PS5 firmware update lets you turn off ALLM to help deal with stubborn TVs
If ALLM being on by default on PS5 has taken some control away from you, this new update will help give some of it back.
Sony has rolled out a new firmware update to PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide earlier today. The new patch, 22.01-05.50.00, does actually bring a major new feature - or more accurately, the ability to turn it off. We're talking about Auto Low Latency Mode, or ALLM.
ALLM allows the console to take control of the TV and automatically switch to the mode with the lowest input lag, which is typically the TV's game mode. The TV goes out of ALLM when you exit a game and launch a movie, which is all well and good.
ALLM first arrived on PS5 with the highly anticipated Variable Refresh Rate - VRR - update in April. Unfortunately, the way it was implemented meant that it was active all the time.
On Sony TVs in particular, enabling ALLM locks away certain picture settings. This all-or-nothing approach forced the hands of many, and ruined the picture quality.
With today's update, PS5 owners can simply switch ALLM off. However, ALLM will still need to be active whenever VRR gets enabled, but the new toggle will help you outside of VRR.
To do this, head to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > ALLM. Selecting Automatic will leave it up to the console to switch in and out of ALLM, while Off will disable ALLM - except when VRR is enabled.
All of these features, of course, are available on TVs that support HDMI 2.1, such as LG's range of OLED, certain Samsung QLED, and few Sony models.