Most of the time, your DualShock 4 controller probably works fine. But when your PlayStation 4 controller isn't responding or disconnects randomly, it's frustrating.

Let's wait at fixes for when your PS4 controller is not working, and so y'all tin can get back to playing.

PS4 Controller Won't Connect or Pair

Normally, when y'all printing the PS Button on your controller, it should turn on and connect to your system. However, when it'due south not connecting, you lot'll instead see the low-cal bar on your controller flash for a bit, then plow off.

This oft happens if you've used your DualShock 4 with another console, since the PS4 controller tries to connect to the last device you used information technology with. For instance, if you lot pair your PS4 controller with your PC or a friend's console, information technology will remember that device and attempt to connect to it the side by side time you turn the controller on.

In these cases, yous'll need to re-pair your DualShock 4 with your ain PS4. To do this, connect your controller to your PS4 using a micro-USB cable. Make sure you're using a high-quality cablevision that you know works properly.

In one case they're physically connected, press the PS Push button on your controller for a moment, and its light should flash briefly before turning blue (or some other solid colour if you already have a controller connected). This signifies that your PS4 controller has paired and continued successfully.

If y'all accept your DualShock 4 paired with another nearby device, like your telephone or a PlayStation 5, trying to re-pair it to your PS4 may turn on the other device and connect the controller to it. You should thus turn off and unplug whatever other device your DualShock 4 is paired to first.

Later on yous re-pair your controller, yous can disconnect the USB cable and utilize your controller wirelessly equally normal. Your PS4 will retrieve information technology until you pair the controller with another device in the hereafter, and then it should auto-connect as soon as you lot press the PS Button.

Go along in listen that the maximum number of DualShock iv controllers yous can accept connected to the PS4 at once is four. If you lot already accept four controllers connected, yous'll demand to disconnect one to make room for more.

PS4 Controller Keeps Disconnecting

If your DualShock four disconnects randomly while playing, there are a couple of remedies yous can try.

First, make sure your controller bombardment is charged. It sounds simple, but if the bombardment in your controller is almost dead, information technology may disconnect. To cheque your controller battery life, hold the PS Push to bring up the Quick Menu on the left side of the screen. You lot'll see a controller icon with bombardment life displayed at the lesser.

Plug your controller into your PS4 and visit the Quick Carte du jour again to brand sure you see the battery charging animation. After your controller charges for some time, endeavor using information technology as normal.

If the bombardment wasn't causing your PS4 controller issue, make certain you aren't trying to use your controller too far abroad from your system. The typical range for Bluetooth is around 30 feet; depending on your setup, you may be able to use your controller further than this, or be restricted to using it closer.

Speaking of this, you should try to minimize interference betwixt your controller and console. Remove any metal objects between the two, like shelving or laptops, that could inhibit the indicate. You should also take your PS4 out of enclosed spaces, if applicable, for amend signal transmission and reception.

Finally, think that the PS4 has a setting that turns off controllers after they're idle for some time. If you don't want your PS4 controller to turn off when you're watching media apps like YouTube, go to Settings > Power Save Settings > Prepare Fourth dimension Until Controllers Plough Off and cull Never. Annotation that this will utilize up the controller battery even while you're idle.

General Fixes When Your PS4 Controller Isn't Working

Nosotros've looked at specific fixes for a few common DualShock 4 problems above. Next, let's look at more than full general solutions for issues with PS4 controllers. Walk through these if your PS4 controller is still not responding.

1. Restart Your Console

While most controller issues stem from the controller itself, there's a chance that your PS4 is what's having the problem. To rule this out, you should restart your console before troubleshooting further.

If your controller is working plenty to access menus, agree the PS Push button to open up the Quick Menu, and then go to Ability > Restart PS4 to reboot your system.

In case your controller isn't cooperating, printing and hold the Power button on your PS4 console until you hear ii beeps. This volition fully shut it down—once it's powered off (with no lights on the front), press the Ability button again to turn it back on. If yous meet an orangish light, your system went into Residuum Mode, which isn't a full shutdown.

Try using your controller again later on a reboot (connecting information technology via a USB cable if needed) and come across if that helps.

ii. Forget and Re-Pair Your PS4 Controller

If you have a 2d PS4 controller (or a PS Move controller for PS VR), yous can employ that to access a menu that lets you delete the controller having an outcome. Head to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth Devices and select the DualShock iv entry—it'southward the one that does not have a light-green light next to it.

On the resulting menu, printing the Options push button on your controller and cull Forget Device. This volition cause your PS4 to remove it from retentiveness and then you have to re-pair it again.

This is a good fourth dimension to endeavour a slightly different pairing method: having your PS4 controller re-pair at startup. To practise this, fully turn off your PS4 (as explained earlier). In one case information technology's shut downward, connect the problematic controller to your console with a USB cable. Hit the PS Push button on the controller to hopefully plough on and pair your controller in one procedure.

If this doesn't piece of work, turn your PS4 dorsum on and attempt pairing it the normal fashion, every bit above.

3. Hard Reset Your PS4 Controller

If removing and re-pairing the controller didn't piece of work, you tin side by side attempt the total reset procedure for the DualShock 4. You lot'll need a pocket-sized pointed object, similar a aptitude paper clip or a SIM card ejection tool, to do this.

Fully turn off your PS4, and then flip your controller over. You'll encounter a small hole adjacent to the screw by the L2 push button (on the right side of the controller when flipped over). Apply your pointed tool to press and hold the button inside this hole for roughly five seconds.

Once you've done this, connect your controller to your PS4 once again via USB cable and see if it pairs successfully.

iv. Try Connecting the PS4 Controller Elsewhere

At this point, if you oasis't already, yous should try connecting the PS4 controller that's having problems with another device. If you take like bug on a friend's PS4, your PC, or a smartphone, then your controller is likely faulty.

It's also a proficient idea to try using another PS4 controller with your console, if possible. If you lot infringe a friend'south DualShock iv that you know works properly and find that it has bug with your organisation, something is probably wrong with your PS4'due south wireless connectivity.

5. Utilise the Controller in Wired Mode

Before yous give up on your PS4 controller, you lot should try playing with it permanently continued via a USB cable. However, go along in mind that this just works for the revised model of PS4 controllers. You'll know yous have this model if the light bar is visible inside the touchpad on the forepart of your controller. If not, you have an older controller and can't strength wired communication.

To forcefulness your PS4 to connect controllers over USB with a compatible DualShock four, head to Settings > Devices > Controllers > Communication Method and cull Use USB Cable. This will prevent the DualShock 4 from using Bluetooth, even when connected via USB.

If this works, you should get a long USB cable then you can nevertheless relish gaming from the couch even when wired in. Ailun's 3-pack of ten-foot micro-USB cables is a good price-effective choice.

DualShock 4 Hardware Fix Options

Like most hardware, DualShock 4 controllers accept a one-twelvemonth warranty. If yous bought your PS4 controller within the last year and it'due south still non working after all the above tips, you should visit PlayStation's Fix & Replace page to put in a request for repair on your controller.

Otherwise, you can endeavor hardware fixes on your ain by opening your controller. Merely depending on the specific issue, this may be difficult or impossible. We recommend speaking to a local repair technician if you don't experience comfortable with doing this yourself.

PS4 Controller Problems, Patched Upward

Now you know how to fix the most mutual PS4 controller issues. More than specific bug, such as a push button that stops working, unfortunately fall under the hardware fix solutions mentioned in a higher place. Y'all may be able to fix minor issues by following YouTube tutorials, just exist careful not to further damage your controller in the process.

Hopefully, your DualShock 4 issue was easy to fix. Merely if not, and you need to pick up a new PS4 controller, yous have enough of swell options.

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Ben Stegner (1798 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked dorsum. He'southward been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more than every bit a professional author for over vii years.

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