PS4 Has A Blinking Blue Light: 6 Common Reasons
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Many people are trying to get a PS5, however, some gamers are content with their PS4. So, the PS4 blinking blue light: what is it, and how to fix it fast? If your PS4 beings to flash a blue light on and off continuously, the console is trying to send you a message that something is wrong. Playstation users have designated this blinking blue light as the “blue light of death”. Typically, when a Playstation 4 is powered on, the console will flash a blue light on and off, and then it will turn white. If something is wrong, the console will pulse blue for a few seconds and then simply power off.
Table of Contents
- Why is my PS4 blinking a blue light?
- Common causes and solutions to the Playstation 4’s blue light of death
Why is my PS4 blinking a blue light?
If you are experiencing the blue light of death, then your Playstation 4 cannot communicate with your TV. This could be because of a bad network connection, issues with the power supply, firmware, HDMI cable, controller, and/or the TV as well as a software glitch or problems with the hardware.
When you purchase a Playstation 4 for $399.99, a second controller for $49.99, and several games that can cost anywhere from $30 to $60, the last thing you want to experience are issues with your Playstation that prevent you from gaming.
If your Playstation is unable to communicate with your television for any reason, whether it’s a software issue, problems with the hardware, or faulty chords when you start up your Playstation, you will see a blue light flash on and off several times before shutting down the console. So, what are you supposed to do if this happens to you?
The blue light of death has been experienced by many gamers who own the Playstation 4 and based on their experiences, we can identify some of the most common causes and create a guide to troubleshooting the problem. Let us take a closer look at some of the most common causes of the blue light of death as well as some of the solutions for these potential causes.
Common causes and solutions to the Playstation 4’s blue light of death
When you are trying to troubleshoot your Playstation 4 once the blue light of death problem occurs, the best approach is to start with the potential problems that are free or extremely cheap to cause and then work your way to potential solutions that may cost money.
This will help you not spend money unnecessarily on solutions that may not even be the primary cause of your Playstation’s current state. Often it could be something as simple as software needing to be updated or a bad connection with the network or power supply.
If you are having problems with your PlayStation 4 and it will not power on properly and instead a blue light blinks several times before the console shuts itself down, the very first thing you should do is reboot the console.
Here is a list of some of the most common causes of the blue light of death as well as some potential solutions you may want to try so you can get back to gaming as soon as possible.
TV software
Newer televisions, especially Smart TVs that connect to your network via Wifi or ethernet, often have software and firmware that needs to be updated regularly. Just like computers, Smart TV software can become corrupted or develop bugs that need to be patched.
Regular software updates should fix bugs and better protect your TV from external threats. If you are experiencing the blue light of death, you may want to check if your television recently came out with any software updates that you should download and install.
Incompatible TV
Sometimes certain televisions may not be compatible with your Playstation 4 and the signals the console is trying to send to the TV. Playstation 4s have the unique ability to send extremely high-quality graphics to your television that requires a TV that can handle the incredible amount of information at lightning speeds.
Some older televisions may not be able to handle the graphic output of the Playstation 4, and in response, the Playstation console may let you know about this by blinking a blue light several times and shutting down.
You do not need to have the most expensive Plasma or LED television out there, but you should have a relatively newer TV. This is especially true if you purchase the Playstation 4 Pro. Here are some of the best TVs to consider purchasing if you own or are looking to purchase the Playstation 4.
Faulty HDMI cable
If the HDMI cable is bad or is going bad, or if the HDMI port on your television or the Playstation 4 has been damaged, this could set off the blue light of death sequence.
HDMI cables are much more powerful than the traditional red, white, and yellow audio-visual plugs of the past. That is why they are now required to send extremely high-quality video and audio from the Playstation 4 to your TV.
To test and see if the HDMI cable is the source of the problem, try using another HDMI cable to see if it normally works with the alternative cable. If you do not own a second HDMI cable, you may want to ask a friend or family member if you can borrow one to test it out before going out to buy a new one.
Also, when you are testing the HDMI cable, this is a good time to inspect the HDMI ports located both on your television and the Playstation console.
When inspecting the HDMI ports, use a flashlight to carefully look inside and outside of the port to see if any of the connection components are damaged or look off. If you suspect problems with the HDMI port for your television or Playstation 4, it may be best to contact a professional for assistance.
Power supply problems
When checking the power supply of your Playstation 4, the first and most obvious thing to do is to check that the cable is properly plugged into a power strip, wall outlet, and the back of the console. If everything is plugged in properly and you are using a power strip, you may want to try unplugging the Playstation from the strip and plugging it directly into the wall.
But before doing that, go ahead and press the power button on the console and hold it for 10 seconds or more. If the PS4 beeps twice or shuts down, just leave the machine be, and once it seems like it did what it needed to do, disconnect the power cable from the power strip for a few minutes before plugging it directly into the wall outlet.
Hard drive
If your hard drive is damaged in any way, like if the Playstation has fallen off a shelf or was dropped when transporting, then you may experience the blue light of death. Before inspecting the hard drive, you should be aware that opening the console to remove and inspect the hard drive will most likely invalidate any warranty you may have.
That being said, open the panel of the console by simply sliding it open and finding the hard drive. Remove the hard drive and inspect it for any visible damage.
Also, make sure it was connected to the console properly, and when you put the hard drive back in its proper position, make sure you connect it securely and properly. Any hard drive concerns should be handled by a Playstation technician.
PS4 controller
Sometimes rebooting your Playstation 4 by resetting the controller can help the PS4 boot correctly and get past the blue light of death. To do this, press and hold the PS button located on the controller until you see an orange light.
Once you see the orange light, release the PS button and then press and hold it again until the light turns white. This may allow your PS4 to boot correctly.