Can You Charge a PlayStation Controller With a Phone Charger?

The PlayStation gaming console has been a staple of virtual entertainment since its first iteration came on the scene more than two decades ago. Along with other consoles, the PlayStation has added different controllers with more buttons or intuitive features.

Unlike some of the earlier versions of these accessories, you can charge many modern PlayStation controllers in several different ways. Many wonder if you can use a simple phone charger to do this.

We’ll take you through these possibilities below for each of the newer controllers, and we’ll also cover any potential downsides as well.

Can You Charge a PlayStation Controller With a Phone Charger? (PS3, PS4, PS5)

The latest versions of the PlayStation controllers all share many similarities in design and function. Whether you have a PS3, PS4, or PS5, Sony wanted to make it as easy as possible for players to transition to different consoles when they were ready. A big part of that is keeping button layouts and other things relatively the same.

That said, yes, you can use a phone wall charger to charge a PS3, PS4, or PS5 charger. The phone charging cables themselves may be different, so check which USB type you need.

Also, you might wonder if there are any differences in the internal components of the PlayStation controllers, or if these differences could contribute to problems when trying to recharge them via phone chargers.

We’ll look at each of the controllers separately to determine how things should work with wall chargers.

Charging PS3 Controllers

Like many electronic accessories, the PS3 controller has a charging port. This port has a specific pin setup designed to accept a sister setup from the charger of your choice.

For the PS3 controller, you may find that it doesn’t charge when you plug it into a standard wall charger. In most cases, this is because of the makeup of those chargers, which don’t send the correct signals to the pins in the PS3 controller’s charging port.

This can be frustrating, but it just means you might need to use an extra accessory or do a little extra work in order to charge your PS3 controller with a standard charger. The PS3 controller needs what enthusiasts might call a USB handshake. This bridges the gap of the differences between the controller’s charging port and the one on the charger of your choice.

With the proper adapter, you can connect your PS3 controller for charging. Many models exist, but you can find ones that are specifically built to address the PS3 controller, and this might be your best bet if you want to ensure compatibility.

Charging PS4 Controllers

The PS4 controller shares many similarities with its predecessor, but it is slightly easier to charge it using conventional phone chargers if you would like to do so.

In most cases, your PS4 controller should be able to charge with any standard charger that goes up to five volts or two amps. When you plug the charger in, you should see the appropriate lights on the charger activate. However, there is an important caveat to keep in mind here.

Using any kind of charger rated for quick or fast charging with the PS4 controller. These types of chargers are meant for specific batteries that are designed for rapid charging.

The PS4 controller does not have this battery type, and using a quick charger in order to give it the juice it needs could cause either damage to the controller or a drastically shortened battery lifespan. Just use a standard charger and the process should work fine.

Charging PS5 Controllers

If you’re enjoying the latest that Sony has to offer in terms of console entertainment, you’ve got yourself a PS5 controller. It should come with a cable that allows you to charge it via the console, but you can use a phone charger for it as well.

All you need to do is make sure that the charger in question has a USB-C connector and can deliver at least five volts of energy. If this is the case, you’re good to go.

Simply connect the appropriate end of the charger into the port on the PS5 controller. If done correctly, the controller light should pulse an orange color. Once that light goes off, charging is complete, and you can disconnect the controller to start enjoying your favorite games.

Is It Safe To Charge a PS3, PS4, or PS5 Controller With a Phone Charger?

Mostly, yes, it is safe to charge a PS3, PS4, or PS5 controller with a phone charger. There are just some things you might want to keep in mind for maximum effectiveness and safety of your controllers.

1. Make sure the charger you choose can deliver the appropriate amount of power needed to charge the controller. Something that goes far below the specs that you need for PlayStation controllers might only deliver a charge to the battery very slowly. If it is too slow, it may defeat the purpose of using an alternate charger for the sake of convenience.

2. If necessary, purchase an appropriate adapter for controllers such as those with the PS3. They are designed to perform the handshake that is needed for the controller to communicate with the charger. While you might be able to jery-rig or force a connection, this is not recommended.

3. In most cases, stay away from chargers rated for quick charging. These are meant to work with specific types of batteries, and it is possible that you may damage the battery in your PlayStation controller if you try to use it in conjunction with a quick charger.

It’s also possible that a quality quick charger could work, but a regular phone charger should be perfectly serviceable for this job.

4. On a related note, it is a good idea to avoid any cheap or unregulated charger. Whether or not quick-charging, these items may cause issues in a PlayStation controller that could lead to overheating or battery failure.

Decent chargers from reputable brands are fairly inexpensive, and it is best to stick with them to protect your controllers from possible damage.

Can a PS4 Charger Charge a PS3 or PS5 Controller?

Since you can charge all the different controllers with standard chargers that aren’t part of the PlayStation console, you may wonder if different controller charging options work with each other. You should be able to use a console to charge a controller as long as you can hook it up.

However, different controller chargers use different inputs that are not compatible with each other. Because the USB plug type differs, you can’t swap one controller charger for another.

For example, the PS3 uses what is called a mini-B plug, the PS4 uses one that is called a micro-B.

Each dedicated charger is made to work with its specific plug, so you won’t be able to mix and match them in the same way that you can with different kinds of wall chargers.

Can You Charge a PS3, PS4 or PS5 Controller Wirelessly?

The different charging methods we’ve discussed today all have at least one thing in common: you need a wired connection to make them work. From wall chargers to using the consoles that are made for your PlayStation controllers, there needs to be a specific, physical connection between the accessories and the chargers.

While using wired is a typical way of charging PS3, PS4, or PS5 controllers, there is a way you can add wireless charging capabilities.

A controller docking station can charge your PlayStation accessories without a wired connection.

There are different kinds on the market, but most will come with a connector that you will leave plugged into the station itself or attach the back of the PlayStation controller where the usual battery port is.

The controller can then talk to the charger wirelessly when you place it in the cradle of the docking station.

Most docking stations you will find on the market come with enough space to house two controllers at once.

For convenience, you can drop your PlayStation controllers into the cradles at the end of a gaming session and, provided enough time has passed, they’ll be back to a full charge next time, all without the aid of any wired connections.

Bottom Line

Modern controllers for the PlayStation have a great assortment of button layouts, looks, or extra features to make co-op or single-player gaming as enjoyable as possible. Their batteries can last quite a while, but they still need to be charged after long gaming sessions for best results.

You don’t want to lose to the next boss battle unexpectedly just because your controller ran out of juice in the middle of a parry.

You can always charge your controllers using the appropriate cable that comes with your consoles, but now you the option to use phone chargers to do the same job when you need to.

For extra convenience, you can also switch to wireless charging via docking stations as well. Just be sure to use chargers that are rated for the kinds of batteries that you are using in the controllers.

Doing this, and staying away from very cheap chargers, should ensure that you can give your controllers all the energy they might need.