Playing games on your PS4 or PS5 can be incredibly fun, and sometimes you might want to record or stream your gameplay to share it with others.
However, HDCP can prevent you from recording gameplay. So how can you disable it on the PS4 and PS5?
We have found that you can easily disable HDCP on both the PS4 and the PS5 by going to Settings, Systems, then unchecking the box “Enable HDCP.”
You will now be able to record gameplay. This will prevent you from using any streaming apps, but you can enable HDCP again to watch shows.
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What Is HDCP?
First things first: what is HDCP?
HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Copyright Protection. It is a type of encryption technology that protects digital audio and video from being copied by electronic devices.
The way it works is simple: every time you connect something to a device with HDCP, a signal is sent to check if the connected piece of technology has HDCP installed as well.
If the connected device does have HDCP, you will be able to transfer or stream copyrighted content to it.
But if it does not, the HDCP technology will prevent the audio or video from being shared. Thus, it blocks any potential attempts to copy digital content.
Why Is HDCP a Problem?
HDCP can be a huge problem on the PS4 or PS5 if you are trying to record a video of your gameplay.
If you want to record a video of your gameplay on an external device, like a capture card, the HDCP will sense this.
And, since the device will be copying the video that’s displayed on the PS4 or PS5, HDCP will immediately block the connection.
It’s legal to record gameplay videos, but HDCP does this because the PS4 and PS5 can also stream copyrighted content from streaming apps like Netflix. So, to protect the content, HDCP blocks all potential recording or copying devices.
This then blocks you from doing things like recording for a YouTube channel, live streaming on Twitch, or simply sharing gameplay videos with your friends.
Thus, you need to disable HDCP on the PS4 or PS5 to be able to record gameplay.
What Is a Capture Card?
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A capture card is a gadget that you can plug into a device , like a PS4 or PS5, so that you can easily record what’s being shown on the display.
If you have a PS5, you could technically record gameplay with its built-in features, but it’s a simple tool that doesn’t let you spruce up the video for more elaborate setups, like for live streaming.
Thus, capture cards are often the most efficient way to record gameplay. Just make sure that the capture card can match the video resolution of your display, so you can get a high-quality recording.
How to Disable HDCP on a PS4 and PS5?
There are slight differences between disabling HDCP on the PS4 and the PS5. We will be breaking this down for each model.
How to Disable HDCP on the PS4?
To disable HDCP on the PS4, follow these simple steps:
- Plug your PS4 into your display device .
- Connect your controller to the PS4 .
- Go up into the cross-media bar from the home screen.
- Click on Settings.
- Navigate to System.
- Find Enable HDCP and uncheck it.
- A prompt will show up to confirm your choice. Choose Yes.
The screen will go black for a few seconds, then it will go back to normal.
You should now be able to record gameplay on your PS4 without any issues! Simply plug in your capture card and set it up.
How to Disable HDCP on the PS5?
To disable HDCP on the PS5, you can follow these easy steps:
- Plug your PS5 into your display device.
- Connect your controller to the PS5 .
- Click on the Settings in the top right corner.
- Scroll until you find System.
- Choose HDMI.
- Make sure Enable HDCP is unchecked.
You should now be able to connect a capture card to your PS5 and record your gameplay!
Does Disabling HDCP Affect Your PS4 and PS5?
In short: yes, disabling HDCP will affect what you can do with your PS4 and PS5.
However, it doesn’t affect either model in a serious, irreversible way, so don’t worry too much.
What happens when you disable HDCP on your PS4 or PS5? As we explained above, HDCP protects copyrighted content from being copied or recorded.
So if it’s disabled, both the PS4 and PS5 have a backup strategy to keep copyrighted content safe: they prevent you from using certain functions.
You will be able to play all the games you own, just as you normally do. The only things you won’t be allowed to use (as long as HDCP is disabled) are the streaming apps like Netflix.
This allows the PS4 and PS5 to prevent possible pirating of the shows on these streaming apps.
Is it a bit inconvenient? Yes, but you can always easily enable HDCP if you no longer want to record gameplay and instead want to stream a show on your PS4 or PS5.
In Summary
HDCP stands for High-bandwidth Digital Copyright Protection and is an encryption technology that prevents copyrighted content from being copied or recorded.
HDCP can be a problem when you want to record your gameplay. This is because of its protective characteristic that blocks your connection.
A capture card can be plugged into the PS4 or PS5 to record gameplay video, but only if HDCP is disabled.
To disable HDCP on the PS4, go to Settings, System, then uncheck Enable HDCP. Confirm in the prompt, and wait for the screen to go back to normal.
To disable HDCP on the PS5, go to Settings, System, HDMI, then uncheck Enable HDCP. You should then be able to plug in your capture card.
Disabling HDCP will prevent you from using any of the streaming apps on the PS4 or PS5, but you can easily access them again by enabling HDCP when not recording gameplay.
We hope this article helped you!
Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.