How to fix a ps4 controller that wont turn on

The PS4 controller is that essential piece of an external device that helps you manage the PS4 system. If it malfunctions or is damaged, you won’t be able to work on the PS4 properly or even at all. For that reason, you always need to maintain the PS4 controller and make sure it’s healthy and intact. And, at the time you begin to observe weird behavior from the PS4 controller like it won’t turn on, you have to immediately fix it.

There could be many reasons why your PS4 controller won’t turn on including hardware problems or a bad battery issue. If the PS4 controller battery is dead/failing, it’s clear then why the PS4 controller won’t turn on. In fact, that’s very obviously expected.

If your situation is that, that the PS4 controller won’t turn on, and you’re looking for a workaround, here you may find what you want. You can follow certain troubleshooting steps in order to fix the issue of the PS4 controller won’t turn on.

Figuring Out the Culprit

In order to do that, try to plug in the controller into a PC or a portable power bank and check whether it’s charging or not.

This is one of the methods to turn on your PS4 controller. It helps you also determine where to start with your fix.

Additionally, try to top up the battery with your computer, charging power bank, or laptop to see if it does charge with any of these alternatives. And if it still doesn’t charge it means there is some issue with the controller itself, not the PS4 console.

How to Fix PS4 Controller Won’t Turn On

1. Check The Charging Issue

Before turning your PS4 controller back on, don’t forget to charge it for about 30 minutes before using it, as it is believed that maybe your PS4 controller would have simply run out of power.

Also while charging, make sure that you are using the original charging accessories including the USB cable.

If accidentally you use any USB cable or adapter that is non-compatible, this can damage your controller and make the condition worse.

It’s strongly advisable that you don’t move forward to any other step before implementing this advice.

Additionally, you need to “reseat” the PS4 controller battery. Just plug it out for a minute, then plug it back in. Now try to charge it for at least 30 minutes and see then if it works or not.

2. Check Your USB Port

A lot of times it is seen that the PS4 USB port gets damaged/failing and loses its ability to charge after some time. And if the controller won’t charge, it won’t turn on obviously.

This happens due to varied reasons, the most common ones are the misuse of USB ports, a defective USB device connected to the PS4, and an abrupt power surge.

The damage might be confined to a particular USB port, and here you’re lucky, and it might be in the whole USB card.

You need to inspect your PS4 USB port with any magnifying glass to ensure that there is no dust inculcated. If you find some dust or debris, you can always clean it with some tiny object like a toothpick, compressed air to blow, etc.

Moreover, there is a front charging port on your PS4 controller which might prevent charging due to certain defects. To tackle this problem you can easily get a charging station that would help in charging your PS4 controller from the bottom.

This is far the best alternative method to charge your PS4 controller if you are not willing to replace it with a new one. However, this can be a bit expensive but surely worth it. Once your PS4 controller is charged it will probably turn on too.

Note: Any damaged connector inside the port can make it useless.

3. Reset The PS4 Controller

Steps to reset your PS4 controller are as follows:

1. Press the tiny hardware reset button.
2. Below the left trigger, you’ll find a small hole, to open this hole, you can use a toothpick or any other tiny Bobby pin to insert inside the hole.
3. You can also press the PS4 button further to execute the reset.

Now check whether this works for you or not. If the PS4 controller is still not charging, you may need to change the battery.

4. Replace Your PS4 Battery

5. Replace Your Controller

The main reason why your PS4 controller won’t turn on is a dead battery or hardware damage. And unfortunately in such a case, there is not much option left for you and so it is advised to replace your malfunctioning controller if it’s not turning on.

Conclusion

If you have found the problem is in your PS4 controller and you fail to repair it and get it back to turn on no matter what and how you do, you simply have to replace it and get a new one. Here, you don’t really need to seek help/assistance from a technician and pay money.

On the other hand, if the problem is in the PS4 itself, it might be either the particular USB port or the USB card itself. Something serious here is damaged. You have to run several tests to figure out more what exactly is happening, or just take your PS4 console to a repair shop to fix it for you.

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Is your PS4 Controller not turning on? There could be myriad reasons why your PS4 Controller has decided to go on a strike and just not turn on. If you’ve been facing this issue, this is just the post for you. Below, we will take you through the reasons and the solutions to fix your PS4 Controller, and help you turn it back on, and get back to playing your favorite games.

Before we move to looking at solutions as to why your PS4 Controller won’t turn on, it is equally important to understand the reasons behind it:

The Controller is not charged

The first and the most obvious reason why the PS4 Controller won’t turn on is that it is drained of power. If you have been using your PS4 Controller for extended periods without charging it, it will eventually turn off and not turn on until you charge it. The battery of a PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 controller lasts 4 to 8 hours.

To know if your PS4 Controller is charged or not, turn on your PS4 console (or keep it in rest mode), and connect your PS4 Controller to the console using a USB cable. When you tap on the PlayStation button on the Controller, the charge level of the battery will appear on the screen. 

If you’re charging your Controller in the rest mode of the console, the light bar will blink orange on the Controller, indicating it is getting charged.

A firmware glitch

It is possible that your PS4 Controller won’t turn on because it has incurred a firmware glitch. Firmware glitches are more common than you think, but these are typically minor ones, and all you need to do is reset your Controller to get rid of the glitch.

Damaged USB port or cable

If you’ve already tried charging your PS4 Controller, and it still won’t turn on, the chances are that it is not getting charged in the first place. Now, the culprit behind this could be a damaged USB port in which you are plugging the cable to charge your Controller. It is equally possible that it is a damaged or defective USB cable that is not allowing the charging to occur in the first place.

It is also a fair possibility that the problem lies in the charging port of your Controller. The charging port is on the front end of the body of the Controller; if you notice any signs of damage to it, that could be what is preventing the Controller from taking charge.

Damage caused to the Controller

If the Controller is used to frequent aggression from your end when a game does not end your way, or if it recently fell off an elevated place, it could be damaged. A damaged controller is highly vulnerable to hardware issues, which translates to it not turning on.

Dirt and debris on the board surface

This is one possibility you can rule out if you always tend to keep your PS4 Controller in a pristine condition. However, if the Controller is left unattended for too long out in the open, it may collect dirt and debris. Fine dust particles may accumulate on the board surface of the Controller, preventing it from turning on.

Worn out battery

PS4 controllers have a lithium-ion battery, which means they have a certain duration of longevity. Depending on how you use it and how long you use it, the Controller’s battery can be subject to wearing sooner than later.

Although the DUALSHOCK lasts an average of 5 years (if you don’t damage the circuitry inside), the battery could be worn out sooner if you use it while it’s charging (you get the hint). Whatever the case, if you have a worn-out battery, your PS4 Controller just won’t turn on.

Below we’ve discussed the 8 solutions to help you fix your Controller and getting it to turn on:

Solution 1: Charge your PS4 Controller

It is the obvious solution, isn’t it? Now, this may sound like beginner’s play if you’re sure your Controller is charged and it still won’t turn on. However, people who recently got their hands on a PS4 set may find it daunting if their PS4 Controller won’t turn on when the reason could be as simple as a drained-out battery. Here is how you can charge the PS4 Controller:

• Plug your PS4 Controller into the PS4 console (that is turned on) using a USB cable.
• Press the PS button to see the level of charge on the screen, as the PS4 Controller is charging. It usually takes 2 hours for the Controller to be fully charged.
• To charge the PS4 Controller while keeping your system in safe mode, go to Settings on the console, select ‘Power Saving Settings.’
• Now select ‘Set Features Available in Rest Mode. Finally, select ‘Supply Power to USB Ports.

• The Controller will blink an orange light in the light bar on its body as it gets charged.
• Once the Controller is charged, unplug it from the cable, and check if it turns on.

Solution 2: Reset your Controller

If a firmware glitch is what is causing the PS4 Controller from turning on, you can fix it by resetting the Controller. To hard-reset the Controller, follow these steps:

• Power down PS4 and locate the small hole on the rear end of the Controller on the left shoulder button.
• Use a paperclip to push inside the hole. 
• Press the button (not visible) inside the hole for 5 seconds.
• The Controller is now hard-reset. To connect it to the console, use a USB cable.
• Turn on the PS4 console, and simultaneously turn on the Controller. If it turns on, the light bar will indicate a blue light signaling the Controller is paired with the console.

Solution 3: Change the USB Cable

We’ve discussed how a faulty USB cable can prevent the Controller from charging and thus from turning on. Try to swap the USB cable with a different one that works. Check if the replacement is charging the Controller; if yes, your problem is already fixed.

Solution 4: Clean the USB Port

More than damage, the USB port can be a victim to months of dust and dirt accumulation. If your Controller doesn’t turn on because it isn’t charging and you’ve already tried swapping cable, we recommend cleaning the USB port before moving to the other solutions. 

You can try multiple ways to clean the USB port, starting with using a toothpick to pick out dust and debris from the port. You can also try using a cloth to clean the port; make sure not to spray any liquid directly into the port to clean it. 

Blowing compressed air into the USB ports can help get rid of dust from the port too.

Solution 5: Look for signs of damage in the USB Port

Although damage to the USB port is not very common, it can still happen due to reasons such as abrupt power surge, damage caused to the console, or wear and tear due to plugging and unplugging of the USB cable. 

But how is damage to the USB port relevant to your Controller not turning on? If your Controller is not charging owing to a damaged USB port and therefore not turning on, it has all the relevance.

Fortunately, you have more than one USB port on any PS4 console, therefore try to plug the USB cable into a different port and check if the Controller is charging. If it is charging and therefore turns on, the problem lies in one specific USB port.

However, if the USB drive itself is damaged, none of the ports will be working. There is very little that you manually do in this case, apart from seeking help from a professional to get the hardware fixed or replaced.

Solution 6: Seek a replacement for the Controller

If you’re completely sure that the problem lies in the Controller, resulting in it not turning on, seek a replacement for the Controller from PlayStation’s official support page. 

This is the simplest solution to fixing the problem if your PlayStation is still under warranty.

Solution 7: Disassemble and Clean the Controller

As we’ve mentioned before, the Controller may not turn on because of dust and debris on the circuit board of the Controller. In this case, you can disassemble the Controller and carefully try cleaning the board surface.

• Use a T8 or T9 screwdriver to disassemble your Controller. 
• Carefully disconnect the delicate wirings from the plastic body of the Controller.
• Using a micro cloth, clean the circuit board, making sure not to apply too much pressure.
• Assemble the Controller back, and check if it turns on.

We also suggest trying this method only if your Controller is out of warranty since disassembling your under-warranty Controller may prevent you from claiming the warranty if things go south.

Solution 8: Replace the battery of your Controller

Is a worn-out battery the reason why your Controller won’t turn on? Of course, you’ll know if it is since any battery does not wear out in a day. If your DUALSHOCK 4 controller charging has started to last less over time, it is a strong indication that the battery is wearing out. After a point, the battery just won’t accept charging and or take too long to charge and discharge in a short span of time. 

Replacing the battery of the Controller might help in this case. It is certainly cheaper than buying an all-new replacement controller, but try this method only if your Controller is out-of-warranty.

Unlike the Xbox Controller, the PS4 Controller has a battery on the inside. Therefore, you’ll need to disassemble it, remove the old battery, and replace it with a new one, and then assemble the Controller back.

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