The PS4 Pro uses the DualShock 4 controller, and its problems are mostly pairing, charging and a battery that has aged. If the controller will not connect, plug it into the Pro with a micro-USB cable, which pairs it, or reset it with the small button in the hole on the back, then hold PS and Share until the light bar flashes. A controller that will not charge may have a worn cable or a dirty micro-USB port, so try another cable and look for lint.
The checks in more detail
The battery in a DualShock 4 is small and aging, and one that dies in an hour needs replacing. Drift or a sticky stick can be cleaned around the base. A flashing light bar that never settles points at pairing. If the controller works only by cable, the radio or battery has failed. Latency in games can come from Wi-Fi or Bluetooth interference near the console.
Replace the controller if a button is dead or drift persists. Many players keep a second DualShock 4 as a spare because a worn one fails during a long session, and rotating two controllers extends the life of both. The charging light on the back of the controller shows orange while charging and goes out when full, and a light that stays off with a cable connected means the cable, the port or the battery is dead.
For wireless trouble on the Pro, Bluetooth interference from a nearby Wi-Fi router, a microwave or a phone placed on the console is a common cause, so keep the area clear. If the light bar flickers or changes color randomly, that is a software crash in the controller, and holding the PS and Share buttons for ten seconds powers it off so it can restart cleanly.
Differential
Likely causes of “PlayStation 4 Pro controller will not connect or keeps disconnecting”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A lost pairing
What separates it The light bar flashes
How to confirm Connect by cable or reset and pair
- 2
A worn micro-USB cable or port
What separates it It will not charge
How to confirm Try another cable and clean the port
- 3
An aging battery
What separates it Short play time
How to confirm Replace the controller or battery
- 4
Stick wear
What separates it Drift
How to confirm Clean around the stick
- 5
Interference
What separates it Dropouts
How to confirm Move devices away
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- What the light bar does
- Whether a cable works
- The controller's age
- The battery life
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedConnect by cable
ReversibleMicro-USB to the console.
Reset with the pinhole
ReversibleOn the back.
Pair with PS and Share
ReversibleHold until the bar flashes.
Try another cable
ReversibleAnd clean the port.
Clean the sticks
ReversibleGently.
Replace an old controller
ReversibleIf the battery is spent.
Look at the charging light
ReversibleOrange means charging; no light with a cable means a bad cable, port or battery.
Try the controller on a different console or PC
ReversibleIf it behaves the same elsewhere, the controller is at fault, not the Pro.
Keep the area around the console clear
ReversibleMove routers and phones a meter away to cut interference.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- DualShock 4
- The controller is from 2013's design.
- Battery age
- Small batteries wear out.
- A spare controller
- A second DualShock 4 makes a faulty one easy to diagnose.
- The charging light
- Its color shows the charging state.
- Interference
- Wireless devices near the console disturb the link.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If it works only by cable, replace the controller
- !If drift persists after cleaning, replace it
- !A swollen battery means stop
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I reset a DualShock 4?+
Press the pinhole on the back.
Why does it die quickly?+
Battery age.
Why does it only work by cable?+
The radio or battery.
How do I know my controller battery is dying?+
It lasts under an hour and dies quickly after charging.
Can I use a DualSense on a PS4 Pro?+
Yes, by cable on newer system software.