How to Connect PS5 Controller to Your PlayStation 5
Upon first getting your PS5, you’re going to need to take the included USB-C cable (this may be a C-to-C or C-to-A model), plug one end into your PS5’s DualSense controller, and the other into a USB port on your PS5. Depending on the model and the cable you have, you may need to either plug it into one of the back ports or use a USB-C-to-A adapter, as the PS5 Slim models – as well as the PS5 Pro – only have USB-C ports on the front. This will connect the DualSense to the PS5, and it will be recognised – from here, it’s very likely that you’re going to need to download and apply a firmware update to the DualSense controller before it can continue to be used on the PS5. Afterwards, the DualSense should automatically work and connect over Bluetooth; this whole process has “paired” the console and controller together until you choose to “unpair” them.
How to Turn On Bluetooth on PS5 Controller/How to Put PS5 Controller in Pairing Mode
While the PS5’s DualSense controller can generally always connect to the PS5 via Bluetooth automatically simply by pressing the PlayStation Button in the lower middle, it can also be set to Bluetooth Pairing mode by holding down the PlayStation Button and the Create Button (that’s the button used for taking screenshots and video, just to the left of the touchpad). This pairing mode is intended for when you want to wirelessly use your PS5 DualSense controller with something like a Bluetooth-enabled PC – I’ve done this multiple times with my laptop, and it’s quite easy as long as you know how to have your laptop search for Bluetooth devices.
Can You Use PS4 Controller on PS5/How to Connect PS4 Controller to PS5
Yes, using the PS5 DualShock 4 controller on PS5 is possible. The setup process is similar to what I laid out above for the DualSense – you need to connect the controller via cable before you can start using it over Bluetooth. This may be a touch more annoying, however, as the DualShock 4 uses the older micro-USB standard. This means that unless you just bought a brand-new DualShock 4 with the required cable, you may need to go hunting around the house for one of your old cables, or even buy a new one. The previously-mentioned issue with needing to connect to one of the back ports or use a USB-C-to-A adapter is more likely as well, since USB-C-to-micro USB cables are available but less likely to be found lying around.
The bigger issue with using a DualShock 4 on a PS5 is the limitations imposed on it – it can only be used to play PS4 games that are being played through PS5’s Backwards Compatibility feature, not native PS5 games built around the DualSense. Oddly, the DS4 can be used to play PS5 games over Remote Play, which is curious. I suppose Sony wants the playing experience on the console to be as close to intended as possible, but wants Remote Play to be available to more people? Or they think anyone using Remote Play is already expecting a substandard experience? Who knows.
Do PS5 Controllers Work On PS4
Unfortunately, no, the PS5 DualSense Controller can’t really be used on a PS4 – at least, not in the way you might be imagining. The standard connect-by-cable-then-by-Bluetooth method won’t work; it’s blocked out on a software level. There is a bit of an asterisk to this, in that if you get a third-party Bluetooth USB adapter, plug it into the PS4 and manually connect the DualSense to it, it will connect… but only as a completely generic controller, with none of the DualSense’s unique features. It’s an option if you’re in a pinch, but hardly recommended.
How to Fix Stick Drift PS5
There are a few answers to this one. The first and simplest is to contact Sony and ask for a replacement – while I’ve been lucky enough to avoid the dreaded stick drift on my PlayStation controllers, it seems to be pretty common elsewhere and a real pain to fix. However, I have had it on Switch Joy-Con controllers, and one solution that did work for a little while is to spray a bit of safe-for-electronics contact cleaner under the stick. This helped at first but eventually the effect failed, and the drift returned. I can’t say if the same method would work in any real way on a completely different controller like the DualSense, but it may be something you want to look into further.
However, there is another answer here if you have the more expensive DualSense Edge. The Edge is well-known for its programmable back buttons, but it’s also a more broadly professional controller with multiple replaceable parts. The sticks on it are actually stick modules, made specifically for the Edge and with replacements available to purchase separately for much less than the cost of a DualSense. I know this is part of the reason why some bought the Edge in the first place.
How to Reset PS5 Controller
This is simple to do but not possible with just your own hands or your PS5. There’s a tiny hole on the back of every DualSense for resetting, and you need to stick a pin inside it and press down for several seconds for a proper reset. If you want to start using that DualSense with your PS5 again, follow the same instructions above as for an out-of-the-box controller.
How to Turn Off PS5 Controller
This one is simple when using the DualSense on a PS5 – press the PlayStation Button, navigate to the “Accessories” option (the little controller icon on the Icon Bar), and with that you can select the controller and either turn it off or access its settings. Likewise, when using the DualSense on a PC or something similar you need to pull out the cable you’re using or disconnect the Bluetooth connection. Thankfully, the DualSense tuns off once it’s not being used. If these options aren’t available, you can also hold the PlayStation Button down for 10 seconds to force the controller to turn off.
How to Connect PS5 Controller to Phone/How to Pair PS5 Controller to PC
In both cases you need to put the DualSense into Pairing Mode with the PS Button and Create Button as described above and use the Bluetooth menus on your phone or PC to connect them up. There is more you can do here, though – Sony recently released a PlayStation Accessories app for PC that allows you to dig into the settings and customise your use of the controller in a much more seamless and official manner, which matches up nicely with PlayStation’s push into the PC market in recent years. With delayed ports of their exclusive games coming to PC at a decent clip – the latest, The Last of Us Part II Remastered even launching alongside some new content for the game – it only makes sense that official first-party interfaces would get ported over too. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be an equivalent PlayStation Accessories app for iOS or Android yet, though the existence of the official PlayStation Remote Play offers some hope.
How to Turn Off Voice on PS5
Turning off the mic on PS5 so you aren’t recording your voice is done in-meni – simply press the PlayStation Button to open the Icon Bar and go to the little icon of a microphone, labelled “Mic” – from there you can shut off whatever mic you’re using (be it a professional one, a headset mic, the one in your controller, etc) or just lower the mic level if volume was your major concern.
Depending on your needs you can also go to the Sound icon (the little audio symbol) and activate Mute Game Voice Chat, which shuts off both the ability for people to hear your voice and your ability to hear theirs, but only with in-game voice chat specifically – your voice will still be useable for things like Party Chat or Voice Search.
Lastly, you can also turn off voice with hardware – DualSense controllers have a small button below the PlayStation Button that shuts the mic off, and headsets will let you turn off their mics in various ways – I have a Pulse Elite headset that requires you to click a button on the mic to mute it, while my inZone 9 headset’s mic is off whenever it hasn;t been actively lowered for use. But keep in mind that turning off only one mic this way will often lead to the PS5 switching to another available one, so take care.
What Are the Rarest and Most Expensive PS5 Controllers?
Well, the most expensive commonly-available PS5 controller is the DualSense Edge at over AU$300, for starters. There’s also the recent, limited PlayStation 30th Anniversary version of the Edge, which was launched for the same price but almost certainly worth much more on the second-hand market by now. Technically, there’s also the PSVR2’s Sense Controllers, which aren’t available separately and thus can only be procured with a $649 headset! Though rumours are floating of them finally coming to market separately as part of a deal with Apple for Vision Pro compatibility…
On the subject of rare controllers, there are limited models that have been released for a short amount of time – the most recent example is a just-released The Last of Us controller, but older examples have increased in value. The limited, transparent “500 Million” DualShock 4 controllers go for AU$200-300 in some places, and I found a brand-new Lightning Returns limited DualShock 3 for over $600. But you can’t get rarer than one-of-a-kind, and so the answer is probably the special PS1-inspired DualSense made for ex-CEO Jim Ryan’s retirement (as part of a a complete PS1-inspired PS5 bundle, of course). This isn’t quite the same as the PlayStation-styled 30th Anniversary models – to my eye it has a whiter colouring than the grayer 30th anniversary models, and I wonder if it might be based on the cheaper “PSone” model released later in the PlayStation’s life. In either case, I want it.
