How to Connect a PS4 Controller to Your PS4: Step by Step

To connect a DUALSHOCK 4 controller to a PS4, turn on the console, plug the controller into it with a micro-USB cable, and press the PS button. The light bar will blink and a player indicator will appear; select a user if the console asks. Once the controller has enough charge, unplug the cable and use it wirelessly. You do not need a second controller for this setup.

What you need

Use a DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller and a micro-USB cable. The cable supplied with the controller or console is the simplest choice. If it does not pair, try another compatible cable and USB port; a cable that only supplies power may charge the controller without completing a data connection. Keep the cable nearby until you have confirmed that the wireless connection works.

Pair your controller with the PS4

1. Turn on the PS4. Use the console’s power button if the controller is not yet connected.
2. Connect the USB cable. Plug the micro-USB end into the controller and the other end into a USB port on the console.

3. Press the PS button. If the controller is off, press the round PS button in the center. The light bar blinks and the player indicator lights when the controller connects. Choose a user profile if prompted.
4. Test the connection. Navigate the home screen, then disconnect the cable when the controller has enough battery charge. Press the PS button again if needed; the paired controller should reconnect wirelessly.

Sony says a DUALSHOCK 4 can pair with only one console at a time, and one PS4 can use up to four controllers. To move a controller to another PS4, pair it to that console with a USB cable and press PS again.

Connect a second controller

Pair each additional DUALSHOCK 4 separately: connect it to the PS4 with a USB cable, press its PS button, and select a user for that controller. Repeat for other controllers, up to four total. The PS4’s Bluetooth Devices screen can be misleading: Sony’s PS4 guide says to pair controllers by connecting them with a USB cable. The SHARE + PS button combination is Sony’s procedure for pairing a DUALSHOCK 4 with supported devices such as a computer or phone, not the standard PS4 pairing method.

For details, see Sony’s PS4 guide to Bluetooth devices and its instructions for pairing a DUALSHOCK 4 with other supported devices.

If the controller will not connect

Check the cable and USB port

Make sure both cable ends are firmly seated. Try another USB port on the console and a different micro-USB cable. If the controller charges but the PS4 does not respond when you press PS, test a cable known to work for data transfer, then repeat the pairing steps with the controller connected directly to the console.

Charge a depleted controller

Leave the controller connected to the PS4, then try again. Sony says a DUALSHOCK 4 can charge while the console is on or in Rest Mode, and a fully depleted battery takes about two hours to charge. When charging in Rest Mode, the light bar slowly blinks orange and turns off when charging is complete. If it still will not charge, try a different cable and port.

Reset and pair again

If the controller remains unresponsive, reset it and repeat the USB pairing process:

1. Turn off and unplug the PS4.
2. Disconnect the controller from its USB cable.
3. On the back of the controller, find the small reset hole near the L2 button.
4. Use an unfolded paper clip or similar small tool to press and hold the reset button for at least five seconds.
5. Reconnect the controller to the PS4 with a USB cable and press PS.

These steps follow Sony’s DUALSHOCK 4 troubleshooting instructions. If the controller pairs but turns off after sitting idle, adjust Settings > Power Save Settings > Set Time Until Controllers Turn Off to a longer interval. A longer interval can use more battery.

Can you play with the controller wired?

Yes. Keep the USB cable connected. On a CUH-ZCT2 series DUALSHOCK 4, the PS4 also offers Settings > Devices > Controllers > Communication Method when the controller is connected by USB; choose Use USB Cable to communicate over the cable. Sony notes that this setting appears only for that controller series. See its PS4 controller settings guide.

If pairing still fails after testing another cable and resetting the controller, use Sony’s DUALSHOCK 4 support and repair options to narrow down a controller or console fault.