How to connect an Access controller for PS5 consoles

Find out how to set up and charge your Access™ controller for PlayStation®5 consoles.

How to pair and set up your Access controller

The first time you use your Access controller, you need to pair it with your PS5® console. Your console should also be set up and paired with a DualSense™ wireless controller. 

  1. Make sure that your PS5 console is on. 
  2. Connect your controller to your console using the included USB cable. 
    Pairing is complete, and you can disconnect the USB cable if you’d like to use your controller wirelessly.  
  3. Press the PS button on the stick base. 
  4. Select a user. 
    After the light bar blinks, the player indicator and the controller indicator light up. 
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your controller. Use the base profile to navigate through the setup. 
  • All Access controllers have the same base profile (default settings) out of the box. 
  • When charging is complete, you can disconnect the USB cable and use your controller wirelessly.
  • Your controller can pair with only one PS5 console at a time. When you want to use your controller on another console, you need to pair it with that console. 
  • Make sure to update the device software on your controller to the newest version available. When there’s a new update, follow the on-screen instructions.

How to pair and set up two Access controllers 

If you want to use two new Access controllers for the first time, you need to pair both with your PS5 console. Your console should also be set up and paired with a DualSense™ wireless controller. 

  1. Make sure that your console is on. 
  2. Connect one of the controllers to your console with the included USB cable. Repeat with the second controller.
    Pairing is complete, and you can disconnect the USB cable if you’d like to use your controllers wirelessly.
  3. Press the PS button on the stick base of the first controller. 
  4. Select a user.
    After the light bar blinks, the player indicator and the controller indicator light up.
  5. Press the PS button on the stick base of the second controller.
  6. Select the same user as the first controller.
    After the light bar blinks, the player indicator lights up just like with the first controller, and two controller indicators light up.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your controllers. Use the base profile to navigate through the setup. 

You can also wirelessly pair a second controller (controller 2) if the first controller (controller 1) is already paired with your PS5 console. 

  1. Before pairing, make sure that the player indicator on controller 2 is off.
    If the player indicator is on, press and hold the PS button until the light turns off. 
  2. Using controller 1, go to the home screen and select Settings > Accessories > General > Bluetooth Accessories. 
  3. Using controller 2, press and hold the profile button and the PS button at the same time.
    The light bar blinks, and controller 2 is listed on the screen.   
  4. Using controller 1, select controller 2 listed on the screen.
    The light bar on controller 2 blinks, and then the player indicator and the controller indicator light up when pairing is successful. 

How to charge your controller 

While your PS5 console is on, connect the controller to your console using the included USB cable. You can also set your console to charge while in rest mode.

Charge in rest mode

What are the out-of-the-box Access controller settings?

Out of the box, the Access controller is preset with the base profile and at the Left orientation (stick base pointing to the left). 

A) Options button (socket 7)

B) Circle button (socket 5) 

C) Cross button (centre button) 

D) Left stick 

  • The button caps on the default options, circle, and cross buttons have a preattached button cap tag to show the preset function.  
  • Button numbers from 1 to 8 go counterclockwise, starting from the socket closest to the analogue stick.

Your controller comes preattached with eight pillow button caps and the dome stick cap. Find out how to swap button caps and stick caps to best suit your playstyle.

Swap button caps
Swap stick caps

The following functions aren’t supported on the Access controller: 

  • Touch pad (except for the touch pad button) 
  • Vibration function
  • Adaptive triggers
  • Motion sensor 
  • Speaker 
  • Microphone
  • Mute button
  • Headset jack (The expansion ports on your controller are for third-party accessibility accessories, not audio devices.)  
How to create a profile

How to update your Access controller device software  

Access controller software updates are added when you update your PS5 console system software. 

Update PS5 console system software

Need help? 

Contact our support specialists

Contact PlayStation Support