The PS4 DualShock controller is a great little device, but one thing that often pops up for many gamers is a flashing white light on the top of it. What does it mean? How do you fix this issue? Read on to find out how and possibly learn even more.
Reconnecting the Controller
Our first fix for a flashing white light on a PS4 controller is simply to reconnect it. Yes, it may seem obvious, but sometimes simple is better, and if you’ve ever spent any time with an IT person, you should know about turning it off and on again, right? Anyways, the first step is to have the PS4 on, locate the power button, press and hold it for three seconds and then wait for the console to power off. After that, you should press the button again and wait eight seconds. Then, the system should beep once before beeping again, leading to a boot into Safe Mode.
Following this, you should plug your PS4 controller into the console with a micro-USB cable and then the white light should be fixed. Presto! Wait, why is there no light? Well, you might have to charge it. But that should work just fine, and the light should be its regular blue. However, if it’s still white, read on to see a couple more options.
Resetting the Controller
First, make sure your DualShock is completely disconnected from any cables; if you’re still using the micro-USB mentioned previously, disconnect that as well. Secondly, turn the PS4 controller over to find a small button to the right of the Sony logo. Then, use some sort of small tool, either a paper clip or a toothpick, to push this small button for five seconds, which, if done right, should reset the controller.
After all that, use your PS4 normally and check the light on top of your DualShock to see if it’s turned blue. If not, then we have one more solution for you.
Charging the Controller
If all else fails, your last resort should be to charge your PS4 controller. You can do this by turning on your PS4 or having it in rest mode and then locating the USB output on the front of the system. Alternatively, you can charge it with a 5 Volt power brick or by using the output on the back of the console, but the front will do just fine. Once this is done, you should find your micro-USB cable, plug it into the top of your DualShock, and wait for it to charge. This should take about two hours if you’re not using it and the battery is at its lowest amount of charge.
If none of these ideas worked, then, unfortunately, it may be a more serious problem requiring you to either clean your controller or repair the micro-USB port. In that case, make sure you have some rubbing alcohol on hand if it’s just a simple cleaning that’s needed. In the worst case, find someone knowledgeable about the inner workings of PS4 controllers because you’ll need to open that up and replace the charging assembly. Good luck.
If this did work, though, we thank you for reading, and we wish you lots of gaming with your now very bright and very blue PS4 controller. Enjoy!
