Tech Reference

How to charge a PlayStation 4 controller using your PS4 console

Written by Steven John
Playstation 4 PS4 controller
You can charge a PS4 controller with the proper USB cable. George Dolgikh/Shutterstock
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Without a working controller, a PlayStation 4 is just an expensive paperweight. And while wireless PS4 controllers are convenient and freeing, they also need to be charged occasionally.

Thankfully, charging a PS4 controller couldn't be much simpler if you have the proper USB cable. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

PlayStation 4 (From $299.99 at Best Buy)

How to charge a PS4 controller

To charge a PlayStation 4 controller, simply connect it to the PS4 console using the USB cable provided with the system. 

As long as the PS4 is switched on (it can be in Rest Mode), the controller will commence charging. 

Image of PS4 controller charging port
There's a micro-USB port on the back of the PS4 controller, which you'll use to plug it in.  Amazon

A complete charge takes about two hours. You should be sure to let the battery run out, and then fully charge your PS4 controllers several times a year, to ensure their battery life doesn't shorten.

To check the current charge level on your controller, press and hold the controller's PS button, and the controller's charging progress will appear on your screen. 

PS4 controller PS button
Holding down the PS button on the controller will open up a menu that you can use to check the charge of your controller.  Amazon

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.