Fixing PS4 Controller Is On And Connected But Not Working

One of the most common issues with the PS4 controller is that when the PS4 controller light is on and it seems properly connected to your PS4, but when you try to use it, it doesn’t work at all. This is such an annoying and frustrating issue that a regular PS4 user may not understand why it is happening.

Why Is PS4 Controller Connected But Not Working?

Wondering why your Ps4 controller light is on and connected to your PS4 yet it’s not working? Here are the most common reasons for this issue:

• The PS4 controller’s battery is weak and degrading to the extent that it cannot hold enough power for the controller to function properly.
• Recently, the controller was connected to another device, such as a different PS4 or PC.
• The Bluetooth® connection between the controller and your PlayStation has been lost due to its distance.
• Your controller and the console are connected with a broken or unplugged Micro-USB cable.
• Because of the PlayStation’s Power Save settings, the controller turned off.
• The controller has one or more broken buttons.

After knowing the most common reasons for this issue, let’s learn how to resolve it.

How To Fix a PS4 Controller That Is On and Connected But Not Working

Here are the steps you should follow to resolve your PS4 controller that turns on and seems connected but not working.

Solution #1: Power Cycle Your PS4

When you encounter any kind of issues with your PS4, the very first thing you have to do is to power cycle your PS4 console. This will help resolve many issues related to the console itself and its peripherals/accessories.

To do that, follow the instructions below:

1. Turn off your PS4.
2. Unplug your console from the power source. Also, disconnect any connected peripherals from it.
3. Wait 3-5 minutes then connect your DS4 controller to your console, and plug your PS4 into the power outlet again.
4. Turn your console on and wait for it to recognize your controller.

Now check whether your controller is working on PS4 or not. If it does, it might be a problem with your Bluetooth connection.

Solution #2: Disconnect & Reconnect Your Controller

In case your PS4 controller’s light is on and connected but still not working, you can try to disconnect it from your PS4 console and then connect it again.

In order To do that, you’ll need a second DualShock 4 controller that is in good working order, then follow these steps:

1. Navigate to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth Devices on your PlayStation dashboard.
2. From the list, choose your idle DualShock 4 controller. The one without a green dot next to it will be it.
3. Select Forget Device by pressing the Options button on your functioning controller. This will get rid of the broken, inoperative controller from your PlayStation.
4. On a functional controller, press the PS button, then choose Power > Turn off PS4.
5. Connect the problematic controller to your PS4 via a USB cord after turning off your system fully, and then turn it back on.
6. On your broken controller, press the PS button to connect to your PS4.

Now check whether your PS4 controller is working properly or not, if not, try the next solution:

Solution #3: Update the PS4 System Software

Sometimes there might be a bug in the PS4 system software that caused the problem and updating it can resolve this issue.

In order to update the PS4 system software, do the following:

1. Head to Settings > System Software Update.
2. Select Update Now, then Next in the following screens.
3. Click Accept to start the update.

Solution #4: Hard Rest the PS4 Controller

Try doing a hard reset on your DualShock 4 if your controller still turns on and connects to your PS4 but not working. Your controller will return to its factory default settings as a result, but don’t worry—your game-saved data will be preserved. What you’ll need for the reset is as follows:

• a bent straight pin or paper clip
• a USB cable, micro

Then, adhere to these simple instructions to reset your PS4 controller:

1. Switch off the PlayStation 4. Additionally, since the internet might occasionally interfere with how your controller is configured, you might want to disconnect it from it.
2. Flip the controller over after unplugging it.
3. Turn the controller over, find the recessed reset button in the small hole next to the L2 button, and push and hold it for at least 6 seconds with a paper clip or pin.
4. Release the reset button after a brief delay. Next, connect the Micro-USB cord to the controller.
5. Select PS from the menu. The controller should be linked when the LED bar on it turns blue, at which point you may access your PS4 and start playing.

You can learn more on soft and hard resetting of your PS4 controller from this article.

Solution #5: Use Your controller On Another Device

Connecting your PS4 controller to a different device, such as your PC, will help you rapidly identify a problem with it. You might also try linking it to a friend’s device.

If it doesn’t, you’ll know your controller is the issue. If your controller functions on another device, your PlayStation’s wireless link may be malfunctioning.

Solution #6: Check the PS4 Controller’s Buttons and Touchpad

See if there are any sticky, loose, or broken buttons in your PS4 controller. You have probably discovered your problem if a button is broken. If the button only needs to be cleaned, try gently wiping it with a cotton swab or microfiber cloth dipped in an electronic-safe liquid mixture (you may also use a little quantity of rubbing alcohol). Never pour liquid directly on your controller or use aggressive liquid cleansers.

On the other hand, check the touchpad of your controller, it might not be working when connected to PS4.

Try unplugging and re-pairing the controller for a while if the touchpad isn’t functioning. If it succeeds, you can resume the game.

If not, you might want to quickly clean the touchpad.

1. Start by pushing and holding the PS button on your controller for approximately 10 seconds to turn it off.
2. To clean the touchpad, use a microfiber cloth that has been dampened with rubbing alcohol.
3. Restart the controller after it is entirely dry.

Download the most recent version of the game if the touchpad on your controller stops functioning solely when playing one specific game because there might be a coding issue with the older versions.

Solution #7: Make Sure Your PS4 Controller Is Being charged

One of the reasons that may cause the issue of a PS4 controller is on and connected to PS4 but not working is that the PS4 controller battery is weak and won’t hold a charge.

If your DualShock 4 is losing power more quickly than expected, try plugging in its Micro-USB cord to the console and allowing it some time to charge. This should extend your gaming session by up to 8 hours. In order to protect the battery, be sure to turn it off when not in use.

How to charge and switch off the controller

Using your PS4 controller, turn it off by pressing and holding the PS button for approximately 10 seconds. ​

On PlayStation dashboard, do the following:

1. Press and hold the PS button on your controller until you see the Quick Menu.
2. Turn off Device under Sound/Devices, then pick your controller from the list.
3. In the Quick Menu, you may also specify a time frame within which your controller should switch off automatically. Simply click Set Time Until Controllers Turn Off and select one of the following options: After 10, 30, or 60 Minutes.

If the problem persists, you might need to get a new battery. NOTE: Breaking the warranty by doing this yourself.

Solution #8: Factory Rest the PS4

Due to data corruption, the PS4 system might not function properly and become unable to understand the signals received from the controller. As a result, weird behaviors may occur, such as that your PS4 controller is on and connected but not working.

The best thing you can do here is to initialize the PS4. It’s recommended that you do full initialization and reinstall the PS4 system software from scratch. This will entirely clean and refresh your PS4 system software and make it operate like new.

Be noted that this operation will delete all your stored data, so get a backup first before moving on.

Here are the instructions to full-initialize your PS4 and reinstall the PS4 system software quoted from the official PS4 support page.

1. Using a PC or Mac, create a folder named “PS4” on a USB drive formatted as FAT32. Inside that folder, create another folder named “UPDATE”.
2. Visit the PS4 system software update page and select the “Reinstall system software” section. Download the installation file and save it in the “UPDATE” folder. Save the file as “PS4UPDATE.PUP”.
3. Plug the USB drive containing the installation file into the PS4 console.
4. Start the PS4 console in Safe Mode: press and hold the power button, releasing after the second beep.
5. Select Safe Mode option 7: Initialize PS4 (Reinstall System Software).
6. Select Update from USB Storage Device > OK.

If your PS4 console does not recognize the update file, check that the folder names and the file name are correct. Enter the folder names and the file name using uppercase letters.

Conclusion

It’s quite weird to see your controller’s light is on, the PS4 recognizes it and it’s connected properly to your console, but nevertheless, it’s not working at all.

It might be a problem with your controller or your console. You have to run several tests in order to figure it out.

Try our troubleshooting tips for this problem and we hope you’ll find one of them useful for your case.

Please comment below about your experience with this issue and how your resolved it so that other readers may benefit.