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Ensure your PS5 has adequate airflow around the edges of the console so that it can cool itself properly. You should also clean the PS5 and its surroundings regularly to prevent dust buildup that can trap heat. Remove nearby sources of heat like PCs and heaters, and install fans inside your entertainment unit if you're using one.

Sony's PlayStation 5 is effectively a powerful PC in a small, slightly-rounded box. When the system is under load, it can kick out some serious heat, which may lead to overheating. Here are some tips to avoid that.

How to Tell If Your PlayStation is Overheating

Sony included a notification that appears on-screen when the PlayStation 5 console gets too hot, letting you know that you'll need to wait for it to cool down before continuing use. Failing this, you may see heat-related sudden shut-downs much as you would with a PC.

On-screen warning that your PS5 is too hot

Be aware that just because your console feels hot or is exhausting a lot of hot air, that doesn't necessarily mean it's overheating. The PS5 is designed to move hot air away from components that generate heat, and this will be most noticeable when the console is under load.

The fan on your PS5 may also be audible under high load. This is generally not something you should worry about unless it seems like the fan is frequently working overtime, even when the console is in a relatively idle state.

Related: Does Your Xbox or PlayStation Need a Cooling Fan?

Fix PS5 Overheating by Improving Airflow

One of the best things you can do for your console to avoid overheating or heat-related damage over time is to ensure there is sufficient airflow reaching the console. This means keeping the area around the edge of the console clear of items, not placing objects on top of the console, and making sure air intake and exhaust points are clear.

Sony PlayStation 5 Console
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek Hannah Stryker / Review Geek Hannah Stryker / LifeSavvy

On the PlayStation 5, fresh air is pulled in from the top and front of the console. This is then exhausted out of the back of the console. Sony recommends leaving around 4 inches (10cm) "of free space around each side of the console" to ensure adequate airflow.

PS5 Overheating Issues Can Be Caused by Dust Build-Up

Dust, pet hair, and other unwanted debris will built-up around the air intakes (at the top and front) of your PS5 through standard use. The dustier your environment, the worse the problem can get. To ensure that your PS5 console can adequately cool itself, make sure enough cool air can enter the console by regularly dusting the intakes.

You should also dust the area immediately around the console since anything that settles nearby can make its way in. Dust settling inside the console will affect thermal performance, so it's a good idea to try and limit the amount of dust that can make its way into your console.

Check out iFixit's guide to safely vacuuming dust from a PS5 without opening it up (and voiding your warranty).

Avoid Enclosing Your Console

To move heat away from hot components like memory modules and the system-on-chip, the PlayStation 5 needs a reliable source of cool air. For optimal heat exchange, the air entering your console should be cooler than the air entering it. The temperature of the surrounding air can be greatly affected by the enclosed nature of some entertainment units.

If possible, place your PlayStation 5 console on a shelf or cabinet that has open sides to improve airflow. Enclosed spaces can cause a build-up of hot air, which will worsen over time as the console exhausts more and more hot air into the cramped space.

Even the floor might be a better place for your console than an enclosed space, though you should be careful not to place your PS5 on fabric like carpets and rugs since this can trap heat and impede airflow further.

The effects of keeping your console in a confined space are well-documented. In 2020 a PS5 display unit overheated while on display in a Best Buy.

Remove Nearby Sources of Heat

On top of enclosed spaces, nearby sources of heat can increase the air temperature or even heat the PS5 up directly. Consider placing your console away from these items. This could be a nearby computer or another console, a heater or heating duct, servers and network equipment, or home theater receivers.

Even your television could be a source of unwanted heat, especially LED models which use a backlight that radiates heat from the back of the display. Since your PS5 is reliant on a TV to function (unless you're using a PSVR2), it's not possible to place these two items too far apart. Moving the PS5 away from the rear of your television (for example, locating it below the display) may help.

Install Better Ventilation in Media Cabinets or Other Furniture

If you must place your PS5 console inside a cabinet, all hope for good thermals is not lost. By installing fans within the cabinet itself, you can create a system where warm air is vented and cool air is drawn in to cool the electronics within. Consider something like the AC Infinity Airplate S5 which comes in sizes of 80mm and 120mm, features variable speed control, and is designed to be quiet.

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AC Infinity AIRPLATE S5
USB Powered Fans

Add cooling to your entertainment cabinets with the AC Infinity Airplate S5.

Though some media cabinetry may already include vents or pre-installed fans, most will not. You may need to break out the jigsaw to install these, but you'll be grateful you did.

Direct Sun Can Heat Up Your Console Too

If you don't really use your console in the day you can probably ignore this, but even the sun can have a warming effect on the console. How strong the sun is in your part of the world can make a difference. If you only play at night and your PS5 console spends all day patiently waiting for you to get home from work, there's little risk here.

But if you prefer to get some playtime in whenever you can, avoid using your console during prolonged sun exposure. Move it to a shaded spot to prevent the sun's rays from heating the console unnecessarily.

Watch Your Ambient Temperatures

A hot console in a cool room can regulate temperature better than a hot console kept in a warm room. The ambient temperature affects how much heat can be transferred from the components, and this is worth considering if you're worried about your console getting too hot.

If you live somewhere very hot and do not have air conditioning, consider limiting your PS5 usage during the hottest hours of the day. Sony specifies an operating temperature of between 41ºF (5ºC) and 95ºF (35ºC). Don't be surprised if your console shows signs of overheating if your ambient temperature exceeds the upper end of this range.

PS5 safe operating temperature

Consider running an air conditioner, opening a window, or waiting until the temperature has dropped before you fire up your console.

Open and Clean Out the Dust

If your console is still under warranty and you suspect overheating is a problem (and one that your current setup isn't contributing to) then you should contact Sony and let them worry about it. Contact PlayStation Support and send your console in for repair.

Don't open up the console yourself unless you're sure you're no longer under the warranty period and Sony won't help you. Even if this is the case, you may be able to organize some sort of repair with Sony though you may end up footing the bill for whatever work needs to be completed.

If you'd rather take matters into your own hands, you can open up your console and clean out the dust using a can of compressed air. You'll find instructions on iFixit along with a video that shows you how to open, disassemble, and clean your console.

Heat Can Damage Your Console Over Time

A console that runs too hot may incur damage that shortens its lifespan. Dust buildup can prevent the cooling system from working properly, which means the fan must work overtime to try and cool down the console. On top of this, a console that's always hot is loud.

Do your PS5 a favor by ensuring it has room to breathe, making sure you clean out the dust from the console and its surrounds and paying attention to the ambient temperature.

Find out what else you can do to keep your tech from overheating.

Related: How to Stop Your PS4 From Overheating