If you are in a situation where your PS5 Controller won’t turn on, then we have a list of troubleshooting steps that you can take to resolve the issue. There can be several reasons why the controllers won’t turn on, including bad batteries, loose connections, etc. Here’s what you should do if your PS5 controller won’t turn on:
- Check the charging status of the PS5 Controller.
- Connect PS5 Controller using USB cable on different PS5 ports.
- Power off the PS5 Console using the power button on console.
- Reset the PS5 Controller.
- Contact PlayStation Support at 1-800-345-7669.
- Get a DualSense charging station
The wireless controller issue is a common problem with many users. We will discuss all the possible troubleshooting steps that you can take to solve your issue. You can go through the mentioned points step-by-step, and we hope that your problem will be resolved by using this guide. Let’s jump right into troubleshooting.
Check the charging status of the PS5 Controller.
Let’s start with the basics first; for this step, check that your DualSense Controller has enough battery juice in it; otherwise, this might be the sole reason why your PS5 Controller won’t turn on. When the DualSense Controller is in charging mode, the light bar on top will start pulsating orange color. This will confirm that it is charging; there are some other ways to check the charging status. If you need guidance on this and want to know further, then you can read our tutorial at How Do You Know PS5 Controller Is Charging? 3 Easy ways to check
Connect PS5 Controller using USB cable on different PS5 ports.
For this step, you can troubleshoot the issue by grabbing your USB cable supplied with your PS5 Console to connect the DualSense Controller with your PS5. The batteries inside the wireless Controller might have drained completely or there might be some wireless connectivity issues, so joining the Controller using the USB cable will help us determine the root cause of why the PS5 Controller won’t turn on.
Also, try using different ports available on the PS5’s front and backside. This way, we also eliminate the possibility of any faulty USB port. If your PS5 Controller works after connecting it through a USB cable, then it’s most probably a battery drainage issue. We recommend charging your DualSense Controller using the USB cable or the Charging Station. If you want to know whether your PS5 controller is charging or not, then you can read our tutorial at How Do You Know PS5 Controller Is Charging? 3 Easy ways to check
Power off the PS5 Console using the power button on console.
We need to fully power down the PS5 Console using the hardware button on the Console itself for this step. If you have the PS5 positioned in the vertical position, it’s a button at the very bottom of PS5. Press and hold the button for 8-10 seconds until your PS5 powers down completely. After the first beep, you will also hear a second beep suggesting that the PS5 is powering down. Please note that pressing the power button only once will put the PS5 in Rest Mode, which we do not want for our troubleshooting scenario.
Now once again, grab a USB cable to connect your DualSense Controller with your PS5 and press the power button on your Console once. We hope everything goes well and your Controller starts working and gets connected to your Console as well. If this solves your issue, then you can peacefully get back to your gaming session. If, for some reason; still your PS5 Controller won’t turn on, then read on for further troubleshooting.
Reset the PS5 Controller.
The next thing you can do is reset your PS5 Controller itself. As you may have guessed, resetting means all the connections are reset, and you will have to reconnect the Controller using the USB cable just like you did the very first time. The reset button is hidden at the back of the Controller, and it is inside a tiny hole at the back of the wireless Controller. Look at the below image to locate the Reset button.
Follow the below steps to reset your DualSense Controller:
- Power down your PS5 Console.
- Find the small reset button on the back of the Controller.
- Use any item such as a paper clip/needle/ sim ejector which is small enough to push the button inside the hole.
- Press and hold the button for 5 seconds.
Finally, connect the Controller to your PS5 Console using a USB cable as the connection has been reset. Turn on your Console and press the PS button on your Controller. Hopefully, this resolves your issue, and the PS5 Controller turns on and connects to your PS5 Console.
Contact PlayStation Support.
If you have tried all the above steps and still your PS5 Controller won’t turn on, then we recommend getting in touch with PlayStation Support to guide you further on the issue. If your Controller happens to be in warranty, then most probably your Controller will be replaced with a new one, or they may also rectify the issue on your current Controller itself. You can reach out to Sony’s official PlayStation support at the following number:
1-800-345-7669
You can also contact PlayStation Customer Service with various other methods such as via Chat, tweet, or letter. You can read our complete tutorial at How To Contact PlayStation Support? Via call, chat, tweet, or a letter.
Buy a new PS5 Controller.
If you have tried everything and even contacted PlayStation Support, but the issue was not resolved, then it’s time for you to buy a new DualSense controller. The DualSense wireless Controller is available in many colors; choose the one that suits you; we recommend purchasing the cosmic red one(looks great).
You can take many preventive measures so that your PS5 Controller is in good shape for an extended time, such as :
- We recommend that you put it back on charge only when the battery level drops to 1 bar on the PS5’s control center or below. You can check the battery level status of your Controller by pressing the PS button on it, and at the control center screen, you can see the current battery status.
- Avoid using any fast charger to charge your PS5 Controller as you may risk accidentally frying or reducing the battery backup of the controllers.
- We also recommend that you use a DualSense charging station to charge your controllers, which can accommodate two controllers simultaneously. Therefore if you have two controllers, having a charging station can also free up a USB port on your PS5 Console.
