PS5 Controller Not Charging: 12 Fixes

Some bits of technology make life so much easier. In the good old days of gaming, before wireless controllers came along, you could only sit as far from your console as your controller cable allowed. Even then, you risked someone walking past and ripping your controller from your hands. Or, they’d knock your precious game console to the floor, tangled in the controller cables.

Wireless controllers allow you to play from across the room without worrying about the length of your cables or people tripping over them. Which makes it all the more painful when your wireless controllers stop working properly.

If you own a PlayStation 5 (and let’s face it, if you don’t, you should) the included DualSensePS5 wireless controller is excellent, with impressive haptic feedback and a built-in speaker for a more immersive experience. If you can’t use it wirelessly, however, then it’s a lot less great. Here’s what to try if you’re having issues with your PS5 controller not charging

1. Try a Different Port

Some users have found that they’ve had issues when trying to charge their PS5 controller using the port on the front of the console. If you’re having issues with your PS5 controller not charging, and your charging cable is plugged into the USB-A port on the front of the console, try removing it and plugging it into the USB-A port on the rear of the console instead. You may find that your PS5 controller will charge as expected.

2. Use a Different Cable

Your charging problems may be down to a faulty charging cable. If the cable is damaged, it may not be able to charge your PS5 controller. A quick test is to find another device that charges via USB-C, such as a smartphone, and plug it in instead of your PS5 controller.

If the phone charges with no problems, then the issue lies somewhere else, but if you can’t charge your phone either, then you might need to replace your USB cable.

3. Clean the USB Ports

If your PS5 controller won’t charge no matter which USB cable you use, the issue may be with the USB ports themselves. Try carefully cleaning out any obvious debris from the USB-C port on your PS5 controller and the USB-A port on your PlayStation. You might also try giving the ports a quick blast with a can of compressed air to clean out anything jammed inside.

Once you’ve cleaned the ports, try charging again to see if the problem is fixed.

4. Try Using a Wall Charger or Different Device

Whether you’re charging directly from your PS5, or you’re using a charging station, if your PS5 controller isn’t charging up, and the cable isn’t the issue, then it may be down to the power source.

If you can’t charge when plugged into your PS5, try using a wall charger or another powered device with a USB port, such as a computer, to see if you can charge using a different power source. If you’re using a charging station, try using a different power supply to see if this solves the problem.

5. Remove Any Controller Accessories

If you have any accessories connected to your PS5 controller, such as an external battery pack or headphones, these devices may be interfering with the charging of your controller. Try removing all of the accessories from your PS5 controller to see if this fixes your problems with the controller not charging.

6. Soft Reset Your PS5 Controller

You can try giving your PS5 controller a soft reset to see if this will get it to start charging properly again. A soft reset requires the use of your PS5 controller to navigate the PS5 menus; if your controller isn’t charged, you’ll need to plug it into the console in order to use it.

Press the PS button on your controller to bring up the menu at the bottom of the screen. Select the Controller icon.

Choose the controller that you want to reset.

Select Turn Off. Wait for 10 seconds or more and then press and hold the PS button to restart the controller. Try charging it again to see if the problem is fixed.

7. Hard Reset Your PS5 Controller

If a soft reset doesn’t work, you can try a hard reset instead. This involves pressing the reset button on the PS5 controller.

Turn off your PS5 and disconnect the PS5 controller. Using a pin or other narrow tool, press and hold the reset button located in a small hole near to the Sony logo on the rear of the controller. After five seconds or longer, release the reset button. Your controller is now reset. Connect your controller to your PS5 using the UBS cable and press the PS button to reconnect it to your console. Try charging the controller again to see if the problem is fixed.

8. Remove and Reconnect Your PS5 Controller

You may find that removing your PS5 controller from the Bluetooth accessories on your PS5 and then reconnecting it again will resolve your charging issues. You’ll need to be able to navigate your PS5 settings, so if your controller is not charged, you’ll have to connect it to your PS5 using the USB cable.

Select the Settings button at the top of the main PS5 screen.

Select Accessories.

In the General section, select Bluetooth Accessories.

Choose the controller that you want to remove.

Select Delete.

Choose OK to confirm. Restart your PS5. Connect your PS5 controller via USB and press the PS button to register it with your console. See if the PS5 controller will now charge.

9. Check the Rest Mode Settings

By default, your PS5 will charge your controller if it’s connected by USB and your PS5 is in Rest Mode. However, it’s possible to turn off the power to the USB ports during Rest Mode in the settings, part of the power saving settings that you find on many consoles. If this has been changed, your PS5 controller won’t charge during Rest Mode.

There’s also a setting that limits your PS5 from providing power to the USB ports in Rest Mode after three hours, so if you try to charge your PS5 controller after this point, it won’t work. You can change the settings so that your USB ports are always powered during Rest Mode to see if this fixes the issue. If your controller isn’t charged, you’ll need to connect it via USB or use a different controller.

Select the Settings button on the main PS5 screen.

Scroll down and select System.

Choose Power Saving from the left-hand menu.

Select Features Available in Rest Mode.

Change Supply Power to USB Ports to Always or 3 Hours.

See if you can now charge your PS5 controller in Rest Mode.

10. Check for Firmware Updates

When problems are found with PS5 controllers, Sony will release firmware updates to fix the issues. If you’re having problems with your PS5 controller not charging, updating the firmware may fix the problem. Firmware updates happen automatically, but you can check to see if your firmware is up to date or not.

Select the Settings icon on your PS5.

Scroll down and select Accessories.

In the left-hand menu, select Controller (General).

Next to DualSense Wireless Controller Device Software, you can see if your firmware is up to date. If it isn’t, connect the controller to your PS5 via USB. You should see a message that a software update is available. Click Update to start the update. Once completed, try charging your PS5 controller again.

11. Update Your PS5 System Software

If your firmware is up to date, you can try updating the PS5 system software. Out-of-date system software may be causing issues with your PS5 controller not charging.

Select the Settings icon.

Scroll down and select System.

In the System Software settings, select System Software Update and Settings.

Next to Update System Software you can see if your PS5 software is up to date.

If it isn’t, select Update System Software. Choose Update Using Internet. Once the update has been applied, try charging again.

12. Contact Support

If nothing else works, the problem may be caused by your PS5 controller itself. The internal battery may have issues, or there may be some other problem that’s stopping it from charging. Contact PlayStation support as you may be able to get a repair or replacement if your PS5 controller is still under warranty. Even if it’s not, PlayStation support may be able to suggest ways to fix the issue.

Fixing Problems With Your PS5 Controller Not Charging

One of the benefits of wireless controllers is that you can play from wherever you like without being limited by the length of any cables connecting your controller to your console. If you’re having problems with your PS5 controller not charging, then you won’t be able to use the controller wirelessly, and this benefit is removed. If nothing else works, you should try contacting PlayStation support, as you may be able to get a replacement if your device is still within warranty.

Hopefully, one of the fixes above has helped you solve your problem with charging your PS5 controller, though. If you find any other useful fixes, please let us know in the comments.

Image courtesy of Pexels

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