware that improves graphics, increases FPS and reduces loading times.
But as is often the case with high-end consoles, with great power, comes an enormous amount of heat. It’s not just the PS5 that faces this issue either, there have been plenty of reports of the Xbox Series X overheating too.
How to Fix an Overheating PS5
Move Your PS5
As with any console, one of the main reasons your console can overheat is due to poor placement. If your PS5’s vents are blocked or don’t have enough room, the exhaust fans might not be able to push out enough hot air, stopping your PS5 from cooling efficiently.
If you only have a small area to work with, this might be difficult but try to make sure you leave as much room as possible for your PS5 to ensure efficient cooling. Placing your PS5 in a small gap, as pictured below makes it much more likely that your console won’t be able to circulate air efficiently and start to overheat.
Think about where you’ve placed your console, is it in direct sunlight? Is it near a radiator? Anything in your room that could make it get hotter quicker is best avoided.
Clean Your PS5
This one might sound obvious to some people, but as dust builds up around the exhaust vents, it can cause issues with overheating as the fans are no longer able to extract hot air as efficiently.
Make sure to clean your console on a regular basis, especially around the vents to keep it dust-free. You should also make sure that you keep your console off the floor, especially if you have a carpet, as this can make the build-up of dust a problem much quicker.
Use External Cooling
There are various third-party fans and stands designed specifically for the PS5, and while you wouldn’t normally need these, as the PS5’s internal cooling is sufficient in most cases if you live in a warmer climate, or have less space, external cooling might be the best option to help your stop your PS5 from overheating.
Update System Software
Sony frequently releases software updates that can optimize the system performance, which in turn can help improve the PS5’s cooling efficiency. While this won’t always solve the issue of the PS5 overheating, it’s a simple task that could help.
Not only is there a chance this could help with cooling issues, but it can also lead to awesome new features, as well as various other bug fixes, so it’s worth keeping your console up to date either way.
Place Your PS5 Vertically
While Sony designed the PS5 to be used both vertically and horizontally, many users have reported that placing the console vertically has helped improve heat dissipation.
As there are vents on the top of the console, and of course hot air rises, it makes sense that having the console placed vertically would result in better cooling.
Not only will placing your PS5 vertically potentially help with cooling, but doing so will also take up less space, as an added bonus.
Replace the Thermal Paste
In some cases, you might need to replace your PS5’s thermal paste. However, this should only be done if you have experience working with liquid metal and computer components.
If you’re thinking about replacing the thermal paste, there is a great guide on how to do this from TronicsFix below.
You might also want to check your PS5’s fans too. If you hear any unusual noises coming from your console, it could be time to replace the fan.
