How to tell if your PS5 or Xbox HDMI port is broken

Step 1 — Rule out the easy stuff first

Before touching the console, eliminate everything around it. Swapping these takes 60 seconds and saves a service call.

• Try a different HDMI cable (ideally a known-good one from another device).
• Try a different HDMI input on the same TV.
• Try the console on a completely different TV.
• Make sure the TV input matches the port the console is plugged into.

Step 2 — Look inside the HDMI port

Use a flashlight and look straight into the console's HDMI port. You're checking the small gold pins inside. They should be evenly spaced in a flat row.

• Bent, pushed-down, or missing pins = the port is damaged and needs replacement.
• Cracked plastic shroud around the port = also a replacement.
• Pins look perfect but still no signal = could be the HDMI IC or APU (different repair).

Step 3 — Check the symptoms

Pattern matters. The combination of what works and what doesn't usually tells us exactly which component failed.

• Console powers on, fan spins, no picture on any TV / cable → most likely the HDMI port.
• Picture works sometimes, flickers, or only if you wiggle the cable → almost certainly the port.
• Power light on, then console shuts off after a few seconds → power supply, not HDMI.
• Blue/green artifacts or freezing during gameplay → APU or thermal issue, not HDMI.

Is it worth fixing?

An HDMI port replacement on a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S usually starts around $129 and is done in 1–3 business days. That's a fraction of what a new console costs, and your storage, account, and saves are untouched.

If the diagnostic finds an APU-level issue instead, we'll tell you up front — sometimes those aren't worth repairing and we'll say so.