Why Is My PS4 Controller Flashing Blue Then Orange?

You’ve just picked up a copy of Elden Ring and are getting super into it when, all of a sudden, you notice that your Dual Shock controller is flashing blue, followed by orange.

“Huh,” you say to yourself. “That’s odd.”

You’ve never seen your controller blink those two colors at you before, so you’re feeling pretty confused.

Is something wrong with your controller? There are so many different colors that can flash on your controller, so knowing what each one means can be helpful.

Why Is My PS4 Controller Flashing Blue Then Orange?

Blue, white, and orange are all normal colors for the Dual Shock controller. However, when any of them start flashing out of nowhere, you could have a problem on your hands. Either your battery isn’t charged enough, a bad connection or incorrect pairing procedure, a defective Bluetooth signal, or a minor bug in the software is preventing your controller from syncing up as it should with the PS4.

The lights on your controller can indicate issues with your controller as well as representing different players in your game. 

Typically, a solid orange light means that your controller is in reset mode. 

But when your lights start blinking, you’ve got a problem. 

When that blue blinking light appears, your controller is either having a hard time staying connected to the device or is struggling to synchronize with it. 

From a defective Bluetooth signal to an insufficiently charged battery, you could be looking at a range of potential causes.

What does the blue and orange light indicate on a PS4 controller, and why is it blinking?

An orange light showing up on your PS4 controller indicates that the controller is in reset mode.

You could also be on low battery or in power saving mode. 

A synchronization problem could potentially be the root cause too. 

Worst case scenario? You have an issue with a malfunctioning internal component that will warrant more serious repairs or a full-on replacement.

How do you fix a blue blinking light?

First, I’m going to walk you through what to do when the light is just blinking blue. 

Then, we will talk about troubleshooting an orange blinking light.

Your controller should not be blinking both at the same time, but if it is, one of these fixes might do the trick. 

Fingers crossed, yeah?

Restart the Controller

A connection issue could be triggering the controller to flash blue at you. 

If that is the case, a simple restart might resolve it. 

If the connection isn’t stabilized, the controller will need to be restarted by holding the button down for 10 seconds.

Reset the Controller

If this glitch persists, try resetting the controller. 

Resetting it is simple enough since all you need to do is:

1. Turn your PS4 off as well as the controller and unplug them both.
2. Locate the small reset button on the back of the controller; you’ll find it next to the L2 button.
3. Push the reset button in for 5 seconds using something with a sharp, fine-pointed tip.
4. Reconnect your PS4.
5. Reconnect the controller to the PS4 using either the original or a compatible USB cable.
6. Press the PS button to power on.

Repair or Replace the Controller

A more significant malfunction can cause issues with a controller.

If something inside of it is damaged, it might need to be repaired or replaced. 

That’s when you should get a professional repair technician involved or just consider replacing the controller altogether.

What should I do if my controller is blinking orange?

Let’s move on to the color orange and what that means for troubleshooting a Dual Shock controller. 

Again, it won’t normally blink blue and orange, but given the potential problems, you’re going to want to try troubleshooting.

Recharge the Battery

A flashing orange light actually means that the battery is recharging. 

If you see this, just keep letting your battery charge until it gets up to full. 

Of course, other malfunctions could arise, stemming from a battery or charging issue, a power problem, a timing issue, or an internal component being on its last leg.

Still, a good place to start is to just recharge the controller’s battery until it gets up to full and see what happens.

There is the potential for a problem in the power supply circuit which will cause the orange light to stop flashing before the battery is fully charged.

Sometimes, the USB cable is to blame for this.

A bad connector/loading port can also be the culprit. 

A defective or fatigued battery can cause issues as well.

Reset and Resynchronize the Controller

If the controller doesn’t appear to be working properly with the console, you will want to try doing a reset. 

To do this, you need to:

1. Turn off the PS4, then unplug it.
2. Turn off and unplug the PS4 controller.
3. Press the controller’s reset button for 5 seconds.
4. Reconnect your PS4. Then, connect the controller to the console utilizing the proper USB cable.
5. Press the PS button to power on.

If this doesn’t work, a faulty Bluetooth circuit could be behind it, or the controller could just be nearing the end of its life.

Repair or Replace the Controller

Again, you might need to consider whether to repair or replace the controller if the orange flashing light doesn’t get resolved by troubleshooting. 

You might find it is easier to just replace the controller instead of spending time and money trying to get it repaired by a technician.

Closing Thoughts

PS4 controllers will flash different colors for different reasons.

Sometimes, the reason is not all that clear. 

Try running a few troubleshooting methods to help you diagnose and remedy the issue.

But, if there is internal damage or wear, then your controller might have reached the end of its usefulness.