Why Is My PS4 Controller Flashing Blue And Not Connecting?

I hate it when I want to relax with some great video games and the hardware gives me problems. 

Some people are finding that their PS4 wireless controllers flash blue without connecting to the console. 

Let’s look at this together and troubleshoot the problem so you can get back to gaming.

Why Is My PS4 Controller Flashing Blue And Not Connecting?

There are several possible reasons why your PS4 is flashing blue and not connecting, but it’s easier just to solve the problem than find out exactly what went wrong. Restart your PS4 controller then your console. If this doesn’t work, restore your console’s default settings or check the hard drive. 

You should also check the power cable on the PS4 as a faulty cable might prevent controllers from connecting.

Sometimes this is an easy fix, but other times this is a complex problem.

Read on to see all the troubleshooting steps and get back to gaming.

Easiest Fixes

If your PS4 controller is blinking blue, then that means that it’s trying to connect to your console. 

Normally this only takes a few seconds before it properly connects. 

The problem is that sometimes you’ll be sitting around for seconds, and then minutes, before figuring out that it’s not working.

I’ll highlight the easiest fixes here. 

These all involve working on the controller itself. 

I suggest trying these steps first because this will likely solve the problem.

Restart the PS4 Controller

How do you fix a blinking blue light on PS4 controller? Restarting the controller will most likely solve the problem. 

Not only that, but this is the easiest way to fix the problem.

First of all, make sure that the controller is charged. If the battery is low, then charge it for about 30 or so minutes. 

While it might work if the battery is low, it’s best if the controller is fully charged. Not only that, but sometimes the controller has a hard time connecting if the battery is low.

Locate the PlayStation button. 

This is the button between the analog sticks and it has the PlayStation logo on it. 

Press and hold for around 10 seconds. The controller should turn off.

Turn the controller on. This will restart the controller and it should fix the problem in most cases.

Bluetooth Sharing Mode

It’s easy to forget about setting the controller to Bluetooth sharing mode. 

If the controller lost its connection to the console, then you might need to do this to restore the connection. 

You might also have to do this if it’s the first time pairing the two.

Just hold the PlayStation button and Sharing button at the same time for about five seconds.

This allows the controller to connect to a PS4 or any other compatible device.

Choose the controller from the PS4 and it should connect.

Reset the PS4 Controller

Resetting the PS4 controller is the next troubleshooting step.

This is similar to restarting the controller in practice.

The main difference is that resetting the controller restores it to default settings.

You will need a toothpick, bobby pin, a paperclip or something else that is long and thin.

Turn the PS4 controller around and you will see a small hole on the back. 

This is located next to the upper left side.

Insert the object and you should feel a button being pushed. 

Hold the button for about three seconds and you should hear two beeps. 

Remove the object. This should also turn off the controller.

Turn the controller back on and try to connect. 

Remember that a low battery can also prevent connections, so make sure the controller is charged before trying this.

Check Console Power Cables

This is another easy fix, and it’s the only one that involves the console itself. 

Sometimes the console’s power cable might be having problems. 

While you would think that this would prevent the console from turning on, that’s not always the case. 

Sometimes it just makes the power unstable or prevents controllers from connecting.

Make sure that the power cable is fully inserted in the console.

Inspect the cable itself and see if any parts are broken or worn. 

If so, then you may want to get a new power cable.

Advanced Troubleshooting Steps

This steps are a little harder and it might be best to get professional help. 

While I will go over the advanced troubleshooting steps to help fix a blinking PS4 controller, I suggest that you don’t open the console or do anything too drastic without extra help.

Some of these steps can wipe your data or cause other problems if done incorrectly. 

That’s why I suggest getting a repair person involved. 

All of these steps involve working on the console itself.

It’s easy to think that the problem is with the PS4 controller itself, but remember that the blue blinking light only means that the controller can’t connect to a device.

If the device itself isn’t working, then that can prevent a connection.

Check the PS4 Hard Drive

If the PS4 hard drive isn’t properly connected, then it can prevent controllers from connecting along with various other problems. 

This most often happens after changing the hard drive or buying the console with an upgraded hard drive.

Turn off the PS4 and remove the power cable.

Remove the hard drive cover. This is to the side of the PS4 and usually snaps right off. 

The hard drive will now be exposed. 

Make sure you don’t expose it to dust or other particles if possible.

You will see screws holding the hard drive in place. 

Check to see if the screws are loose. If so, then tighten them up with a screwdriver. 

You don’t want to make them too tight. Just make sure they are tight enough to keep the hard drive in place.

Place the cover back on, turn the PS4 on and see if this fixes the problem.

Safe Mode

This should be your last resort because there are consequences to this fix. 

I suggest backing up all your data before even attempting this troubleshooting step. 

All data not saved on the cloud will be wiped. 

Take a few minutes and backup the data on your hard drive to an external drive.

Sometimes the PS4 has software issues that are preventing controllers from connecting. 

Much like with the hard drive section, this usually results in other problems as well that you are likely noticing.

Turn off the PS4. Hold the power button until the PS4 boots in safe mode. The console will beep to confirm this. 

Connect a wired controller and press the PlayStation button. 

This will bring up a new menu.

Depending on the PS4 version, you will either see “rebuild database” or “restore default settings.” This both do the same thing. 

The console will need some time to restore default settings.

If the controller was connecting before, then this should correct the issue.

Just make sure that you are prepared before doing this drastic step.