How to Sync a PS4 Controller

We’ll show you how to connect PS4 controllers to your console through a couple different methods. Either way, it’s easy peasy, and you’ll be happily gaming away in no time. After all, in spite of the popularity of the PS5, there is still a huge demand for the PS4, even to the point where purchasing one is a spendy $300 at the time of this writing. Considering how solid the system is and all the gorgeous games that very much hold up (Ghost of Tsushima, anyone?), the need for PlayStation 4 tips will be around for a while.

Of course, if you’re a gaming fiend, like me, you might already want to know about the next console on the horizon. Here’s the ultimate guide to PlayStation 6.

How to Sync a PS4 Controller to a PS4

Wireless controllers are a must for any gamer. Seriously, no one wants to be stuck two feet away from your TV while trying to play Bloodborne. That said, syncing can be confusing if you don’t know the steps. Don’t worry, we’ll go through all the instructions to sync your controllers to your console. Let’s get started first with the scenario of how to connect a new PS4 controller for the first time, and then doing so by using an already paired controller.

Anxious for more gaming tips? Here are some cool ideas of things to build in Minecraft.

How to Connect ps4 Controller to ps4 Without Another Controller

There is a way to connect a controller to your PS4 by using another, already connected, controller. But why skip ahead when we should start at square one? Here’s how to sync your PS4 DualShock controller with your console. In the meantime, if you already have your eye on upgrading to a PS5, here’s an article about how PS5’s are getting easier to buy.

Steps:

1. You’ll need your USB cable, which you likely already received with your controller, though any compatible USB cable will suffice
2. Be sure your PlayStation 4 console is turned on before you begin
3. Have your controller connected to the console with the USB cable, which allows it to connect automatically
4. If your controller isn’t on you will need to push the PS button. You should see that the light bar blinks. You may also see a login screen on your TV that will give you the option to set up a player account to go with the controller
5. You may need to let the controller charge for 30-60 minutes, depending on if it is out of juice, or not
6. Once it has enough battery charge, you can then use your controller wirelessly, disconnecting the USB cable from the USB ports

Some things to note:

• You can only have your controller paired with one console at a time. So if you go over to a friend’s house to play on their PS with your controller, you’ll need to re-pair it.
• Up to four controllers can be used at one time. A color is assigned to each player via player indicator lights, when you push the PS button. This is depending on the order the controllers are connected. The first is blue, second is red, third is green and the last one is pink.
• Don’t lose your USB cable. That’s your way of charging your controller and trust me, you’ll be needing it. Probably right when you’re in the middle of a boss fight, too.

How to sync an additional controller

If you already have a PS4 controller paired, syncing a second wireless controller(or more) is simple. You don’t even need your USB cable this time. Here’s how:

Steps:

1. Use your already paired controller and go to your PS4’s main screen
2. Go to “Settings”
3. Scroll down and select “Choose Devices,”
4. Go to “Bluetooth Devices”
5. On the controller you’re trying to pair, press the share button simultaneously with the PS button for roughly 5 seconds. Here’s what it looks like
6. This controller will show up on your PS4 screen and you can select it
7. The controller is now paired. You can repeat the process with up to 4 controllers total

Troubleshooting a PS4 Controller Connection

There are a few problems you might run across with your DualShock 4 wireless controller. Let’s go through the most common culprits that either cause you grief with pairing to your console, or mess up your controller in other ways. Then we’ll go into the most common solutions. One of the first things to try, however, is simply rebooting your PlayStation. You’d be surprised how often it works.

Your controller doesn’t seem to be on:

Maybe your light bar isn’t lighting up, or maybe it isn’t showing up when you’re trying to pair it to your console, either way, your best bet is to try to charge it. Be sure you are using the right micro usb cable and give it plenty of time to charge. If it’s completely dead when you try to use it, this could take up to two hours.

Your controller randomly disconnects:

Once again, this could be from your battery draining, so make sure it’s charged properly. Another possibility is that it’s set to turn off if you leave it idle. If that’s driving you bananas, you can resolve it with these steps:

1. Go to Settings
2. Go to Power Save Settings
3. Go to Set Time Until Controllers Turn Off
4. Select Never

Note: You can set a longer time for the controller to turn off if you don’t want to disable the feature completely. Either way, your battery will drain faster as it is no longer in a battery saving mode

Other possible causes of your controller disconnecting include being too far away from your console, wireless interference, out of date software, or any number of glitches or bugs. Usually restarting your system or resetting your controller takes care of these. We’ll get into how, shortly.

Your controller doesn’t seem to charge:

The light bar on your DualShock controller should glow orange when it plugs in, to indicate it is charging. If this isn’t happening you can try a couple things:

1. Try connecting to a different USB port on your PlayStation, being sure to use either the included USB cable that came with your system, or at least a compatible one
2. Try connecting your DualShock 4 wireless controller to the USB ports on other devices, such as your PC or laptop

Various pairing issues:

Maybe your light bar is on but your PS controller still won’t pair with your console. Perhaps when you try to pair an additional controller, it’s simply not appearing in your “Bluetooth Devices.” Whatever the reason, you’ll want to either re-pair, or reset your controller. Which brings us to how to do exactly that.

How to resync your PS4 controller

This is especially useful if you had your controller paired with a different console or other device and need to get it back on track with your own system. Regardless, this is a great tactic to try whenever you’re having problems. Here’s the steps:

1. Turn off the controller you want to disconnect and use a different one for this
2. Go to settings
3. Go to Devices
4. Go to Bluetooth Devices
5. Select the controller you wish to reset
6. Press Options
7. Press “Forget Device” or “delete”

How to reset your DualShock controller

When in doubt, this is a great option to solve most of your controller based difficulties. Resetting your controller helps bugs, glitches, and various connectivity problems resolve themselves. On to the steps!

1. Unplug your controller from your PS4
2. Find the tiny reset button the back of your controller. It’s near the L2 button on the left and it looks like this:
3. Using a small, narrow tool such as an unfolded paperclip, insert the end into the button hole and hold the button down for 3-5 seconds
4. Re-plug your controller into your console with your USB cable
5. Press the PS button
6. A light bar that turns blue indicates a successful pairing

How to pair your PS4 controller with other compatible devices

Sometimes you want to use your wireless controller with something other than your PlayStation. There are plenty of compatible systems, such as various Android and iOS devices that you can use with your DualShock. Here’s how to connect to them:

You’ll need to get your controller into pairing mode through these steps

1. Check your player indicator (aka light bar) to make sure it is off. If it’s on, hold the PS button until it turns off. Here’s a reminder of what it looks like:
2. If a micro USB cable is still connected to your controller, unplug it
3. Press and hold the Share button at the same time as the PS button, until the light bar flashes
4. On your device you’re trying to connect to, enable Bluetooth, then choose the controller from the list of Bluetooth devices that show up
5. You can tell pairing is successful when your light bar lights up

Using your controller with a USB cable

If you’re having issues pairing or staying connected with your controller or having latency problems, you can use the USB to actually play from. Here’s how to adjust your controller settings:

Turn on your console

1. Go to: Settings
2. Devices
3. Controllers
4. Communication Method
5. Set it to “Use USB Cable”

From there you should be all set to use your PS4 with your USB cable instead of wirelessly.

Have more PS4 questions? Here’s a link to the PS4 user’s guide.

Conclusion

Now you know how to sync a PS4 controller to a PS4 and how to connect a PS4 controller to your PS4 without another controller. Fortunately, both ways are extremely simple, and even troubleshooting problems doesn’t take much. That said, if you do have problems and resetting or resyncing isn’t working, it might be time to have your console taken in for repairing or even try purchasing a new controller. If you have a friend with a PS4, you could try one of theirs before you buy a new one, just to see if it solves your problem. After all, they can be a bit expensive.

PlayStation has had so many amazing game titles available through the years. My personal favorite is Dead Space 1 and 2. Seriously, you don’t even know how obsessed I am with those, not to mention the remake for PS5. But can you play any of these on PS4? Here’s a great article answering if you can play PS3 games on your PS4. Happy gaming!