How To Fix “PS4 Controller Not Charging”

Cover Image of PS4 Controller Not Charging

Undoubtedly, Playstation 4 when first launched, made every gamer’s dream come true. It has continued to serve as the ultimate gaming experience since the start. As every gaming console comes with basic accessories, being one the controller. The controller is the essence of the whole PlayStation 4, as you can’t imagine gaming without it, however, if it stops charging or working, it can be a very off situation.

For the ease of gamers, the PS4 controller comes with bluetooth connectivity i.e., wireless. So, you don’t have to stick in front of the screen limited by a wire connection.

However, the joystick requires a prior energy to be used smoothly. One of the most common problems observed by many gamers is, the controller doesn’t charge after sometime.

Causes For Controller Not Charging

Causes For Controller Not Charging

As all devices are prone to some sort of problems and these problems can have many underlying reasons for that. Here are few causes that can make your PS4 controller to not charge:

  • Batteries are Dead:

The first and the most common problem noticed is the batteries have been used up to the most and died. Batteries have a normal lifespan and they are supposed to be replaced after some time. So make sure about it before concluding something else.

  • Troublesome Cable:

Just like the cables for your smartphones often stop working or get damaged over time. Charging cable for the joystick is no different, it might be not passing the current as it is supposed to do.

  • Error:

Often the joystick can go in an error state and it can interfere in the electrocuting mechanism. However, a simple reset of the controller can fix this issue.

  • Damaged Port:

The port you are connecting your cable with, can often be the cause as well. A broken or damaged port can make the controller not charge.

How To Fix “PS4 Controller Won’t Charge”?

Before jumping to any methods mentioned below, make sure your joystick is not damaged physically. In case of physical damage, get it checked by an authorised store.

If your controller is in working state, we have jot down some efficient methods to make your joystick charge again:

Method 1: Check Charging Port of Your PlayStation.

Various cases have been noticed when the USB port of the console itself has been the culprit. The port can be the reason for preventing the controller to charge.

However, if you are plugging your joystick directly into the ps4 console for charging, as an alternative what you can do is try using ports of different devices such as a laptop or smartphone USB adapter.

If you are able to charge the joystick by other means, the problem is with your console’s port not

Image of PS4 Controller's Charging Port

your joystick itself. If you are okay with charging your joystick like that and your gaming experience is not compromised as well, it is well and good. However, if you want to fix the port of your ps4, we don’t recommend it by doing it yourself, get professional help instead.

Method 2: Reset The Controller.

After you are satisfied with the port of your ps4, another little hack you can try is resetting your joystick to default settings. Most people are able to charge their controllers after resetting, try your luck with it to see if it helps.

Here is how you can reset your ps4 joystick:

  1. Firstly, make sure your controller is not connected to your console or other electrical source.
  2. You’ll be needing a small pin after it is disconnected. Take that pin and press the small reset button located at the back of the joystick. You might have to press for few minutes to reset it.Showing where to find the reset button on ps4 controller
  3. Release the pin and wait for 5-10 minutes before connecting your controller again for the charging.

Method 3: Try Plugging Your Controller Upside Down.

This might sound insanely funny and irrelevant, but trust us this unusual hack has worked its trick for many gamers. There’s no proven science or community support for this method, but many people (and us too), have tried this method, and it worked wonders.

It is what it is, all you have to do is flip your joystick and plug it in. That’s it! How insane is that? But somehow, it’s the placement of the battery inside the controller that often helps in this case and makes it work.

Did it work for you? If the error still persists, don’t lose hope. There are still a few other methods which have proven fruitful.

Method 4: Examine The Cable You Are Using For Charging.

Just like all normal devices and smartphones, the controller for the PlayStation is also charged through a micro USB cable. So often these cables can stop working or cause problems while working over the continuous usage or physical damage.

If you sense this might be the case or all of the above methods haven’t turned out fruitful for you, try playing around with other similar cables. If you have a smartphone that uses the same cable, use that for charging your joystick. If it charges perfectly with some other wire, your old wire is guilty for the inconvenience.

Method 5: Replace Batteries.

This cause can be the hardest to detect, as the replacement process of batteries for the PlayStation is pretty tricky.

Image of the ps4 controller opened up for battery replacement

As all the batteries have a lifespan, ps4’s batteries also tend to get weaker after some time. Which eventually results in abnormal behavior of the joystick, and not being able to charge is one of those.

It is better to get your batteries checked by any authorised shop, or else try it yourself by watching tutorials online. However, do keep in mind, it is important to use a compatible original battery for your controller to make it work like before. A poor quality battery might work good initially but in the long run it can damage the physical hardware sometimes.

Method 6: Power Cycling.

Another fault that can cause your controllers to either lose their electrocuting capacities or not charge at all is the state of the PS4. If the console itself can’t resolve the errors, it could be a reason for your joystick to behave unexpectedly.

To fix this issue, most users recommend power cycling the PS4. What is that? Well, power cycling refers to restarting the console to the point that almost every configuration, temporary or permanent, are removed. This way, the console’s settings are set to factory defaults and you can start up afresh.

Let’s take a look at how you can perform a power cycle on your PS4 right away. Here’s the list of steps:

  1. Completely turn off your PS4 and the controller as well.
  2. Next, unplug the console as well as any charging device that you have on.
  3. Once removed, let the console and the controller sit idle for a few minutes.
  4. Press the power button on the console and hold it for 20-40 seconds to make sure all battery is drained out.
  5. Once done, try connecting it all back to the power source.
  6. Turn on your PS4 and try connecting the controller again.

Method 7: Replace The Controller.

If you have tried your luck with all the above mentioned troubleshooting hacks, and still its not charging. We are really sorry to break it to you that we can’t do anything more about it. Whether you take your joystick to the Sony store and get it checked by the expert there or completely replace it with the new one.

Bottom Line

We know how frustrating electronic devices can be. Especially if you’re a gamer constantly gaming at your console, and this sudden death hits your controller.

Joysticks are quite useless when they stop charging. Therefore, it is a necessity to get it fixed before completely replacing it. Hopefully, with this article, you were finally able to resolve your charging issue and your controller is back in play!

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Luke Treasure