PlayStation 5 is the best controller we have right now, and there is no doubt regarding this fact. Sony has certainly kept PlayStation 5 in a way better position as compared to where PlayStation 4 stood almost a year back. In fact, PS4 was our favorite console, umm, until we got PS5. In November 2020, we got the best next-generation console ever produced.
After the launch of PS5, Sony saw a big surge in the number of users and this is because of the amazing features which came with the console. But, a lot of years have reported that their console keeps disconnecting regularly.
And once disconnected, it does not turn on, does not sync or get paired with the console. After all, is there anything more frustrating than having your controller disconnected in the middle of a game? No.
WHY DOES THE DISCONNECTION ISSUE OCCUR?
A lot of players have reported that sometimes the DualSense light bar flashes and tries to connect, while at other times the controller light does not turn on at all. But before discussing the solutions to fix this issue, let us take a look at why this issue occurs in the first place. There are two basic ways to connect your PS5 controller to your PC – wireless through Bluetooth and wired through a USB Cable.
The issues related to wireless control through Bluetooth arise due to a damaged battery, signal interference, Bluetooth driver issues, BT configuration issues on PC, etc. On the otter hand, the wired connection issues occur due to a damaged USB cable, damaged USB port, driver issues, etc. It happens mostly that people use those USB cables that either transfer power or data. It is recommended to use a cable which does both.
The next thing to check is the USB port. Make sure that the port you are using does not have dirt in it and is fully functional. If you are using a USB 2.0 port, try switching to USB 3.0. Moreover, if you connect the controller to a passthrough USB port, it is widespread to face issues. Hence, use a port from the PC case. And try using a good quality USB adapter like Sony, if only you are opting for those.
WHAT ARE THE FIXES FOR THE DISCONNECTION ISSUE?
If you are facing these disconnection issues with your PS5 controllers, follow the below-given fixes –
RESET YOUR PS5 CONTROLLER
The first thing you can do is reset your PS5 controller. If you don’t have an idea about how to do it, follow the steps –
- Find the small hole on the rear of the controller. There is a small reset button inside it.
- Use a paper clip to push and hold the button for around 5 seconds.
- Connect the controller with the PS5 in wired mode. Use the provided USB Type-C cable to connect the controller to PS5.
- Now press the ‘PlayStation’ logo, and the controller will pair itself. Once paired, remove the USB cable.
You can also try to fix these issues wirelessly. If that does not work, there’s an issue with the Steam input.
CHANGE THE STEAM SETTINGS
If you try to solve the issue wirelessly and it does not work, there is surely some problem with the Steam settings. Here is what you can do –
- Open Steam.
- Go to Settings and choose General Controller Settings.
- You will see a list of different controllers. Choose your desired PS5 controller.
- Find the ‘shutdown time’ option. It usually stays at 15 minutes by default. Change it to ‘never’.
This should solve the wireless connection issues.
DISABLE POWER MANAGEMENT FOR CONTROLLERS
Sometimes the power management feature in Windows causes the connection issue. The fix is as follows –
- Right-click on the Windows Start menu logo.
- Select Device Manager. Find your PS5 controller and right-click on it. Click on Properties.
- From the properties window, go to the power management tab. You’ll find an option that says, Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Uncheck that. Click OK to save the setting.
UPDATE THE BLUETOOTH DRIVERS ON YOUR PC
An outdated driver is a major problem when it comes to controller issues. Since the PS5 DualSense controller uses Bluetooth to connect wirelessly, the problem might be with the Bluetooth drivers on your PC. Follow the below steps to fix it –
- Right-click on the Windows Start menu logo and select Device Manager.
- From the list of devices, find your PS5 controller. Then right-click on the controller and select Remove Device.
- Press and hold the ‘PlayStation’ button and the ‘Share’ button together on your controller. You’ll see the controller start flashing a light. Within a few seconds, the PC will detect the controller.
- You’ll now see the controller on the device manager on PC. Then right-click on it, select properties.
- Then select the checkbox ‘Drivers for keyboard, mice, etc.’. Finally, click on ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’.
- Right-click on the Bluetooth icon from the system tray. Click on Allow a device to connect and follow along to connect the controller to the PC via Bluetooth.
This is everything you can do to solve the connection issues of your PS5 controller. Follow Digi Statement for more such guides.
