How to turn off HDCP on your PlayStation 4/5

In the wonderful age of streaming, PlayStation can be your best friend and ally to showcase your favorite games to an audience. One thing that often stands in the way, however, is HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). So, here is how to turn it off so you can stream.

HDCP is an automatic protection system which is enabled by default on PlayStation consoles. It is a setting which essentially encrypts the HDMI signal so that nothing other than a monitor or TV can receive it. So, when it recognizes a capture device, it says hmmm... no thanks.

There is a way to turn it off, however, and it is easy. The HDCP block is more geared towards other media such as films so that they cannot be pirated. There may also be other media associated with games that can't be broadcast, but most standard gameplay will be available and unaffected.

Related: How to stream on Twitch and YouTube from a Mac

Turning off HDCP on your PS4/Pro

• To disable HDCP on your PS4 device, simply:
• Connect your TV through standard HDMI to your TV (no capture device)
• Go to Settings
• Go to System
• Click on the Enable HDCP switch and set it to off
• You should now see your feed appear on your monitor when connected via your capture card/device

Turning off HDCP on your PS5

For your PS5 it is a similar process with one extra step, but it is still very easy so don't fret. Simply:

• Connect your TV through standard HDMI to your TV (no capture device)
• Go to Settings
• Go to System
• Go to HDMI
• Go to HDCP and toggle the option to off
• You should now see your feed appear on your monitor when connected via your capture card/device

Now you are free to pursue your Twitch/YouTube dreams on your PlayStation. Looking for more content? Why not check out how to stream VR games on Twitch (including PSVR)?