PS5

What to do if your headset or earphones volume is too low on PS5

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When trying to use earbuds, earphones, headphones or headsets on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, you may notice that the volume is too low. To see how you can potentially fix this sound output problem, you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech.  

1. For the first step, you can try turning up the volume of your headset if you have volume controls available in-line or on the ear piece. You may have the volume accidentally turned down on your earbuds, earphones, headphones or headset. 

2. If adjusting the volume controls on the listening device did nothing, then the next step you can try is to use the Sound menu.  

To do so, you will need to press the PS button on your controller. Afterwards, you need to select the Volume icon located at the button of the screen in the Command Center quick menu in order to bring up the Sound menu. 

In the small window, you will be able to do the following: 

  • Change the output listening device. Here, you should make sure you select the earbuds, earphones, headphones or headset that is currently connected to your PlayStation 5. 
  • The Volume option will let you change the master volume of the listening device. 
  • If your listening device also come with a microphone supported by the PS5, then you will be able to adjust the volume balance between the chat and game audio. If you want to hear more from the game, then you need to adjust the slider to the left. If you want to turn up the volume for voice chat, then you need to move the slider to the right.  
  • There is also the option where you can completely mute the voice chat audio. 
  • You are able to adjust the volume level for music playback as well. 
  • Last but not least, you are also able to change the volume for video playback. 

3. If you are getting low volume when playing a game, then you can also look through the game’s menu to see if there is a setting that will let you adjust the sound output. 

4. If your earbuds, earphones, headphones or headset can be updated, then make sure you do so. A new firmware may fix the low volume problems. 

5. If the volume is still too low, then you can try using another earbuds, earphones, headphones or headset with your PS5.

How to fix PlayStation Plus locked games on PS5

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When trying to play a videogame that you acquired thru the PlayStation Plus service, you may notice that you aren’t able to open it on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console. You may also see a small white-colored lock accompanying the yellow plus sign on the game’s icon.  

To see how you can potentially fix this issue, you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech. 

1. The first step we recommend taking is to make sure that you are still subscribed to the correct PlayStation Plus tier. 

In order to play the monthly games, you will need to be an active member to Essential, Extra, Deluxe or Premium.  

If you added games to your library from the PlayStation Extra lineup, then you need to stay a member of the Extra tier or higher. The same rule also applies to the Deluxe and Premium lineups.  

In order to check your current PlayStation Plus status, you need to go to the PlayStation Store App. From there, select the three dots icon located at the top right side of the screen and then select Subscriptions from the pop-up menu.  

2. It is also important to note that the games from the Extra, Deluxe and Premium lineup have expiration dates even if you remain a subscriber. Once that date has passed, you will no longer be able to access them. 

These expired games should have a small white-colored lock accompanying the yellow plus sign on its logo. You should also no longer find them in the PlayStation Plus App once they are taken off of the service. 

To find out more about the differences between PlayStation Plus game licenses, you can check out this guide. 

3. If you are sure that you have the right subscription and that the PS Plus games haven’t been removed from the service, then the next step you can try is to restore your game licenses.  

In order to do so, head over to the Settings menu of your PS5. From there, you need to select Users and Accounts > Other > Restore License > Restore.

4. If you are using multiple PlayStation Network accounts on your console, then make sure you sign into the account that you used to acquire the PlayStation Plus games.  

Sony requires that you sign into your PSN account every 7 days due to DRM restrictions. If you don’t, then you will lose access to the PS Plus titles. 

5. If you are using your PSN account on multiple PS5 systems, then it may also be causing the locked PS5 games to appear. To potentially fix this problem, you can try making the current console your primary one.  

In order to do so, you need to open the Settings menu of your game system and then select Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play > Enable. 

6. Restoring the database may also help.  

To do so, you first need to open up the Safe Mode menu, which you can do first turning off the PS5 completely. Afterwards, press and hold the power button until you hear a second beep, which may take at least 7 seconds. 

In the Safe Mode, you first need to plug a controller to your PS5 via a USB cable and then press the PS button in order to gain control. 

From the main menu, you should then select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database > Rebuild Database. 

7. If you are still seeing the locked symbol next to the PlayStation Plus game, then we recommend contacting Sony to get additional help.

How to switch profiles in the Hulu PS5 App

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If you have multiple profiles in your Hulu account, then you can check out this guide at Seeking Tech to see how you can easily switch between them on the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition system. 

How to switch from one profile to another in the Hulu PS5 App 

In order to switch from Hulu profile to another while inside the video streaming application on your PS5, you need to do the following: 

1. To start off, make sure you are in the main menus of the Hulu App. If you are currently watching a video or viewing a video page, then you can press the circle button to go back to the menus. 

2. From the main menus, select your profile picture, which should contain the first two letters of your profile name. This should be located on the top right corner of the screen, directly left of the Hulu logo. 

3. Next, you need to select Profiles from the list of options. 

4. You should now be in the “Who’s Watching?” screen. You will be able to switch to a different profile from there. 

Alternate method  

You can also switch profiles when you open the Hulu App. If you currently have the video streaming application opened or suspended, then you can do the following: 

1. Press and hold the PS button on the controller. If done correctly, you should bring up the home screen. 

2. In the home screen, make sure you are in the Media tab. If you are in the Games tab instead, you need to press the R1 button to switch over. 

3. From the Media tab, hover over the Hulu logo. 

4. With the Hulu logo highlighted, press the Options button on your controller to bring up a small window. 

5. In the small window, you then need to select the Close App option in order to exit completely out of the Hulu App. 

6. After a few seconds, the application will be closed. 

7. From the same Media tab of the home screen, open the Hulu App. 

8. After the boot up sequence, you should see the “Who’s Watching?” screen, which is where you can select which profile to use.

What to do if the PlayStation Gift Card voucher code isn’t valid

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When trying to redeem the PlayStation Store Gift Cards and PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds, you may end up getting an error message that states that the voucher code is not valid. You can check out this guide from Seeking Tech to see how you can potentially fix this issue. 

Before we start, it is important to note that some of the voucher codes requires an activation from the retailer or seller you bought the PlayStation Store Gift Cards and PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds from. Otherwise, you won’t be able to redeem them for funds. 

If you have a physical card, then you should see the following message appear at the top at the back side: 

“No Value Until Activated at Register.” 

If you got the voucher code delivered digitally, then it may not have been activated by the seller before it was sent.  

1. For the first step, we recommend contacting the retailer or seller of the PlayStation Store Gift Card or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds as they may not have been activated the voucher code correctly.  

When contacting them, make sure you provide a receipt or proof of purchase. If you got a card from a local shop, then you can try taking the card and receipt/proof or purchase directly to it. For online stores, you can try contacting the retailer or seller through live chat, email and/or telephone.  

If you can’t get them to activate the voucher code, then you can try asking for a refund. If they refused to pay you back, then you can file a complaint to your local authority. 

2. If the retailer or seller says that the voucher has been activated on their end, then you can try contacting PlayStation. 

In order to do so, you can try taking the following steps: 

  • Go to the Contact Up page on the official PlayStation website.  
  • In the “What do you need help with?” section, you first need to select PS Store & Refunds. 
  • Afterwards, make sure to select Vouchers. 
  • From the “Need to contact us?” section, you need to select Live Chat option. 
  • During the chat with a customer service representative from PlayStation, make sure you explain your situation.  
  • You may be asked to provide proof of your purchase, which may include a receipt as well as the front and back side of the card. You may also want to provide contact information for the retailer or seller where you bought the PlayStation Store Gift Card or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds. 

What to do if you can’t read code from PlayStation Store Gift Cards and PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds

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You can add more funds to the digital wallet of your PlayStation Network account by using PlayStation Store Gift Cards and PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds. If you have either of these products but can’t read the voucher code that is printed on them, then you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, we recommend checking the receipt that contain the order details for the PlayStation Store Gift Card and/or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds. Some retailers may have the code printed on a physical or digital receipt.  

2. You can also try contacting the retailer where you got your gift card from.  

For the voucher code of the PlayStation cards to work, the product must be activated by the retailer first. Therefore, they may be able to give you voucher code if the one that has been printed is unreadable. 

3. If you can’t find the code on the receipt and the retailer can’t help you with this issue, then you can try contacting Sony directly. 

Before doing so, you need to acquire the following evidence of the PlayStation Store Gift Card and/or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds purchase: 

  • Proof of purchase. 
  • Picture showing the front of the card. 
  • Picture showing the back of the card. 

Once you are ready, you will need to do the following: 

  • Go to the Contact Us page from the official PlayStation website by visiting this link.
  • In the “What do you need help with?” page, you need to select the PS Store & Refunds category. 
  • You then need to select the Vouchers sub category.  
  • In the “Need to contact us?” section, you then need to select the Live Chat option. 
  • When chatting with a customer service representative from PlayStation, you will need to describe when and where the PlayStation Store Gift Card and/or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds were purchased.  
  • They should also ask for proof of purchase as well as photos showing the front and back side of the card.  

4. If you can’t read just one or two of the digits in the code, then you can try guessing it. The voucher codes for PlayStation Store Gift Card and/or PlayStation Plus Wallet Funds only use numbers and letters.

How to fix Hulu buffering issues on PlayStation 5

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When trying to watch videos from the official Hulu application on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, you may notice that the streams may keep buffering. To see how you can fix these connection problems, you can follow the steps laid out in this article from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, you can try restart the Hulu PS5 App.  

To do so, press and hold the PS button on the controller to go back to the Home menu. From there, hover over the Hulu icon and then press the Options button. You can then select the Close App option. Once the application has closed, re-opened it again from the Home menu. 

2. If a restart does not help, then you can try checking the internet connection status on your PlayStation 5 by heading over to Settings > Network > Connection Status. 

If the status page shows that there is something wrong with your internet connection, then we recommend power cycling your home network.  

In order to do so, turn off your PS5 and then unplug it from the power outlet. Afterwards, unplug the modem and routers from the power outlets as well. After waiting several minutes, plug all the device back in again and then wait for the PS5 to re-connect to the internet. 

After completing a power cycle, try to stream a Hulu video again to see if it is still buffering.  

3. If the videos are still buffering, then make sure that your internet is fast and stable enough to handle Hulu streaming.  

At the absolute minimum, you should have at least 1.5 Mbps when it comes to download speed. With that said a minimum of 3.0 Mbps is recommended if you don’t want to watch video at a reduced quality. For live stream videos, the minimum requirement jumps all the way to 8.0 Mbps. 

To check out fast the download speed is on your PS5, you need to head over to Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection. 

4. If you are downloading something on your PlayStation 5 at the same time you are watching a Hulu video, then it may be causing the buffering issue. In this case, you can either pause the download or pause the video and then wait for the download to finish.  

5. If you are downloading or streaming on other devices from the same home network, then it may be causing the Hulu videos to buffer constantly as well.  

Therefore, you can try freeing up as much bandwidth as possible.  

6. Clearing the cache of the Hulu App may help as well. In order to do so, you can check out this tutorial. 

7. A fresh install may also fix the buffering problem.  

In order to do so, delete the Hulu App from the storage of your PS5 and then download it again. Afterwards, test to see if a video from the application can play smoothly. 

8. You can also check if there are any new updates available for the video streaming application as well as the PlayStation 5 system software. 

What to do if Hulu isn’t playing any sound on PS5

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If you are using the official Hulu application to watch videos on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, then you may notice that there is no sound being played. To see how you can get audio for this streaming app, you can take a look at this troubleshooting post from Seeking Tech.  

1. For the first step, you can try playing other videos on Hulu. 

If you can get audio from other vids, then the problem may be limited to just that one video. In that case, you may want to report the problematic video to Hulu so that its audio will get fixed in the future. 

2. If you are getting muted sound from all Hulu videos on the PS5, then we recommend checking the audio output of the game console.  

In order to do so, you can take the following steps: 

  • Press and hold the PS logo button on the controller until the home screen shows up. 
  • From there, navigate to the top right corner of the screen and the select the gear icon into to head over to Settings.  
  • On the front page of Settings, you need to select Sound from the list. 
  • After getting to the Sound menu, you first need to select Audio Output on the left column. 
  • Afterwards, you need to go to Output Device on the right side of the same menu. 
  • In the Output Device screen, you will be able to see the currently select audio output device. If it is different than the one you are currently using, then make sure you switch over to by using this menu. 

3. If you have the correct audio device connected to your PlayStation 5 but still can’t get sound to play in the Hulu App, then you may have accidentally muted the device.  

In this case, you can try turning up the volume on the audio device to see if you are able to get any sound. 

4. If possible, you can also try switch over to another audio device to see if you can get sound output when using the video streaming application. 

5. Restarting your PS5 may also help. 

To restart, bring up the quick menu by pressing the PS logo button on your controller. Afterwards, select the Power option at the bottom menu and then Restart PS5 in the proceeding pop-up menu. 

After restarting the gaming system, try to stream a video on Hulu again to see if you are able to get any sound. 

6. It is also a good idea to see if there are any updates to the Hulu App and PlayStation 5 firmware as these may help fix the muted audio. 

7. You may want to consider clearing the cache of the video streaming application as well. In order to do so, you can follow the steps laid out in this walkthrough.

How to fix Hulu loading error on PS5

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When trying to use the official Hulu application on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, you may notice that it has trouble loading. You may also eventually see the following message: 

  • “Loading Error. Failed to load Hulu. Please close and open the application to try again. ERROR94.” 

To see how you can potentially get this app to load normally, you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, you can try restarting your PS5.  

In order to do so, press the PS button and then select the Power option. In the small pop-up menu, you should then select the Restart PS5 option. After restarting, try to open the Hulu App again. 

By doing so, you may be able to fix any temporary bugs or glitches that may have been causing the video streaming application not to load properly. 

2. We also recommend that you check the social media accounts of Hulu to see if there are any problems with the servers on their end. 

If the servers are down, then you can simply wait until they go back up again before trying to open the Hulu App. 

3. If the Hulu server appears to be normal, then we recommend checking the internet connection status of your PlayStation 5.  

You will be able to check by going to the Settings menu of your PS5 and then selecting Network > Connection Status.  

If you see an issue with your Internet Connection, then you can try to set it up again by going to Settings > Network > Settings > Set Up Internet Connection. 

If you see a problem with the PlayStation Network, then you need to wait for PlayStation to fix their servers before you can try updating Hulu again. 

4. Deleting the saved data for the Hulu App may also help as it is known to have some corrupted data problems.  

To find out how to do so, you can take a look at this tutorial.

5. A fresh install may also fix the loading error. In order to do so, you have to delete the Hulu App from downloading it again on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console. 

6. If a fresh install does not work, then we can try clearing the PS5’s system cache and rebuilding its database from the Safe Menu. 

In order to do so, you need to do the following: 

  • Shut down your console. 
  • You then need to press and hold the power button until you hear a second beep, which signals that the system will boot in Safe Mode. 
  • In this mode, you need connect a controller to one of the USB ports of your PS5. 
  • Press the PS button on the controller. 
  • From the main menu of Safe Mode, you need to select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database. 
  • In the new screen, you will be able to delete the cache and/or rebuild the database.

What to do if PlayStation Store images and pictures won’t load on PS5

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When browsing through the PlayStation Store App on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition system, you may notice that the images and pictures will load very slowly. Some may not even load at all. 

To see how you can potentially get the images and pictures to properly load, you can take a look at this troubleshooting guide from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, we recommend that you check the PlayStation Network Service Status website to see if there is currently something wrong the PSN. 

If there seems to be a problem with the PlayStation Store component, then you need to wait for Sony to fix the server issues on their end to see if the images will eventually load normally on the PS Store. 

2. If the PlayStation Store servers appear to be fine, then the next step you can take is to check if you have any ad blocking, or any other type of restrictions, set up on your home network as these may be preventing the images from loading on the digital shop. 

3. If you are sure that the missing pictures aren’t relating to ad blocking or any other restriction mode on your home network, then you can try testing the network connection on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console.  

In order to do so, turn on your PS5 and then head over to Settings > Network > Connection Status.

If your console can’t connect to the PlayStation Network, then you can try setting up your internet connection again by going to Settings > Network > Settings. From there, make sure that you have the Connect to the Internet option turned on and then select the Set Up Internet Connection option.  

5. If your internet is slow and/or unstable, then it may be causing the images to not load properly on the PlayStation Store. 

If possible, try to cancel or pause any downloads and/or streams you have on your PS5 and other devices.  

6. If you connected your PS5 online through Wi-Fi, then you should make sure that the connection is strong enough.  

Physical objects, like walls, make weaken the Wi-Fi signal if there are too many of them blocking the direct line of sight between the Wi-Fi access point and the game console. Other wireless devices in the same vicinity may also interfere with the Wi-Fi connection. 

If possible, we recommend switching over to a wired Ethernet connection.  

8. Clearing the cache and/or rebuild the database may also fix the non-loading pictures from the PS Store. 

To do so, you need to first head into Safe Mode by turning off your PlayStation 5. You then need to press the power button located directly on the console until you hear a second beep.  

In Safe Mode, you need to connect a controller to your PS5 by using a USB cable. You then need to press the PS button to gain access to the menus.  

From there, you need to select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database. You should then be able to clear the cache and/or rebuild the database of your PS5 SSD. 

What to do if the PS5 store can’t load

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When trying to open the PlayStation Store App on your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition system, you may notice that it isn’t loading properly. You may eventually see the following message: 

  • “Can’t load. Something went wrong. Please try again.”  

To see how you can get the digital shop to load properly on your console, you can take a look at this troubleshooting article from Seeking Tech. 

1. For the first step, we recommend visiting the official PlayStation Network Service Status website. 

If the PlayStation Store is working correctly, then you should see a green circle next to it. If you see a different color, then it indicates that there is an issue with the shop’s online servers.  

In that case, there is nothing you can do but wait until Sony fixes the servers in order to get the PlayStation Store to function normally again.  

2. If the servers appear to be working on Sony’s end, then you can try checking the connection status on your PlayStation 5.  

In order to do so, you need to turn on the game console and then go to Settings > Network > Connection Status. On the right side of the screen, you will see your current connection method, internet connection status and PlayStation Network connection.  

3. If the internet connection does not appear to be working, then you can go to Settings > Network > Settings on your PS5. From there, make sure that the Connect to the Internet option is enabled.  

In the same screen, you can try setting up your internet connection again by selecting the Set Up Internet Connection option. 

4. If your PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Digital Edition system is able to connect to the PlayStation Network but the PS Store still won’t load, then you can try clearing the cache and/or rebuilding the database of the internal solid state drive. 

In order to do so, you need to take the following steps: 

  • Turn off your PS5. 
  • Next, you need to connect a controller to the console by using a USB connection. 
  • Afterwards, hold the power button on the PS5 until you hear a second beep. 
  • If done correctly, you should be in Safe Mode. Start by pressing the PS button on the connected controller.  
  • Afterwards, you need to select Clear Cache and Rebuild Database. 
  • In the next screen, we recommend that you select the Clear System Software Cache first and then test to see if the PlayStation Store can load properly. 
  • If clearing the cache does not work, then you can try the Rebuild Database option from the Safe Mode menu. 

5. If you still can’t get the PS Store to load properly, then you might want to consider doing a factory reset on your console. If you are interested in doing so, then you can take the following steps: 

  • To start off you need to back up your data. In order to do so, you need to go to Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore. You should then connect a USB storage drive to the PS5 and then select the Back Up Your PS5 option from the Back Up and Restore menu. 
  • Afterwards, head over to Settings > System > System Software > Reset Options > Reset Your Console.  
  • Once your PS5 has been factory reset, go back to Settings > System > System Software > Back Up and Restore. From there, you need to select the Restore Your PS5 option.