ps4-controller-flashing-white-light

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Are you getting the white blinking light on your PS4 controller?

If yes, this post is just for you.

When you see PS4 controller flashing white light, it means the controller is not able to connect with the console and you won’t be able to play games until the issue is resolved. In this post, we have listed five solutions that could fix the PS4 controller flashing white light issue.

You don’t have to try all of them. Start with the first one and move on to the next one and so on, till the issue is resolved. And yes, don’t forget to tell us which one of these worked for you!

Solution to how to connect PS4 controller

Why your PS4 controller is flashing white light?

The flashing lights are indicators of some activity or problems in the PS4 controller. There are two reasons for your PS4 controller’s white light flashing – the battery is low or the PS4 controller is trying to connect to the console but has failed to connect due to some reasons.

The first thing you need to do is charge your PS4 controller to supports it’s normal operation and then try connecting the PS4 controller to console. If you still see the white light flashing, you need to try the solutions given below.

Solution One- Check for any hardware issues

There is a possibility some hardware issue is causing a problem with the connectivity. Either the USB cable connecting the controller and console is loosely fitted or the USB cable is bad. Ensure the USB cable is seated firmly at both ends

If there is any problem with USB cable, the controller would not get charged nor connect with the console. The solution to this problem is using another USB cable. Here are the steps to follow

Step One- Try with another USB cable

Get another PS4 USB cable that works properly and connect the controller and console using that cable.
Make sure the USB cable is seated firmly at both ends
Turn on the PS4 console and controller and see if it works

If the PS4 works normally after replacing the cable, you can conclude the problem was in the cable. If you still see the white light flashing on your PS4 controller, you need to try the next step

Step Two-Try another controller

There is a possibility there is some hardware problem in the controller. You can try another controller to see if the earlier controller has some hardware problem. Here are the steps to follow.

Use another controller to switch on your PS4 console
Shut down the PS4 console completely
Unplug the USB cable connecting the PS4 console and connector and wait for 3 minutes
Re-plug the USB cable to the PS4 console
Plug the problematic PS4 controller to the other end of the USB cable so that connection between PS4 controller and console can be established
Turn on the PS4 console and see if it works properly. if you still see the PS4 controller flashing white light, try next solution

Solution Two- Reset PS4 Controller

Many problems with the PS4 controller can be resolved by resetting the PS4 controller. Some of the problems you can resolve with reset are white flashing light, Bluetooth issue, PS4 controller not syncing or connecting issues. Here are the steps to reset PS4 controller.

Switch Off the PlayStation 4 console
On the PS4 controller, locate the reset button. It is located on the back of the controller near the L2 shoulder button.

Take a small unfolded paper clip or something similar to push the reset button recessed into the case. Push the reset button with the clip and hold it on for few seconds and then release it.
After you have reset the PS4 controller, repair the PS4 controller with the console by connecting the USB cable correctly and then switch on the PS4 console.
Press the PS button on the controller to log into PS4
Your PS4 connector should be able to connect to your PS4 console and start to work.

If your PS4 controller is still flashing white light, you need to try next solution.

Solution Three – Update PS4 driver on your PC

If the PS4 driver on your computer is corrupt or outdated, it can result in operational problems with the PS4 controller. The simple solution to this problem is updating the PS4 driver on your PC.

You need to first uninstall the PS4 device and driver from your computer. The next step is reinstalling the PS4 device and then latest PS4 driver on your PC. Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1- Uninstall the PS4 device and driver on your Windows

Press Windows logo key and R on your keyboard to bring up the Run command console
In the Run command box, type devmgmt.msc and click OK

In the Device Manager window, right-click the PS4 device and click Uninstall device
In the Confirm Device Install pop-up, check the box Delete the driver software for this device and click OK

Unplug the PS4 device from your computer and restart your computer

Step 2 – Reinstall Drivers

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

You can update device drivers automatically
The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

Start Download

Solution Four – Start PS4 device in Safe Mode

The Safe Mode option in PS4 is designed to fix problems with PS4 firmware so that it can function normally. In Safe Mode, only the basic functions of PS4 are active.

PS4 Safe Mode (All you wanted to know about it)

Note- Starting the PS4 system in Safe Mode might result in loss of data. Hence, you are advised to back up PS4 system data to external hard drive or online backup source before selecting any option in Safe Mode.

Step 1 – Rebuild Database in Safe Mode

Press the Power button on the front panel to turn off the PS4 The power indicator will blink a few minutes before the PS4 system turns off.
Once the PS4 system is turned off, press and hold the power button again. Release the power button after you hear the second beep. The first beep can be heard when you press the power button, the second beep comes a few seconds later.
Now connect the PS4 controller to the console with the USB cable and then press the PS button on the controller to switch on the PS4 system.
You will see the Safe Mode screen with 8 options. Select 5^th option- Rebuild Database.

Wait for the process to complete

Information: The Rebuild Database option in PS4 Safe Mode is similar to defrag option in Windows. The defrag option does a clean-up of the data on the hard drives and also cleans up memory that helps in resolving issues with memory.

The Rebuild Database options perform same defrag action on the PS4 and can help resolve a host of issues on the PS4 system and also free space. It also fixes specific issues and speeds up the console. The Rebuild Database scans the hard drive of the PS4 system, removes unwanted files and builds a new database of all content.

Try using your PS4 system with the controller and see if the white flashing light issue on the controller has been resolved. If the issue still persists, try next step.

Step Two- Update PS4 software

There are different ways to update PS4 software which includes via Internet, USB drive and Disc. Updating PS4 software can fix a lot of issues and it might also resolve the PS4 controller blinking white problem.

Here are the steps to follow.

Update System Software using the Internet

Connect LAN(Ethernet) cable to your PS4 system
Select Settings -> Network -> Set up Internet connection
Follow-on screen instructions to configure network settings
Once your PS4 system is connected to the Internet, go to the function screen again and select Settings –> System Software update

The PS4 system will check for updates and download any updates that are available and install them

If you don’t want to update PS4 system software using the above method, you can use the option to update through Disc

Update System Software via Disc

Download the PS4 update file to the disc
Insert the disc into the PS4 system. The system will recognize the update and you will see a screen appears to guide you through the update process.
Follow the on-screen instructions to update PS4 system software.

Update System Software via USB Drive/computer

You will need a computer connected to the Internet and a USB flash drive to update PS4 system software through this method. The USB drive should have 46 MB of free space. Here are the steps to follow.

On USB flash drive, create a folder named PS4 to save the update file
Inside the PS4 folder, create a folder named UPDATE
Click on Download Now to download the update file
Save the file in the UPDATE folder. You need to save the file with the file name “PS4UPDATE.PUP”.
Once the update file is downloaded, plug-in the USB drive to your PS4 system
Go to function screen, select Settings -> System Software Update
Follow on-screen instructions to complete the update.

If none of the above solutions have worked for you, you can try the simple trick given below that have helped many PS4 users fix the controller white blinking light issue.

Solution Five – Easy trick to fix the controller white flashing light issue

This trick will reset all connection of the controller and initiate a fresh pairing mode. Here are the steps to follow

Press and hold Share and PS button on the controller simultaneously

Wait until the PS4 system turns On
Try to use the PS4 now and see if the white flashing light issue on the controller has been resolved.

If you are looking to play your Playstation 4 on a Mac or PC then view our article here.

Why your PS4 controller is flashing white light?