PS Button Not Working PS5 Dualsense Controller

    ps button not working ps5

    The Dualsense controller is the shiny new, next-gen controller with a whole heap of cool features. Sadly, one major weakness is that there is one single button to turn the controller on and if something happens, there is no way to use it. If you have an issue with the PS button not working on the PS5 Dualsense controller, this guide will aim to help you fix the problem.

    Before you panic, Sony has an incredibly good and responsive support team. There is a good chance that they will be able to repair or replace the controller if you have not been the cause of the damage. Calling them will be the ultimate source of help but if you are reluctant to call right away, this troubleshooting guide will help you figure out why your PS5 controller is not powering on.

    Update: I sent my controller back to PlayStation and they returned a new one. It seems that the controller was defective and since it was still in warranty, they were able to replace it for me. They did not provide any additional information as to what it was that caused the PS button to stop working. I can only assume that because it was in warranty, it was quicker and easier to just replace it.

    PS5 Controller Not Turning On Fix

    Ok, so here are the steps. Before you get started, you will have to do the super obvious, which I am sure you have already done. Make sure the controller is charged.

    Does The Dualsense Controller Charge?

    I am sure this is the first thing you did but just to be sure, I will list this first. If you connect the controller to a charger, do the orange lights turn on around the touchpad to signal that it is charging? If they do, leave it alone for 10-15 mins to ensure a decent charge is in the battery before attempting any further debugging.

    ps5 controller not turning on
    If the controller charges, you are in a bit of luck. At least the internal components are not completely fried. It may just be the PS button that has stopped working.

    Ensure The PS Button Is Not Jammed or Damaged

    If this is an older controller, some dirt and gunk may have built up inside the button chamber. It can even happen to a new controller if something has been spilt on it. Make sure the button is pushing down fully and is not jammed or getting stuck on something.

    Also, make sure the button is not damaged. If the button is not making its way down to the circuit board, it will not turn the device on and it will appear to be broken.

    Reset The Controller

    This is the goto response that you are probably sick of reading at this stage. There is a small pinhole in the back of the Dualsense controller. Stick a paperclip or something small in here and hold it down for 5 seconds in order to reset the controller. This will unlink the controller from the PS5 in the process so if pressing the PS button after this works, you will need to connect the Dualsense to the PS5 console using a USB cable.

    dualsense ps button not working
    Stick a paperclip or some small probe into the hole at the back of the controller for 5 seconds to reset it

    Debug the Dualsense Using a PC

    If you have access to a laptop or PC, this can be a major help for you in debugging the reason why the PS button is not working on the PS5 controller. Using a USB cable, connect the controller to your PC. A windows PC will offer native support for the Dualsense, I am unsure whether other operating systems will offer the same functionality.

    Visit https://gamepad-tester.com/

    Turn on PS5 controller without PS button
    When you connect the controller using USB, you will see that this website automatically detects the controller. You should be able to press buttons and see the input show on the screen. This will help you figure out what is broken and what is not broken.

    You will need to press a couple of buttons and see what happens. If the controller does not get detected by the website, this might suggest that the controller is completely broken rather than it being an issue with only the Dualsense PS button not working. If this works for you, you should find the PS button does not respond on screen. If it does, then you might have a more complex issue with the wireless connection of the controller and not the button. For some reason but the controller isn’t working wirelessly rather than it being the PS button that is broken.

    At this point, PS support is probably going to be the main port of call to fix it but you can attempt further steps if you are able for this sort of thing.

    Look For Damage Inside The Controller

    This step is not for everyone. If you are not familiar with taking electronics apart, then I would suggest you skip this step as you could cause more damage than good. Also, if your controller is on warranty, there is no point in doing this at all. Chances are taking it apart will not fix it but will rather confirm the cause of the problem that you may not be able to fix anyway. If the controller is in warranty, get it replaced or repaired by PlayStation.

    When you are inside the controller, make sure that there is no damage to the flexible board that connects the PS button to the mainboard. A bad connector here or some corrosion could cause the button to fail to connect correctly. Fixing this may be difficult but it is at least a confirmation of what is causing the PS button to not work in the first place.

    Contact PlayStation Support

    PlayStation support will vary depending on the country. If you Google it, you will get the most relevant instructions on how to contact them. When you get in touch, they should arrange a return for the damaged controller and they will either repair or replace it for you.

    If the controller is not in warranty, you will need to ask how much you can expect to pay for the repair, so you are not caught off guard. Chances are it will be cheaper than buying a new controller anyway.

    Can the PS5 Controller Be Turned On Without The PS Button?

    This is the question I asked myself a lot when I was dealing with a broken controller. Just to verify that it was only the button that was broken and all of the internal parts were good. The controller charged so it wasn’t completely fried. Is there a way to turn on the PS5 controller without using the PS button? Some debug menu maybe?

    I am quite sure there is some method to do this but there is no way to do it as far as I know without taking the controller part and performing some risky tasks to simulate the button press. You could end up frying the controller even more if you do this. I know it seems crazy but there is actually no known way to turn on the Dualsense without the PS button.

    The only thing you can do is to follow the step above to debug the broken controller using a PC to see if the buttons are working at least.

    5 COMMENTS

    1. Hello, I had this problem and nothing suggested here or other places worked for me. I was about to go to PS support, but I instead tried booting into Safe Mode and then chose the “Restore default settings” option.

      To boot into safe mode: Turn off the console completely by holding down the button until you here the second beep and it says it’s shutting down.
      Restart in safe mode by pressing the button and holding it until you hear the second beep.

      Then you should have a menu of options, selecting “Restore default settings” worked for me. The console will reboot and ask you to connect your controller to the USB to sync. You will also have to reenter your video settings for darkness etc.

      • It doesnt sound like you have the problem outlined in this post. This is relating to a non-functional PS button on the dual sense controller. Performing a restore of settings or rebooting anything related to the console should not be part of this as it is the Dualsense controller that is not working.

    2. You can’t get INTO safe mode without pressing the PS button on the controller!!

      I’ve tried all the suggested solutions, but if the PS button ain’t working, you don’t get far …!
      PS support it is.. :-/

    3. My original ps5 controller won’t even work tried to contact Sony and nothing.What do
      I do?

      • Try to contact sony again, I am very surprised they didn’t respond. Did you call the correct phone number?

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