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With a PS4, you can play some of your favorite games and save a little money on the cost of a new PS5. These consoles use controllers that allow you to navigate through menus and play your games. Find out what it means when your PS4 controller won’t connect while charging and what other things you need to know about these controllers.
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Why Won’t My PS4 Controller Connect While Charging? 6 Causes & Fixes
Your controller must connect to your PS4 for you to play games or use any of your apps. Some gamers found that their controllers would not charge and connect simultaneously.
If this happens, you can either play with a low battery controller or wait for it to charge before you play. You can also check out the causes we found and the top fixes.
1. Wireless Connection Issues
One of the nice things about PS4 controllers is that they connect wirelessly. The downside is that when it loses this connection or has problems working with the connection, you cannot use it. An easy way to get your controller to connect and charge is with a new cable.
The controller requires a micro USB cable, which is the same type that some cell phones use. Make sure that you buy one from Sony, though as third-party cables may not have the voltage you need. Go ahead and shut down the console before you plug in the new cable. Turn on the console and then the controller to see if it will now work.
2. Syncing Problems
When you have a PS4 controller that you charge with adapters or other devices, you might have a connection problem because the controller keeps syncing itself to those devices. This can happen when you charge it with another electronic or if you use it as an extra PC controller.
Disconnect the controller from the other devices before you plug in the data cable. You can also reset the controller if it keeps trying to establish a connection with another device.
3. Poor or Loose Connection
Do you have a PS4 controller that keeps losing its connection to your console? Maybe you find that the console has a hard time finding the controller when you want to use it. When you reset your controller, you can fix the problem.
Shut down the console and then find the reset button on the back right side of the controller. You need a sharp piece of metal or a thin object such as a paper clip to press this button.
Place the object in the hole above the button and press down until you feel the object slide inside. Wait several seconds before you release it. Use a data cable to connect the controller to the console and then turn on your PS4.
Once it gets through the startup menu, see if your controller now works. You may fix the problem when resetting it and find that your controller will connect and charge.
4. Faulty Controller
Whether you bring home a new or used PS4 controller, you risk buying a faulty one. Even if it works fine for the first few weeks or months, it can stop charging and connecting simultaneously.
Always check your warranty. New controllers usually have a one-year warranty, while used controllers may have a limited warranty of 30 days to six months (depending on the retailer). Your warranty should pay for a new controller if the old one is faulty and does not work.
5. Corruption
There’s a chance that you have a corruption issue that causes problems between your console and controller. Shutting down the console and letting it rest can help. Do not shut down the console via the controller.
You need to shut it down with the button on the console itself. Hold this button down until you hear a beeping sound, which should have a second beeping noise sound a few seconds later. Do not release the button until you hear both sounds. Disconnect both the power cord and the data cable for the controller.
Now is an excellent time to check the mail or use the bathroom because you want to let the console rest for at least three minutes. Plug in the power cable and run it to the outlet before you plug in the data cable.
Press the power button on the PS4 and let it go through the main menu before you try to use the controller. If this fixes the problem, you should see the light on your controller come on to tell you it is now charging.
6. Faulty Cable
A cheap and easy solution to your connection issue is a new cable. You already know the type of data cable you need, but did you know that a faulty cable will cause a lot of problems? Some cheaper cables do not have the proper voltage to both charge and connect your controller.
If you try to charge the controller, the cable will not connect to the console because it doesn’t have enough power. Even if you can establish a connection, you might find that your controller won’t charge. It will just let you keep playing until the battery dies.
Make sure you have a few different cables on hand that you can use as backups. Sony makes a series of cables that you can pick up from their official website or from other sites.
You may need a shorter cable that reduces the distance between the battery and the console. If you have a low-quality cable, you may have to try three or even four cables before finding one that works for a long period. Keep in mind that a damaged cable may stop working, too.
Will My PS4 Controller Charge When the System is Off?
Every time a new console hits the market, you need to consider whether buying one is worth the money. Many Sony fans thought the PS4 was worth the price because it included many features that the PS3 did not such as the option to charge controllers when the system was off.
Simply leave your controller plugged in when you shut the console off for the night. While you won’t see the same lights that you usually see when it charges, you’ll find that the controller has a full battery the next time you use it.
Remember that you can also charge your PS4 controller when the console is in standby mode. Standby mode is a great feature that essentially lets your console rest when you’re not using it. It uses less energy but will come to life quickly when you want to play.
Sony designed the PS4 to enter this mode when it’s inactive for a certain amount of time. As long as you keep your controller plugged in when the console enters this mode, it will charge the controller.
Can You Charge PS4 Controller Without the Console?
The best way to charge a PS4 controller is with the console. Grab the USB cable and plug it into both the console and your controller. You’ll see some lights come and feel the controller vibrate, which tells you it’s charging.
The micro USB cable that Sony included with your purchase also allows you to charge the controller via the same adapter you use to charge your phone. This lets you use any wall outlet in your home. Don’t forget that you can also plug the cable into your computer and charge the controller that way.
Can You Use a PS4 Controller Without a Battery?
Yes, you can use a PS4 controller without a battery. This comes in handy if you have a dead or dying battery and cannot afford to buy a new controller. You can use it after the battery dies, but you can also remove the battery first.
Just make sure that you have the micro USB charging cable that came with it. Plug that cable into both your controller and the USB port on your console. The controller should also work as long as all lights work.
Can I Replace the Battery in My PS4 Controller?
First things first, Sony did not design the PS4 controllers with a removable battery. If you ever played with an Xbox controller before, you know that those controllers have a plastic piece that slips off the back to let you change the batteries.
PS4 controllers come with permanent batteries. While you can replace the battery, doing so will void your warranty and may cause other problems.
How to Replace a PS4 Controller Battery
If your warranty expired or you decide to try replacing your controller battery, use caution. You will need both a screwdriver and a pry bar. Use the screwdriver to remove all of the screws from the case.
You can then apply pressure to the controller to force the plastic case loose and insert the pry bar into the gap. Slowly move the bar around the controller as you apply more pressure to pull off the cover.
Once you get the cover off, look for the battery and its connector. Pull the connector out with a pair of tweezers and then release the battery. Place the new battery into the controller, reattach the connector, and follow the steps you took to put the controller back together.
Remember that you must have the right type of battery to match the original one. Sony will not pay for any damage you do to the controller and will void your warranty if the company knows that you made any changes to it.
Conclusion
While spend more money on a new controller or play less than you would like because your controller will not charge and connect simultaneously? You can try some simple fixes at home that will make your PS4 controller connect again and work as it should. Try all of these solutions when you have a faulty controller.
