Like many PS4 gamers, I have often had trouble with my PS4 controller not connecting or simply turning off randomly. I wanted why does this happen and what I can do to fix the problem for PS4 users like you and me.

Connect your PS4 controller with a USB cable
Restart Your PS4 Controller
Restart Your PS4 Console
Test Your PS4 controller USB cable to see if it works
Clean Your PS4 Controller
Replace Your PS4 controllers Battery

I will go into detail with each step to make sure you fix your controller issues and talk about how to clean your PS4 controller & how to replace a faulty controller battery.

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PS4 Controller Not Connecting Troubleshoot Guide

Connect Your PS4 Controller With A USB Cable

Connecting your PS4 controller with a USB cable is the first step to fixing connection issues.

1. Connect your PS4 controller with a data cable

Once you’re having a wireless connection issue with your PS4 controller, the first thing you should try is to connect it with a cable. Try to use the cable that came with your controller or any USB cables with a micro-USB connection a lot of Android smartphones use this connection so if you have one lying around the house use that. Make sure the cable works with other devices so you know it is working.

Here is the cable on Amazon if you need to buy one. However, you might need to go through several cables to find the one that charges your PS4 controller for whatever reason. This is a quote from someone on a public forum that had to go through many different cables to find one that worked. So keep trying and going through cables and you should find one that works.

“Wow, I went through 5 different cables none of which worked nor did the other instructions on this page. I read the comment here saying just keep trying different cables, so I managed to find one more cable (which happened to be very old) and it worked immediately. Took 6 different cable! I marked that last cable for future use”

Your controller should light up if the cable is working and then simply restart the controller. If the method works then your PS4 will immediately recognise your controller and connect to it.

2. Reset your PS4 controller

Annoyingly my controller will often disconnect or have other hardware issues in the middle of a game and I’ve found resetting it is a great way to resume normal control. This is how you do it.

Turn off your Playstation 4
Find the reset button on the back of your controller located near the L2 shoulder button. Use an unfolded paper clip or a similar project to push down the button and hold it for a couple of seconds, then release it
Try to connect your controller to your Playstation 4 and turn on your PS4.

If the method works your PS4 should connect your controller. Watch the video below to get a hands-on demonstration of the method

3.Restart Your PS4 Console

The PS4 like a computer can have corruption issues in the internal software which will disconnect your controller. Restarting your Playstation 4 could potentially fix the issues.

Hold down the power button on your PS4 console until you hear 2 beeps, then release the button
Unplug the power cable and the controller that is having connection issues
Leave your PS4 unconnected for several minutes
Plug your power cable back in and the controller cable into the console
Turn on your PS4 and check your controller and see if it’s working

Look at the video below for a guide on how to restart your console, just make sure to take out all the cables

Perhaps your controller is struggling to connect with your console. Your PS4 controller uses a normal Bluetooth connection and Bluetooth is infamous for having connection issues. If you’re using your controller to connect to other devices like a smartphone or a tablet make sure your device is connected to just your PS4 console and not to anything else

As mentioned the USB cable itself is very important as sometimes a USB cable will perfectly charge your phone but will have issues charging your PS4 controller!

This is due to small marks unique to the Dualshock USB port that made is reasonably unique and actually prone to damage. You will notice how awkward it is to fit a USB cable to your PS4 controller if it isn’t specifically designed for charging your Playstation 4 controller

What To Do When Your PS4 Controller Does Not Charge

Make sure your USB cable works on another device to prove it isn’t fault

2. Put in the USB cable into the DualShock port and see how well the USB cable fits into the port

3. If the USB cable feels loose or just not really secure then you need to replace either the USB cable or the Dualshock itself unfortunately

Remove the cable from your PS4 controller and give it a good look. Use the light from your phone and inspect the charging point of your USB charging point and the controller port. If the metal itself in the controller port looks damaged or bent in any way then the power from the USB is not getting to the controller.

You could try to fix or bend the metal back in place but be careful as it will likely violate your warranty. If you purchased your console 1 year ago it will still have a SONY warranty. So don’t try to fix it yourself if you can get Sony to fix it for you!

This is how you can claim your warranty for your PS4 directly from the PlayStation website

“You must visit PlayStation Service Request Support or call 1-800-345-7669 to receive a return authorization and shipping instructions. A VALID PROOF OF PURCHASE IN THE FORM OF A BILL OF SALE OR RECEIPT FROM A RETAILER WITH THE DATE OF THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE MUST BE PRESENTED TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE”

However, even if the metal inside of your controllers charging port looks okay, by nature it gathers a lot of dust or grime so follow the following steps to clean your controller.

How To Fix Your PS4 Controller By Cleaning It

Use a can of compressed air which you can buy from most electronic stores or try this one from Amazon that is Cordless and Portable with no gas.
Make sure the nozzle is 2-3 inches away from the charging indent and blast some air in swift bursts to clear the dust from the port
Make sure you get all the dust out of the Dualshock not just making the dust looser
Once the dust is gone use a microfiber(get 6 from amazon here) cloth to clean up the excess residue, you can purchase one from most electronic stores

If there is grime built up from split drinks or anything else you need to clean up the grime

How To Clean Grime From Your PS4 Controller

Ensure your controller is without battery charge or turned off ideally it would have no battery so it cannot turn on by accident, but be mindful not to turn on it by mistake
Grab a toothpick or a paperclip you used earlier or anything similar
Use a slightly damp paper towel around the toothpick, it only has to be small ideally less than a 1-inch square would be perfect
Use your new tool to very gently wipe the inside of the charging point until you’re happy with the defeated grime
Wait until your controller is very dry before turning it back on, do not use your can of compressed air or a fan to accelerate the process as you will just put water back in the controller!

Watch the video below for a detailed guide on how to completely clean your PS4 controller and make it look brand new, this will help greatly help with all your connection issues.

How To Change Your PS4 Controllers Battery

Whilst the PS4 is a good controller and a clear improvement over the PS3’s A BIG issue has always been a lack of a simple replaceable battery. Batteries don’t have a long shelf life and you will often find your controller only able to hold a charge for roughly an hour without needing to be recharged

If your controller is dying ridiculously quick or even worse it won’t turn on then it could be a faulty battery, however, replacing isn’t that difficult.

You can buy a replacement battery here from Amazon and you need a pair of electronic repair tweezers that can repair many electronics which you can buy from Amazon here. It feels good being a handyman/woman right?

How To Replace Your PS4 Controllers Battery Guide

Use a mini Phillips Screwdriver to remove the four screws at the back of your PS4 controller. You can purchase a deluxe set of 9 different precision Philips screwdrivers from Amazon here
Use your tweezers from earlier inside the line of the controller to pull it up from the button. Start from one side at the bottom of the seam and then move to the other. Do not start in the middle
A single ribbon should attach the frame to the motherboard so just pull it straight up, be very careful as you need to put it back later
Use your tweezers to detach the battery cables from the controller’s motherboard, via carefully rocking them back and forth like a baby until they are loosed and come apart
Attack the new battery by putting the battery back into the port you just removed the old battery
Attach the ribbon back to the controllers’ motherboard
Connect both sides of the controller’s shell together
Replace the four screws back into the frame and screw them back in place

And you’re done! Ideally, your new battery will greatly improve your controllers’ battery life and fix a lot of the connection and power issues you’ve been having

Check out this handy youtube video below on a step by step tutorial on how to change your PS4s battery

My Playstation 4 Controller Still Doesn’t Work What To Do?

If none of these tips worked or you don’t think you’re capable of fixing it yourself then an option is simply to call sony to inform them of your warranty and see if you can get anything repaired. Usually, you will only have 1 year of warranty but Sony will usually pick up your console the same day.

Check out the video below for a fellow user like you Sony’s PS4 warranty experience and what he felt about the process

However, your controller will always be the most beaten out part of your console despite what console you have. So if all these steps don’t work at the end of the day purchasing another Dualshock controller is the best option. You can check out Amazon’s best-seller right here

Transform your PS4 experience learn about the best PS4 accessories down below on Amazon.

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