Last updated on October 29, 2022 by John Adebimitan
Charging the PS4 controller is pretty self-explanatory. Is not it ? Connect the gamepad via cable and turn on the consoles – done!
But how long should you wait? How long does it take for PS4 controllers to fully charge? How do I know if the controllers are charging? In this post, I will give you the answers to these essential questions.
How long does it take for PS4 controllers to charge?
A fully discharged PS4 controller battery requires 2 hours of charging before the battery is fully charged. However, note that charging efficiency and, therefore, charging time are temperature dependent. Charging time may be affected when the charging temperature falls outside the range of 50 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 30°C), whether lower or higher.
Of course, you can always unplug the USB cable beforehand and stop the charging process whenever you want. But PlayStation requires the controller to be fully charged at least once a year.
There are several ways to charge your PlayStation 4 controller. The easiest method is to connect the Dualshock 4 controller to a free USB port on the console using the included USB cable.
The controller will charge when the PS4 is turned on. It will also continue to charge in sleep mode as long as the USB ports are still enabled.
You can check the controller's current charge status on the screen by briefly holding the PS button. If you charge the PS4 controller in sleep mode, the LED indicator on the back will light orange. When charging is complete, the indicator light will turn off.
How long does a PS4 controller last after a full charge?
A PS4 controller lasts approximately 8 hours of continuous use after a full charge. One of the downsides of the PlayStation console is the battery life of the controllers.
Additionally, as the battery wears out, the durability reduces to around 6 hours per full charge.
When you compare the Dualshock 4 to Nintendo controllers (for example, the Nintendo Switch Pro), you can play for up to 40 hours on a full charge. However, the battery durability of PlayStation controllers improves a bit with the new PS5, as the controllers last 12 hours per full charge cycle.
But if you still own a PS4, I know it disrupts your enjoyment of going near the console every 6-8 hours to charge it.
However, the good thing here is that you don't need to go that close. When a PS4 controller runs out of juice, you can attach any controller to a smartphone charger, power bank or PC with a USB cable and continue playing. Problem solved !
How long will a PS4 controller last with a 1 bar charge, 2 bar charge, or half charge?
By charging your controller up to 2 bars, the controller can last up to 4 hours, and you will get approximately 2 hours of gameplay from a single bar of charge. Note that the controller battery reads 3 bars when fully charged.
The mathematical calculation that 3 bars equals 8 hours and a single bar equals 2.6 hours does not work with battery technology. In fact, the first bar always lasts the longest.
That's why I think it's best to wait until fully charged before unplugging when you need it for a long gaming session. But again, note that charging and completely draining the battery every cycle doesn't work. is not healthy for the battery.
How to charge PS4 controller without PS4 console?
If you don't like sitting very close to the TV when using and charging the controller from the console, there are a few other options:
#1: Get a Charging Dock
You can get a charging station instead of using USB cables. The best-selling dock of this type is the OIVO PS4 Controller Dock. It does not require additional charging cables for the controllers.
Place your controllers on both sides of the dock and click on them. Charging begins with an orange indicator light. An advantage of the external charging station is the power supply that you can plug into the socket.
You don't need to turn on your PlayStation or put it into sleep mode to charge the controller. However, the downside is that you cannot use the controller to play games while charging in the dock.
#2: Use the charging cable with an adapter
The controller comes with a micro USB cable, the same as a connector for Android smartphones. You can also use your smartphone's charging cable to charge the controller.
Alternatively, if you don't want to charge from the PS4 console because it brings you too close to the TV, you can purchase a longer set of PS4 controller cables. For example, this PS4 controller charging cable from 6amLifestyle is 10 feet long and is the most purchased by online gamers. It is as long as the distance between your television and the sofa.
Also Read: Fixed: PS4 controller not showing in device manager
Charging the PS4 controller with a phone charger, is it possible?
You can still use your phone charger with a micro-USB connector or an Android USB connector. But I don't recommend using your phone's charger unless it's a small phone charger. Smartphone chargers range in power from 2,000 to 10,000 plus mAh.
Any charger in this range can burn out your controller easily. If you're using a phone charger, make sure the adapter is rated at around 800 mAh to avoid damaging the controller or its battery. Otherwise, it's best to use your PC's charging port. The downside of this solution is the longer charging time.
How do you know if the PS4 controller is charging?
Each time you connect the controller to the console, the orange to amber LED indicates the charging process. You can find this indicator light on the back of the controller.
When the orange light stops flashing, it indicates that the battery is full. When the controller is not charging, the controller lights up blue.
Finally, you can always check the charging process on the screen by holding the PS button.
Also read: Is your PS4 controller charging but not connecting? Here are some solutions to try
How to take care of your PS4 controller to preserve battery quality?
The DualShock 4 controller has a glaring weakness: the battery quickly drains of juice. Many gamers blame the supposedly power-hungry light bar on the back of the controller. But there are other ways to reduce power consumption and extend the battery life of the DualShock 4 by a few hours.
Decrease the brightness of the light bar
The light bar on the back of the controller always faces the TV, and we rarely notice it. So it makes sense to turn off this unnecessary light as a first energy saving measure. The light bar cannot be turned off completely, but you can reduce its brightness in three steps.
To do this, in the PS4 menu, go to Settings >> Devices >> Controller >> DUALSHOCK 4 Light Bar Brightness and select the Low setting.
At reduced brightness, the PS4 controller lasts about an hour longer than at maximum brightness.
Turn off vibration
Unlike the light bar, Vibration contributes greatly to the atmosphere and immersion when gaming. But the controller's two vibration motors continually suck the battery, especially in racing and shooting games.
In the PS4 menu, go to Settings >> Devices >> Controllers >> Enable vibration and uncheck the box to disable vibration.
Lower the volume of the controller speaker
For even more immersive gaming, the Dualshock 4 has a speaker and plays audio clips while you play. But it also consumes battery. Unsurprisingly, the louder the speaker, the greater the battery consumption. You can turn down the volume or turn off the speaker completely.
You can find the option to do this in Settings >> Devices >> Controllers >> Volume Control. You can also press and hold the PlayStation button on the PS4 controller until the quick menu opens. Then go to Customize Devices >> Volume Control.
Enable auto power off feature
As long as the PS4 controller is on, it consumes power. So, when you are not sitting in front of the console but are comfortably watching a movie on Netflix or Blu-ray, you need to activate the function where the controller automatically turns off when not in use.
To do this, go to Settings >> Power saving settings >> Time before controllers turn off. There are three time options: 10, 30 and 60 minutes. Ten minutes is enough for a quick bathroom break or to get some chips and coke from the kitchen!
Turn off the PS4 controller when you're not using it.
If you don't want to wait ten minutes, you can manually turn off the PS4 controller. First, call up the quick menu (press and hold the PlayStation key) and select Adjust sound and devices >> Turn off device. You can also press and hold the PlayStation button for ten seconds.
How to turn on the Joy-Cons
Unlike the PlayStation 4's Dualshock 4 controllers, the Joy-Cons turn on by simply sliding them across the sides of the Nintendo Switch.
Once slid in and clicking, Nintendo Joy-Con controllers turn on, automatically pair, and charge. They can also be detached from the Switch to be used wirelessly for 20 hours when fully charged.
Read also: The best PS5 and PS4 controllers with paddles