How To Fix PS5 Controller Won't Charge | Not Charging

Many PS5 owners have reached out to us to seek help regarding their DualSense controller that won’t charge. If your own PS5 controller is having trouble charging too, then you’re definitely not the only one.

In this troubleshooting guide, we explain what are the reasons for this problem and how best to solve it.

Causes for PS5 controller charging issues

If you find your PS5 controller not charging anymore, it’s likely just a minor issue, like a broken charging cable, or even a dirty USB port. If neither of those is the main reason, then you need to dig deeper. There are other serious cases that require drastic solutions, like replacing the controller due to physical damage.

In some rare cases, the issue may lie with the PS5’s software itself, like the reported issues of some users that their controller won’t charge at all when the console is on Rest Mode.

Below are the common causes why a PS5 DualSense controller may fail to charge:

Broken charging cable.

As mentioned earlier, this is a common occurrence, especially if you’re not careful when unplugging or keeping your cables. The charging cable that comes with your PS5 box has tiny wires inside that can easily break if you pull the cable suddenly from the console or controller. The issue may not be easily obvious so consider using another cable to know.

Dirty USB port.

Dirt, lint, or foreign objects may find their way inside the USB port of the controller or console. If there’s enough blockage, the USB cable may not be able to make a solid contact with the metal connectors in the port causing a disruption of of data or power transfer.

Bad PS5 controller batteries.

Your PS5 DualSense controller uses a set of internal batteries to hold a charge. If these batteries have factory defects, or have been damaged for whatever reason, it can cause a controller charging issue as well. Unfortunately, these internal batteries are non-removable so if this is what’s happening to you, you’ll need to have the controller either replaced or repaired.

Unknown console hardware malfunction.

Another reason why you may have a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller charging problem may not be because of hardware malfunction but of a software-kind. Some PS5 owners have reported that they were able to fix their PlayStation 5 charging problem after updating the console’s software.

Like any regular computer, the software on your PS5 can become corrupted. This can happen if installation of a firmware update is interrupted.

Hardware damage to the controller.

For many though, charging problems are mainly due to hardware failure or internal issues with either the controller or the console. If your PS5 is not protected from power surges, it’s internal fuse may get overwhelmed causing permanent circuit damage.

For the controller, the most common reason why it’s hardware may fail is damage from accidental drops.

How to fix PS5 controller won’t charge

So, is there anything that an average user can do if his or her PS5 controller has charging issues? Definitely!

Below are the fixes that you can try if your controller appears to have stopped taking in power, or if it’s clearly not charging at all.

Use another charging cable.

The first thing that you must do is to ensure that you check if there’s a problem with the charging cable. There are two ways to do that. You can either use the same charging cable on a second PS5 controller to charge it, or find a different charging cable instead and use it to charge your primary controller. Either way should tell you whether or not there’s a problem with your USB C cable.

Check the USB ports.

Once you know for a fact that the charging cord is working normally, the next step is to see if there’s any dirt, lint, dust, or foreign objects in both the USB port of the controller and your PlayStation 5 console.

If you think that the USB ports are dirty, try to use a can of compressed air to clear them. Avoid inserting anything in the port to prevent damaging it.

Keep in mind that some PS5 owners have issues charging in rest mode and using the USB-A cable. Try to use the other USB ports on the back of the console instead and see if that works.

Use a charging station.

If you have access to a charging station, like the one in the picture above, try to see if you can use it to power up your controller. If you continue to have the PS5 controller not charging issue even with a charging station, you may be looking at a possible broken DualSense controller.

Charge PS5 controller using a PC.

If you have a controller not charging issue on your console, the other way to see if whether you have a bad console or controller is to find an alternative way to charge. If you have a laptop or a PC, connect your controller to one of its USB C ports and see if it charges normally.

If the controller charges fine on a PC but not on your PS5, you may need to contact Sony to have the console repaired or replaced.

Update your PS5 software.

Whether you have an issue or not with your PS5 DualSense controller, it’s always a good idea to keep the software of the console in top shape by installing updates regularly.

Try charging another controller (to see if it’s a console issue).

Another way to confirm if you have a console problem is by charging another PS5 controller with it. If the second DualSense controller will still not charge, have your PS5 checked by Sony.

Reset the PS5 controller.

If you’ve established the fact that it’s not a console issue, you can try to reset your PS5 controller to bring back its factory software state. This may help in case the cause of the charging problem is firmware-related.

To reset your PS5 controller, simply find the reset button at the back part. This button is inside a tiny hole so you’ll need to press it using a toothpick or pin.