Updated December 5 2018

How to use a DS4 controller and change DS4 settings

  • Accessories :
  • Controller, Headset & PlayStation Camera

Find out how to pair and charge a DUALSHOCK4 (DS4) controller, and how to change your DS4 settings.

 
 
DS4 troubleshooting

If you are having issues with a DUALSHOCK 4 controller please visit the troubleshooting guide:

 
 

How to pair a DS4 controller

  • Connect your DS4 to your PlayStation 4 using a USB cable and press the PS button.

You can use up to 4 controllers at the same time. When you press the PS button, a colour is assigned to the user and the light bar lights up. The colour that is assigned to the user depends on the order in which the users press the PS button.  

How to charge a DUALSHOCK 4

When you connect a DS4 controller to a PS4 system that is turned on or in rest mode, the controller's battery will begin to charge. To check the DS4 charge level, press and hold the PS button for at least 1 second.

While in standby mode, the DS4 light bar slowly blinks in orange. When charging is complete, the light bar turns off. It takes approximately 2 hours to charge the controller from flat.

DS4 charging settings

PS4 systems don't charge DS4 controllers when powered off. If you would like your DS4 controllers to charge when you aren't using your PS4 system, change the Power Save Settings and leave your PS4 system in Rest Mode.

  1. Go to [Settings] > [Power Save Settings] > [Set Features Available in Rest Mode] > [Supply Power to USB Ports].
  2. Select [Always] or [3 hours].

DS4 audio settings

If you have headphones plugged into the 3.5mm headphone jack on the DUALSHOCK 4 and you hear no audio, or the audio from the headphones is very faint, make sure the headphone plug is pushed all the way in. Unplug and then firmly reinsert the headphones into the DS4 jack.

To route all audio output to headphones:

  1. Go to [Settings] > [Devices] > [Audio Devices].
  2. Select Output to Headphones > [All Audio].
  3. Highlight the Volume Control (Headphones) option and press right to make sure the controller's volume is turned up.

If Output to Headphones is greyed out, that means the headphones are not detected by the controller and may need proper inserting.

DS4 vibration settings

If your DUALSHOCK®4 is not vibrating as expected, the controller's vibration function may be turned off. To turn it back on:

  1. Go to [Settings] > [Devices] > [Controllers] > [Enable Vibration].
  2. If the controller still experiences issues, try resetting your DS4.  
Reset DS4
 
 

What are the DUALSHOCK 4 buttons?

  • DS4 button types
    Front

    A

    		 Directional buttons

    B

    		 SHARE button

    C

    		 Touch pad/Touch pad button the
    touchpad functions when the touch
    pad is pressed.

    D

    		 Speaker

    E

    		 OPTIONS button

    F

    		   button/  button / button /  button

    G

    		 Right stick/R3 button The R3 button
    functions when the stick is pressed.

    H

    		 PS button

    I

    		 Stereo headset jack

    J

    		 Extension port

    K

    		 Left stick/L3 button The L3 button
    functions when the stick is pressed.
    Top

    A

    		 R1 button

    B

    		 R2 button

    C

    		 Light bar

    D

    		 L1 button

    E

    		 L2 button

    F

    		 USB port

  • DS4 button functions
    PS button Turn on the PlayStation 4 system (when the PlayStation 4 is turned off or in standby mode). Display the home screen (when the PlayStation 4 is turned on).
    PS button (double press) Switch between applications in use.
    PS button (long press) Close an application, log out, or turn off the PlayStation 4 system. Operations that you can perform are displayed. Available operations vary depending on the application.
    Directional buttons/Left stick Select items.
     button Confirm the selected item.
     button Cancel an operation.
    SHARE button Display the menu for the SHARE feature. For details, see "Using the SHARE button"
    OPTIONS button Display options.

  • DS4 touch pad functions
    Tap Briefly touch the touch pad.
    Double tap Tap twice in rapid succession.
    Drag Drag your finger while touching the touch pad, and then lift your finger.
    Flick Touch the touch pad, and then sharply and quickly move your finger off the touch pad.
    Swipe Quickly slide your finger across the touch pad, sharply moving your finger off the touch pad.
    Touch and hold Touch and do not lift your finger.
    Pinch in and pinch out Place 2 fingers on the touch pad and move them closer together or further apart.
    Click Press the touch pad button.
    Double-click Press the touch pad button twice in rapid succession.