Why Is My PS5 Controller Not Responding? (Quick Fixes!)
If your PS5 controller not responding to anything, and you can’t control the PS5 console, don’t panic, it’s probably nothing serious.
There are a lot of factors that can prevent a PS5 controller from responding or cause severe input delay, so in this quick guide, we’ll walk you through everything.
Let’s get started…
PS5 Controller Not Responding – 8 Guaranteed Solutions!
Note: Have you tried rebooting your PS5 console?
1. Fully Charge the PS5 Controller
If your DualSense controller is not responding and not showing any signs of life, perhaps the battery is fully depleted, and you’ll need to charge it.
Your PS5 controller might not charge in Rest Mode, so we recommend plugging it into the wall via an adapter and testing whether it will start working.
If your controller is working, but not responding, keep reading…
2. Soft-Reset & Connect Controller
If your DualSense controller is not responding, perhaps you need to soft reset and reconnect it to your PS5 first, which is a straightforward procedure.
Here are the steps you must undertake:
- Press and hold the PS button for ~30 seconds.
- Release the button when the controller turns off.
- Connect the controller to the PS5 via USB cable.
- Press the PS button once to turn on the controller.
This method should instantly connect your controller to the PS5 console, and if it works, you can now disconnect it and use it wirelessly.
If the controller remains unresponsive, continue reading!
3. Power Cycle your PlayStation 5
In a lot of cases, when the controller is not responding, the problem is with your PS5 operating system, whether it’s frozen or glitchy.
So, a quick thing to try before moving on with more advanced troubleshooting is to unplug your PS5 from the outlet for ~60 seconds.
When the console turns back on, follow the steps from the previous solution to soft reset and reconnect the controller.
If it doesn’t work, don’t worry and move on…
4. Disconnect All Other Accessories
Even though PS5 doesn’t have a limit on how many controllers and accessories you can register, sometimes issues may occur.
A raw example would be the limit of 4 controllers activated and working at the same time–if that’s the case, the 5th controller will not activate.
However, by removing ALL other accessories and leaving only the controller you want to use, you may not only fix the issue but also reduce interference.
To disconnect/delete previously paired accessories on PS5, go to Settings → Accessories → Bluetooth Accessories.
Then select any accessory and first choose “Disconnect”, then “Delete”. Then, repeat for ALL.
5. Hard-Reset DualSense Controller
Unlike the soft reset, the hard reset, also known as “factory reset”, is the most powerful way of refreshing your DualSense controller.
This type of reset will unpair your controller from the PS5, but considering that it’s unresponsive, you shouldn’t be worried about this drawback.
Here’s how to hard-reset your DualSense controller:
- Turn off your PlayStation 5 console.
- Power off your DualSense controller.
- Acquire a SIM ejector or a toothpick.
- Locate the reset pinhole on the back.
- Reach in and push for 5–10 seconds.
- The PS5 controller should blink blue.
After you see the blue light, your DualSense controller will turn on automatically, and you will now be able to pair it to the PS5.
If the controller pairs, test whether it will now finally respond.
6. Test the Controller in “Safe Mode”
As mentioned previously, sometimes when your PS5 controller is not responding well, the problem comes from the PS5 system.
Hence, a quick way to determine whether that’s the actual fault is to test whether the controller is responding well when the PlayStation is running in “Safe Mode”.
What Is Safe Mode?
Safe Mode on PS5 is a semi-developer’s operational state of the console, in which only the most essential services are running.
In other words, the operating system starts up by using very few services from everything it normally would. It’s perfect for identifying system issues.
Here’s how to enter and test your controller in Safe Mode:
In the Safe Mode menu, your DualSense controller won’t work wirelessly.
This means that you must connect it via a USB cord to navigate the Safe Mode options.
If the controller is responding well in Safe Mode, this clearly shows that something installed on your PS5 is causing the issue.
However, if the DualSense controller is not responding even in Safe Mode, the problem is down to your controller itself.
7. Optimize your PS5 Performance
If your PS5 controller is responding slowly, you need to consider the possibility of your PlayStation being laggy, instead of something wrong with the controller.
If you’re confident that this is not the case, jump to the next method, but if all your menus and games are lagging hard, then you’ll need some optimizations.
7.1 -Clear the Cache and Rebuild the Database:
Over time, your PS5’s cache can get cluttered, slowing things down. To fix this, you should clear the cache and rebuild the database.
Here’s how:
- Go to Settings → System → System Software → Reset Options → Clear Cache and Rebuild Database.
Note: This won’t delete your games or saves, but it can help your system run more smoothly.
7.2 – Free Some PlayStation 5 Storage Space:
A nearly full hard drive can severely reduce your PS5’s performance and cause your controller inputs to be extremely laggy and delayed.
So, go to Settings → Storage and check how much space is left.
Delete all old games or apps you don’t use frequently to free up as much storage as possible and improve PS5 performance.
7.3 – Update Your PlayStation System Software:
To get perfect performance not only from your PS5 but also from your DualSense controller, you need to ensure that you’re running the latest Sony update.
To update your PS5, go to Settings → System → System Software → System Software Update and Settings → Update System Software.
7.4 – Check and Prevent PS5 Overheating:
Your PS5 could be overheating and throttling, which could be slowing down your PS5, causing severe lag and slowing down your controller responsiveness.
So, if you identify that the PS5 is overheating, make sure to take preventative steps, such as cleaning, to reduce potential hardware throttling.
You can find more information about the PS5 overheating and how to fix it in this tailored guide!
8. Use a Second Controller to Diagnose
If your PS5 controller is not responding, after everything you’ve tried, and you have a secondary controller to test with, go ahead and activate your replacement.
If your secondary controller works just as well, this immediately justifies that there is nothing wrong with your PlayStation 5 or the operating system of the console.
The problem is likely with your original controller’s hardware, which in most cases would be a failing Bluetooth chip.
If that’s your concern as well, get in touch with PlayStation®5 Support.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.
