How to Fix: PS5 Controller not Connecting

Tijana Tijana

Written by Tijana Streaming / Gaming

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The PS5 has been around for over a year now, and over 13.4 million units have been sold since its launch.

The Play Station is among the most popular and best gaming consoles worldwide, especially since the PS has been around 1994.

However, technology is always bound to have glitches and issues, and the PS5 is no exception.

Reportedly, people have experienced issues with both the console and the controllers.

For some, the issue is the controller being connected to the console, but not getting a signal, while for some, the issue is the controller not connecting at all.

Luckily, these types of issues are solvable, and most of the time the steps to solve them are really simple, and easy to follow.

Therefore, keep reading to fix the issue and get back to gaming with our detailed step-by-step guide.

Bonus read: How to fix: switch not connecting to TV?

What is causing the issues with my controller not connecting?

As we mentioned, it happens way too often for technology to be glitching and consequently create problems. No need to worry, the chances of the controller being broken are really low.

First things first, we need to go through all possible causes to why you’re experiencing an issue such as this one.

  • There might be some issues with the Bluetooth connectivity on your controller. When too many devices have Bluetooth turned on, it can trigger issues such as this one.
  • The controller got connected to a different device instead of the PS5. If the controller has other devices remembered, since they were connected, it might be connecting automatically to that device instead.
  • If you’re trying to connect the controller with a USB-C cable, you might be using the wrong cable, or the cable might be damaged.
  • The USB port might have gotten broken, or there might be excess dirt in it, which is causing the controller to not connect.
  • Possible hardware issues with the controller, such as the Bluetooth sensor not working properly, or the battery being broken.
  • If the device is not running with the latest software, it may trigger glitches such as this one.

How do I fix the controller and get it to connect?

Since we explained what might have caused the issue, we also found what you could do in order to fix the problems explained above.

  • Syncing the PS5 controller - plug in the controller into your console with a USB cable. Press the PS button on the controller. In case you don’t have a second cable for the second controller, you can do that by using the connected controller and syncing the second controller.
  • Changing the USB-C cable - the same as with all technology, you should preferably use the original cable that came with the controller. Using a different cable can break the connection and cause issues such as you not being able to connect the controller.
  • The USB ports - check the USB cable from either end to make sure they are not broken or out of place. Additionally, you can use the flashlight from your phone to make sure there’s not any dirt in either of the ends. If there is, you can use a toothpick to take it out, but do it gently.
  • Additional plug-ins - if you have any headphones connected to the controller at the moment, remove them. This may break the connection.
  • Synced devices - remove the controller from the list of connected devices on any device you have at home - a PC or a different console. You can either turn off the Bluetooth on all other devices, or turn them off completely.
  • Devices connected via Bluetooth - besides for turning Bluetooth off on your PC or console, turn off all other devices that are connecting via Bluetooth. This may be causing Bluetooth interference, and it might be what’s causing you the problem.
  • Reset - try resetting the controller. You can do this by pressing and holding the power button, or you can turn it off manually from the system settings.
  • Factory reset - you can also factory reset the controller. To do this, you can either use the pins you get for the phone SIM cards, or a straightened paper clip. Locate the small hole on the back of the controller, and use the pin to press the button inside of it.
  • Updating the software of the PS5 - PS5 consoles get regular updates. If your console is running on an older software version, a glitch such as this one might happen. Open the System Settings to check for Software Updates.
  • Changing the battery - controller batteries last long, but not forever. Try changing the batteries of the controller, to check if there’s an issue with them.
  • Repairing the controller - if none of the above-mentioned solutions seem to be fixing the issue, unfortunately, you’ll need to bring your controller to a Sony authorized repair shop.