It’s been a long day, you’re tired, and all you want to do is relax with a good game on your PlayStation 4. But then you remember that you forgot to charge the controller! You plug it in and wait…
You unplug it after 5 minutes and start playing your game. But after just 10 minutes, the controller dies. Frustrated, you plug the controller into your PS4 to recharge overnight and go to bed.
The next day, you try again. This time, you charge the controller for two or three hours. And it works! You play your game for hours without any problems.
The question here is: how long exactly does it take to charge a PS4 controller?
Having had problems charging my PS4 controller in the past, I took it personally to do some research and come up with this article to resolve this issue once and for all.
If the battery is working correctly, the controller takes about 2 hours to charge when it has no remaining power. Charge it at temperatures between 10°C and 30 °C (50 F) for best performance and efficient charging. The controller may take longer to charge efficiently at extreme temperatures or if the battery and connections are faulty.
It’s always frustrating when your PS4 controller runs out of juice in the middle of a gaming session. Even worse, figuring out how long it will take to charge back up again can be a guessing game.
Fear not, intrepid gamer, for I’m here to help. I’ll give you all the information you need on PS4 controller charging times, so you can get back to playing your favorite games as soon as possible.
How Long Does It Take To Charge A PS4 Controller?
As per Sony’s official website and controller manual, it takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge a controller after the battery has been drained completely.
However, the time it takes to charge the controller depends on certain factors, some of which I will discuss below.
Factors Affecting The PS4 Controller Charge Time
There are many factors to consider regarding the PlayStation 4 controller charge time. From the age of your battery to how you’re charging it to what type of games you’re playing – all of these factors will affect how long it takes for your PS4 controller to charge.
In this section, I’ll look at some of the main things that impact charge time and give you some tips on how to charge your PlayStation 4 controller more efficiently.
- Ambient Temperature
The best temperature range to charge the PS4 controller efficiently is between 10°C and 30°C (50°F and 86°F).
Any lower or higher temperatures will reduce the efficiency of the charging mechanism, and it may take longer to charge the controller under harsher conditions.
- Battery Health
The battery life of your PS4 controller will vary depending on the age of the battery.
As the battery becomes older, not only will its overall capacity be decreased, but it will also take longer to charge. Li-Ion batteries tend to lose 30% of their charge capacity after 1000 recharge cycles. 1000 recharge cycles is about 6-7 years worth of charging cycles, assuming you charge your controller every 2-3 days.
- Concurrent Usage
The average charging time of the controller is about 2 hours when it has been left idle while charging.
However, if you are simultaneously using it while it’s plugged in, a part of the charge will be used for the functioning of the controller, hence increasing the charging time.
- Charger Specs
The output specs of the charger or charging ports also affect the charging time of the controllers.
If you use a charging dock or the PS4 USB port, the controller charging time will average 1.5 – 2.5 hours. However, if you use a low output power charger (less than 5V/800 mA, 4W), the charging time will increase.
- Connection Issues
A fault or a connection issue like a broken USB port may also lead to varying charging times.
You can check and fix the charging issues of a PS4 controller by switching out the cable or checking your charging port.
If the USB port has been damaged, you can use a charging dock to charge the controller through the EXT port.
- Controller Brand
The average charging time of 2 hours is for Sony DualShock PS4 controllers. The charge time may not be the same if you use any third-party controllers instead of ones manufactured by Sony.
For example, YCCTEAM Wireless PS4 Controller takes around 2.5 hours to charge.
How Long Does It Take A Dead PS4 Controller To Charge?
Usually, the charging time of a controller depends on the current battery level and what you are charging it with.
If the controller battery is completely dead and you are charging it with a 4W, 5V charger or using the PS4 USB port, it will take roughly 2 hours to charge it completely.
If you want to charge it even faster while using it, simply turn off the speaker and the vibration.
The next question that may arise here is if you can use the controller while charging it and how long will it take to charge the controller then.
Can I Use a PS4 Controller While Charging?
Yes, you can use your PS4 controller while it’s charging. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you’re using your controller this way.
- Make sure that you are using the controller in an area where it can get adequate ventilation. Placing the controller in a confined space while charging can overheat it, leading to accelerated battery depreciation.
- Don’t leave your controller charging for too long – though SOny says there are mechanisms in place to avoid overcharging, even slight overcharging of a Li-Ion battery leads to battery damage.
Now that you know how long it takes to charge a controller, it’s time to see if you can speed it up to cut down on charging time.
How To Speed Up Charging The PS4 Controller?
If you’re a PS4 gamer, you know how important it is to have a fully charged controller. But sometimes, waiting for your controller to charge can be a pain. With that in mind, I’m going to see if we can speed up the charging process of PS4 controllers.
The standard PS4 USB port provides 5V, 800mA to the controller unit while charging. That is enough to charge the PS4 controller slowly. But there are some ways to speed up the charging process:
- Using A Wall Charger/Socket
Using a high-wattage power brick with a similar voltage rating of 5V (but a higher current rating) that you’d typically use to charge your high-end phones would work pretty well to charge your PS4 controllers.
That’s because they can deliver ample power that will assist in charging your controller batteries quicker. For example, a 10W or 12W power brick will charge your PS4 controller faster than the PS4 USB port.
But I’d suggest you use the fast chargers sparingly and avoid them altogether if you can. Fast chargers with a voltage rating higher than 5V are prone to, over-time, damaging the controller’s battery leading to decreased charge capacity.
- Using A Charging Dock
A PS4 charging dock allows you to charge two or more controllers simultaneously, cutting down the overall charging time. A normal, low-end charging station or dock will charge two PS4 DualShock controllers in about 2.5 hours.
A good charging dock will get the job done even faster. For example, OIVO PS4 Controller Charging Dock takes only 1.8 hours to charge your controllers.
However, you’ll need to take care of the charging process and remove the controllers once they have been fully charged. Sony claims that the controller batteries stop charging once they reach 100% charge, but there’s no need to test that theory and overcharge your controllers and put battery health at risk.
Like OIVO mentioned above, some charging stations come with an indicator screen/lights to show the battery status while charging. So get one that shows you an indication of when your controller has been fully charged.
Now let’s get on with how you can know when your PS4 controller needs some charging and is running out of juice fast.
What Does A Flashing White Light Mean for Your PS4 Controller’s Battery?
Have you ever seen a white light flashing on your PS4 controller and wondered what it means? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one.
There are two possible reasons why the white light on your DualShock controller will start flashing.
- The controller battery is low and going to die out soon
- The controller is failing to connect to the PS4
Let’s know more about them in detail.
- Low Battery
The most common reason for the white light flashing on a PS4 controller is low battery indication.
Quick Fix:
- Simply charge the controller before using it again, and the white light will stop flashing.
- Hardware/Software Or Connectivity
Your controller will start flashing white light if there is something wrong with the software or hardware and it cannot connect to the PS4.
Quick Fix:
- Check the USB cables and connections. If the USB cables are faulty, the white controller light may start flashing. The only remedy then will be to change the USB cables.
- Starting the PS4 in safe mode may also help connect the controller correctly and stop the flashing white light if there is any fault in your console. You’ll have to rebuild the database, which will allow the console to create a new database of all the drivers.
- Some of the controller software issues can be resolved by resetting the controller. Here’s how to do it:
- Turn off the PS4 by holding the power button.
- Turn over the controller and locate the reset button near the top right screw.
- Use a hairpin or sim card ejector tool to press and hold the reset button down for at least 5 seconds through that hole.
- Now turn on the PS4 and pair the controller to your console again.
Low controller battery is the most common cause of flashing white light. But we can’t do much like replacing it with a bigger battery as the battery capacity of a PS4 controller is limited. Or can we?
Well, let’s learn about it in the next section.
Can You Fit A Bigger Battery In A PS4 Controller?
Have you noticed how your PS4 controller battery drains SUPER fast? Like, within three-four hours fast? Yeah, me too.
And it’s not just our controllers that are affected – all PS4 controllers have this issue. It seems Sony forgot to put a decent-sized battery in them.
So what can we do about it? I’ve researched and found that the internal batteries in DualShock 4 controllers can be replaced.
However, on the downside, the process is a bit trickier and takes a bit of expertise to be accomplished. In addition, by replacing a normal battery, you might also void your controller warranty.
Here’s how you can do it.
Choosing The Correct Battery Pack
Here comes the technical part. The 3.7V lithium-polymer (LiPo) battery of the DualShock controller has a capacity of 1000mAh. Many different battery packs, ranging from 1000mAh to 2000mAh, are available in the market. You can replace the original battery with any of the available ones.
Furthermore, take care to use the battery with the correct connector type. The 2015 DualShock and older models have different connector pins than the newer ones.
Just so that you can differentiate, 2015 and older models have a model number ending in ZCT1U. While the newer controllers have model numbers ending in ZCT2U.
Replacing The Battery
All you need to do now is open the controller and replace the pre-installed battery pack with the new one.
- Open the screws on the back-side of the controller and gently take the chassis apart.
- Take care not to break anything, especially the ribbon cable. Take it out and remove the battery connectors as well.
- Now detach the old battery and replace it with the new one. Ensure that you are inserting the battery connectors the right easy as initially.
- Now reassemble all the parts and reset the controller before turning it on and connecting it with your PS4.
Remember that Sony didn’t intend you to replace this battery yourself, so you’ll be voiding all of its warranty claims by using a bigger battery pack. To ensure that you are not at the losing end of this upgrade, replace the battery with a bigger one only when the previous one has malfunctioned or stopped working altogether.
Here’s a great battery pack replacement kit from POWTREE. This 2000mAh will double your PS4 controller’s charge time. Please note that these batteries are NOT compatible with the first generation PS4 controllers (CUH-ZCT1E, CUH-ZCT1H, CUH-ZCT1H/B, CUH-ZCT1H/R, CUH-ZCT1U).
How Long Does It Take To Charge A Controller Enough To Turn On?
All of us PlayStation 4 gamers know that when the light bar on the controller starts flashing white, it’s time to recharge.
But how long does it actually take to charge a controller enough to turn it on? The good news is that you are good to go and turn it on as soon as you start charging it. It can be powered on immediately.
So if you’re ever stuck in a situation where your game is waiting and your controller’s dead, don’t panic! Just plug it in and wait a couple of hours. You’ll be ready to go again in no time.