Why Is My PS5 Overheating?

The symptoms of PS5 overheating

The PS5 is one of the most powerful home consoles ever made, and that power comes with a significant heat burden. Sony's engineers designed an impressive cooling system for the launch console — but it has limitations, and over time those limitations become apparent. Before diagnosing the cause, it's worth confirming whether your PS5 is actually overheating.

Here are the most common signs:

• Fan running at full speed constantly — even on the home screen or during light tasks, not just demanding games
• Console shuts down mid-game with a warning — the "PS5 is too hot" message appears on screen before the console powers off to protect itself
• Console feels hot on the top surface — particularly around the central vents; some heat is normal, but it should never be uncomfortable to touch
• Performance drops before shutdown — you may notice frame rate stuttering or resolution drops in the minutes before a thermal shutdown as the system throttles itself

If you are seeing any combination of these, your PS5's cooling system needs attention. The good news is that in most cases the cause is straightforward — but understanding which cause applies to your console matters, because the solutions are very different.

The two main causes

1. Dust build-up

This is the most common cause of PS5 overheating, particularly in consoles that are two or three years old. The PS5's cooling system works by drawing cool air in from the bottom and sides, passing it through a large heatsink with many thin aluminium fins, and exhausting hot air from the rear. A large centrifugal fan (roughly 120mm) drives this airflow.

The problem is that over time, dust accumulates on those heatsink fins and on the fan blades themselves. Even a thin, uniform layer of dust significantly reduces the airflow through the fins — the gaps between fins are small by design, and dust narrows them further. The fan has to spin faster and faster to compensate, which is why an overheating PS5 often sounds like a jet engine before it shuts down.

Dust builds up faster in homes with pets, in rooms with carpet, and in consoles stored horizontally on low surfaces (where they are closer to the floor where dust settles). Keeping the console in an enclosed cabinet makes things considerably worse — restricted intake airflow means the fan is fighting against itself.

2. Liquid metal degradation

This is the less-known cause, but it's important — and it is unique to the PS5. Sony made an unusual engineering decision when designing the PS5: instead of standard thermal paste between the AMD APU (the main processor/GPU chip) and the heatsink, they used gallium-based liquid metal.

Liquid metal conducts heat roughly five to ten times more efficiently than the best conventional thermal pastes. For a console trying to dissipate the heat produced by a chip as powerful as the PS5's APU in a relatively compact chassis, it made sense on paper.

The problem is longevity. Gallium-based liquid metal can dry out or become less effective over time as the gallium compound gradually oxidises or redistributes unevenly. In some consoles, particularly those that have been moved frequently or stored on their side, the liquid metal can migrate beyond the contact surface. Because gallium is electrically conductive, any migration towards nearby PCB components or capacitors is a serious risk — contact with certain metals can also cause galvanic corrosion.

When the liquid metal degrades or thins out, the thermal connection between the APU and heatsink deteriorates. The chip runs hotter, the fan spins faster, and eventually the console starts shutting down even when it's relatively clean of dust. This is the scenario where basic cleaning simply will not fix the problem — the liquid metal needs to be properly reapplied.

What you can do yourself

There are some safe steps you can take at home that may resolve mild overheating caused by dust accumulation at the intake vents. These do not require opening the console and carry no risk of voiding your warranty or damaging anything.

1. Remove the side panels and vacuum the visible vents. The PS5's white side panels clip off without tools — pull firmly from the corners. Use a low-powered vacuum or a soft brush to clear the dust from the intake grilles. Do not use compressed air at this stage, as it can push dust further into the console.
2. Ensure 10cm clearance on all sides. The PS5 needs room to breathe. Check that there is at least 10cm of clearance above, below, and behind the console. Cramped entertainment units are a very common cause of overheating that reappears after cleaning.
3. Store vertically in a well-ventilated area. The PS5 is designed to stand vertically (with the stand), which positions the large intake vents away from surfaces. If you store it horizontally, ensure it is not resting on carpet or a surface that blocks the bottom vents.
4. Clean the immediate environment. If the area around your console is particularly dusty, clean it regularly. A dusting around the console every few weeks can meaningfully extend the time between professional services.

When you need a professional

Vent cleaning and better placement will resolve mild cases. But there are clear signs that the problem has gone beyond what you can address at home.

Seek professional help if:

• The console shuts down within minutes of starting a game, even after cleaning the vents and improving ventilation
• You can smell burning or notice any discolouration around the vents
• The console was stored in an enclosed cabinet, a hot room, or a dusty environment for a prolonged period
• The fan noise has progressively worsened over several months despite the console being in a well-ventilated spot
• The console is three or more years old and has never had a professional deep clean

What a professional PS5 overheating repair involves

A proper overheating repair is more than a quick vacuum. At Tech Revive, we carry out the following as standard on every overheating PS5:

• Full disassembly — the console is completely stripped down to access the heatsink, fan, and APU
• Deep clean of heatsink fins — using compressed air and fine brushes to remove all trapped dust from between the fins; in severe cases, the heatsink may be cleaned in an ultrasonic bath
• Fan bearing inspection and replacement if needed — worn fan bearings cause noise and reduced airflow; if the bearing is degraded, the fan assembly is replaced
• Fresh liquid metal application — old liquid metal is carefully removed, the die surface is cleaned, and new gallium-based liquid metal is applied with the correct containment barriers in place
• Thermal pad replacement — the thermal pads on the VRAM modules and other chips dry out over time; these are replaced with fresh pads of the correct thickness and conductivity
• Full reassembly and stress test — after reassembly, the console is run under full load while we monitor the temperature to confirm it is operating within safe limits before it goes back to the customer

How much does it cost?

PS5 overheating repairs at Tech Revive start from £45. The final price depends on what is found during disassembly — a straightforward deep clean and liquid metal reapplication sits at the lower end, while a fan bearing replacement or addressing liquid metal contamination may increase the cost slightly.

We always give you a confirmed quote before starting any work. Our no fix, no fee guarantee means if we cannot resolve the issue, you pay nothing.

Turnaround is typically 1–2 hours for a straightforward overheating job — most customers drop off in the morning and collect the same afternoon. We are based at 64 Crossbrook Street, Cheshunt, EN8 8JQ, open Monday to Friday 09:00–18:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00.

If you are not local, we also accept mail-in repairs. Contact us before sending to confirm availability and get a quote.