PS4 Won’t Turn Off Issue | Fixed by Experts
Unless you have an issue on your game console, your PS4 should turn off with the click of an option. If the PS4 system won’t turn off despite repetitive attempts, there’s probably a problematic element on your device.
Sometimes it’s a bit tricky to find out exactly why the PS4 won’t turn off normally without the need of forcingly shut down. It may be an app, a system issue, or something else. Regardless, there are multiple methods you can try and apply and one of these should likely fix the issue for you.
How to Properly Turn Off the PS4
The very first thing you have to learn when your PS5 won’t turn off is how to turn off the PS4 properly and safely.
Turning your PS4 off completely is recommended if you need to unplug your PS4 and move it elsewhere. Or when the PS4 behaves weirdly without any obvious reason for that. Turning off your PS4 in this case is mandatory to let the whole device take a break from electricity, which eventually will help restore its functionality.
Be noted that when you do this, the console won’t be able to download updates, and all current game sessions will end.
Turning off the PS4 entirely makes you able to see a white light that blinks and then it gets completely off.
With a Controller
If you want to turn off the PS4 using your controller, there are two methods to do that:
- From the Dynamic menu of your game on the home screen, you have to press UP on the option d-pad, which helps you to get the function screen. Then you have to select the Power option from the function screen and select the option “Turn off PS4.”
- The second method is that you have to press and hold the PS button for at least one second and select the “Turn off PS4” option. You will be able to find the option on the display screen of your device. It can help the player to power off their device completely without facing any problem.
It’s just that easy.
Without a Controller
Normally, the best way to turn off a PlayStation 4 is via its controller. However, if your controller dies while the console is on, you’re not out of luck.
You can turn off your PS4 without using a controller, which can be massively convenient if you don’t have access to your controller.
- Press and hold the same PS4 power button, for approximately seven seconds until you hear two-second beeps. If you release the button after the first beep, you’ll put it in Rest Mode. Therefore, continue holding the power button until you hear the system beep a second time.
- The television screen will display the message: “Preparing to turn off the PS4…” and warn you to not unplug the AC power cord during this process.
- The power indicator of your PS4 will pulsate in a white color until completely turning off; after the indicator light is gone, it is safe to unplug your AC power cord.
Now, after you have learned the proper way to turn off the PS4, you have to learn why the PS4 fails to turn off and how to fix that.
Fixing PS4 Won’t Turn Off Issue
Now, since your PS4 is stuck on the turning-off screen, what can you do to turn it off completely? Here are a few steps you can go through in an attempt to turn off your PS4 without harming the system.
Fix 1 – Waiting for the PS4 to Turn Off
Sometimes the PS4 takes too long to completely turn off, depending on the type and amount of processes it’s handling. Some processes are resource-demanding and need a long time to shut down. Some games/apps have improperly coded files that are not fully compatible with the version of PS4 system software your console is running. So, wait for about an hour and see what happens.
Fix 2 – Update Your PS4 System Software
Sony keeps releasing new updates for the PS4 system software that contains many bug fixes and performance improvements. Maybe the version of your PS4 system software is out of date. You must always keep your PS4 system up to date in order to fix any performance issues in your system.
One of the reliable fixes that some PS4 users tried and proved their efficiency when the PS4 wouldn’t turn off is to hold the power button of the PS4 for about 10-20 seconds until it turn off completely.
Fix 4 – Remove any disc or USB peripheral
Sometimes the PS4 won’t turn off because there’s a disc inside it. Removing it before turning it off might resolve this issue.
Also, an unstable USB connectivity can cause the PS4 to not turn off properly. Disconnecting any USB peripheral before turning off the PS4 might help also.
Fix 5 – Unplug the power cord
Ideally, you should avoid unplugging the power cord as this action may damage your console.
However, if nothing else worked and you still can’t turn off the console, you’re pretty much running out of options.
Avoiding PS4 Won’t Turn Off Issue
There are several reasons why the PS4 won’t turn off normally. Most of these reasons are software-related issues and they’re easy to fix. Sometimes it’s something related to the hard drive that needs repairing. In some very rare cases, it’s the CPU that’s failing and must be replaced.
In order to avoid this situation in the future and get your PS4 turning off normally, please try all the following methods until you make sure your issue is resolved.
1. Rebuilding the PS4 Database
It is often recommended that you should rebuild the PS4 database every month. But obviously, this is not something every other person can do efficiently.
So, you should always do a PS4 database rebuilding whenever:
- The PS4 takes long time to start or turn off.
- The game loading process starts getting slow.
- You start facing disc drive issues i.e., not reading a disc.
- Game navigation gets slow on the menu.
- Stuttering game issues particularly during cut-scenes.
- Issues with accessing DLC.
- Having trouble installing add-on contents, especially when there is free space.
- Corrupted files and random crashing in extreme cases.
The Process Steps
In order to rebuild the PS4 database, follow the steps listed below:
- Turn off PS4 using the power button on the front of the device.
- Hold the power button down and wait until two beeps. This process usually takes seven seconds.
- Connect PS4’s Dual Shock controller to the console with some USB cable.
- From the Safe Side menu, choose option five, ‘Rebuild Database’.
- This process can take several hours so don’t turn the console off during this entire process.
- The screen may turn black too which is completely normal, so don’t panic.
That should hopefully fix the issue of the PS4 not turning off. If that doesn’t for any reason, try the following harder method.
2. Free Up Space on the PS4 HDD
A full PS4 hard drive may not seem like a big deal, but all those files can reduce the amount of functional space your console needs to work. A good rule of thumb is to leave at least 10 percent of the PS4 hard drive unused, which allows for virtual memory and fragmentation.
Problems of a Full PS4 Hard Drive
A hard drive that’s too full can slow down your PS4 system, causing freezes and crashes (read more). Think of it this way — if you have a storage trunk that’s jam-packed with stuff, taking up every available inch of space, it’ll make it harder, and take longer, for you to find what you’re looking for. The same principle applies here. Your PS4 console also needs a certain portion of the hard drive kept free to act as virtual memory, where it stores data while the RAM clears. Memory-intensive operations can cause the PS4 to freeze if there is not enough virtual memory space left to act as an overflow. It can also result in the PS4 not turning off.
Clear the Clutter
Games tend to take a lot of space on your PlayStation 4’s hard drive. If your PS4 is getting close to the capacity limit, you may need to remove older games you are no longer interested in playing to make room for new games. That will mitigate the burden on the PS4 system and help it function smoother and faster.
Extra Storage
If you simply cannot bear to part with the tens of AAA titles, thousands of photos, and hundreds of hours of video on your PS4 system, consider getting additional storage space for your PS4.
This is possible by either upgrading the PS4 internal hard drive with a newer bigger drive or just adding an external storage device.
External drives are available in sizes ranging from GB to TB, offering more than enough space to move your files and free up your PS4 hard drive. You can use a maximum of 8TB of external storage capacity, and the same goes with internal storage. For more details, please read about the maximum hard drive size for PS4.
3. Initializing the PS4
Initializing the PlayStation 4 is a fairly straightforward process. Usually, this is a last-resort effort to ensure the functionality of the system. Be sure to back up any save data you may have before starting the reset process. Initializing the PS4 will erase all of your data from the system, so doing this process without backing up your saved data will cause you to start from scratch. Luckily, PS Plus subscribers can upload saves to the cloud, so backing up saved data should be a non-issue if you’re a member.
4. Defective Power Switch
If the PS4 never responds to the power button or always restarts when the power button is held down, the button may be defective. A defective PS4 power switch could be a costly repair, and may not be economically feasible.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why the Ps4 won’t turn off. Sometimes it’s a rare hardware defect that only a technician can fix. In most cases, it’s something related to the hard drive or corrupted data stored on it. You have to try all possible ways to get the PS4 back to turn off normally. If you fail eventually, the last resort is to take your console to a repair shop.
PS4 Won’t Turn Off FAQ
How do I force shutdown my PS4?
If the PS4 won't turn off normall, you can easily force your PS4 to shut down entirely by pressing and holding the power button located on the front of the PS4 for a period of time around 7 seconds. Afterwards, it will beep the first time, but don't stop pressing that button until you hear the second beep of the PS4. At that time the PS4 will turn off completely.
Why is my PS4 blinking white and not turning off?
When the PS4 is blinking white and not turning off it means that there's a hardware issue with your PS4 console. It might be the hard drive that is failing and malfunctioning, or the graphics card or even the power supply. Please read this guide thoroughly to find out the most common reasons for this case.
Why doesn't my PS4 turn off by itself?
When the PS4 has some hardware issue that prevents it from operating properly, it might not be able to turn off by itself. It might be the hard drive that is full or defective, or the graphics card or even the power supply. Read our guide on this issue for more details.
Why does my PS4 keep freezing and not turning off?
The PS4 freezes for several reasons, such as a full hard drive, a defective hard drive, a malfunctioning power supply, a failing graphics card, a corrupted database and so on. When your PS4 keeps freezing and doesn't turn off, you should troubleshoot this issue and find out what exactly causes it before looking out for a solution. This guide will help you immensely.
So I was attempting to power down my PS4 (not standby) and it appeared to be frozen… the console light is pulsing white. When I try to turn on the controller, it flashes white.
To solve the problem of the PS4 freezing and not turning off, press and hold the power button for about 20 seconds. Please be patient until it is completely turned off. If your PS4’s power button does not work, you should check to see if the console is dirty.
Hello, everyone. So I was attempting to power down my PS4 (not standby) and it appeared to be frozen… the console light is pulsing white. When I try to turn on the controller, it flashes white.
Solution 1: Wait a little longer.
Solution 2: Unplug any connected discs or USB peripherals.
Solution 3: Hold down the power button.
Solution 4: Remove the AC power cord.
Solution 5: Get in touch with PlayStation Support.
Tip 1: Update the system software on a regular basis.
Tip 2: Rebuild Your PS4’s Database
Hello, everybody. My PS4 appeared to be frozen as I tried to switch it off (power down, not standby)… The console light is white and pulsing. I can’t get the controller to turn on; it just blinks white.
Press and hold the power button on the console for about 20 seconds to address the issue where the PS4 keeps freezing and won’t turn off. Please be patient and wait till it is fully off. If the power button on your PS4 doesn’t work, you should check whether the console is dusty.
Help, please! PS4 shut off and won’t turn back on.
I was just playing bf4 and my ps4 shut off and I heard some faint and quick clicking noises like something switching on and off. I tried to turn it back on and it didn’t do anything. I unplugged it and then plugged it back in. Now when I try to turn it on, it, makes a beeping noise, no light turns on and nothing happens. It was making clicking noises with the light coming on but only for about two seconds. Now it won’t do anything. I called Sony but they are closed right now.
Press and hold the power button on the console for about 20 seconds to address the issue where the PS4 keeps freezing and won’t turn off. Please be patient and wait till it is fully off. If your PS4’s power button isn’t functioning, you should see if the device is unclean.
I was playing Mortal Kombat 11, and the voices and music stopped working when Round 2 began. However, the sound effects were working and the game was running smoothly, so I continued to play. I won the match and went to commit a fatality when the game crashed. The game is still “active,” and the character models are still moving, but nothing happens. I can’t exit, and pressing the PS button has no effect. I have tried to turn it off manually several times by hitting the power button with my finger, but it won’t turn off.
I need guidance because this has never occurred to me before and I’m at a loss for what to do. I realize that pulling the power cord while a game is running will cause the console to brick, but I feel like I have no other options. I’m not sure why the PS4’s power button won’t turn off when I push it with my finger. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Wait for it several hours until it turns off by itself. If it doesn’t, pull out the power cable and do a power recycle. Moreover, read the tips and instructions in this guide to resolve your issue.
About a week ago, I experienced the same identical issue on my first day using my PS4. I unplugged the device, and nothing bad happened. It will check to see if it is corrupt when you switch it on again, but after that everything is good, and I haven’t seen any issues since.
Thank you for sharing this piece of knowledge with us that may help our readers work around this problem.
Oh, that is really very helpful and it almost covers everything about this issue and how to fix it. Thanks a lot.
Nice words from you Arnold. Hope you could work around this issue and got your PS4 working again.
Mine did on the first day. I switched to safe mode after unplugging the cord, and I made sure everything was in working order. I was reprimanded for disconnecting it. and now it is fully working.
I am happy that you’ve figured out how to fix this problem. Congrats
The only issue I have with the disconnecting approach is that I already used it last night when this first occurred. About ten minutes later, when I restarted it to make sure everything was functional, it happened once more. I didn’t want to repeat it for that reason.
Have you followed the steps illustrated in this guide on disconnecting your PS4 from power? You should wait a few minutes and also disconnect any other connected device like the controller and headset.