If your PS4 controller won’t connect all of a sudden, you don’t necessarily need a new one to resolve the issue. This troubleshooting guide shows you the possible solutions that you need to try first before deciding on whether or not to junk a misbehaving controller.

1. If you are not able to connect to your game, check the server status for Xbox Live, PlayStation™Network, and PC. Is your account banned? You can’t access online play if your account is suspended or banned. This happens if you broke the rules in the EA User Agreement. Check your email to see if you got a message about a suspension or ban.
2. When an Xbox One controller won't connect, there are a handful of root problems that may be in play. At the most basic level, your controller and your console aren't talking to each other. This can be caused by too much distance between them, too much interference, weak batteries, sync issues, and actual hardware failures.

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Causes why your PS4 controller won’t sync or connect

There are a few reasons that can be blamed for the PS4 controller syncing issue.

Bluetooth signal interference.

Sony’s PS4 uses standard Bluetooth connection to sync wireless controllers. If you have a number of Bluetooth devices connected to your PS4 and you’re having trouble connecting or your controller won’t connect at all, you may have a signal interference issue at hand.

Wireless devices that use Bluetooth to connect are typically designed to handle possible signal interference from other devices but connection problems may still occur. You should try to disconnect other Bluetooth devices such as tablets, headsets, smartphones, PCs, etc., to see if any of them is causing the problem.

Weak battery.

If your battery on your PS4 controller is weak, it’s Bluetooth range may be shortened. At other times, the controller may not be able to maintain a good connection at all.

The same can happen if the battery is damaged or no longer holding a charge.

Controller firmware issue.

In some situations, the cause can be deep within the firmware of the PS4 controller. Since there’s no setting on your console to update the firmware of the controller, you are limited to resetting it instead. This is often an effective way to fix misbehaving PS4 controllers.

Troubleshooting a PS4 controller that won’t sync or connect

Below are the potential solutions that you can try if your PS4 controller won’t connect to the console.

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1. Charge the controller.

   When troubleshooting a wireless PS4 controller, make sure that you charge to 100% first. This will make sure that you’re not dealing with a possible PS4 controller won't-turn-on or weak battery issue.
   

2. Connect the controller and console with USB cable.

   If you’re having trouble connecting a controller wirelessly, try using a USB cable instead to resync it. Here’s how:
   -Get a known good working USB cable.
   -Connect the controller to your PS4 with the USB cable.
   –Press and hold the PlayStation button in the middle of the controller. This will clear the old connection setting and resync this controller to the console again.

3. Re-sync controller at startup.

   If the previous step hasn’t helped, you can try to check if re-syncing at startup will do the trick. Here’s what you need to do:
   –Shut down your PlayStation 4.
   –Connect your controller to the console using a USB cable.
   –Press and hold the PlayStation or PS button on the center of your controller. This will prompt the controller to re-sync at startup.

4. Perform a soft reset on the controller.

   You’ll need another good working controller to do this. If you don’t have a second controller to use, just skip this solution and proceed to the next one below.
   -Using the second controller that’s working, go to your PS4’s Settings menu.
   -Select Devices from the drop-down menu.
   -Select Bluetooth Devices.
   -Find the wireless controller that’s not working in the list of devices and select it. An active controller should show a green dot while inactive ones will have a white or grey circle.
   -Press the Options button on your controller, found to the right of the touchpad. This will bring up a new menu.
   -Select Forget Device. This will disconnect the inactive controller from the console.
   -Turn off the PS4 console.
   –Re-sync the controller at startup like what we did in Step#3.

5. Do a hard reset on the controller.

   If you can’t perform a soft reset on the controller, then you have no other option but to perform a hard reset. For this to work, you’ll need to use a paper clip or a similar object. You’ll have to use the unfurled paper clip to press the tiny reset button.
   -Turn off the PS4 console.
   -Find the small hole where the reset button is. It’s under and near the left trigger (LT) button.
   -Insert the paper clip in the hole and push the reset button for about 5 seconds.
   -Connect the controller to the PS4 again and see what happens.

Workaround.

Some PS4 users who had a wireless controller syncing issue in the past reported that they were able to resync their controllers with the steps below. The only difference that we notice with this procedure is that you disrupt the boot up process of the console first. This is not a safe procedure and may potentially corrupt the software if done repeatedly.

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If the above solutions have not helped at all, then definitely try this possible workaround to fix controller that won’t sync or controller that’s not working :

–Power on the console.

-Once the console has started booting up, turn it off by unplugging it from the wall outlet or surge protector (if you’re using one). Don’t unplug the power cable from the back of the console.

-Once the PS4 restarts, it’s going to rebuild its cache or system files. You should try to connect the controller again and see what happens.

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What happens if your PS4 controller won’t connect up to this point?

If this guide won’t work and none of the solutions have helped, you should consider getting a replacement. If the console and controller are still within the warranty period, contact Sony or visit your retailer to get a free replacement.

Suggested readings:

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Note: The Wii mini does not support online functionality. It cannot be connected to the Internet via a wireless connection.

Complete these steps

1. Power on your Wii console and press the A Button on the Wii Remote to reach the Wii main menu. Use the Wii Remote to select the Wii button.
2. Select Wii Settings to access the Wii System Settings menu.
3. Using the arrow on the right side of the screen, scroll to page two and select Internet.
4. Select Connection Settings.
   
5. Select Connection 1: None.
   • If you do not have an empty connection slot, you will need to clear a slot.
6. Click on Wireless Connection, then click Search for an Access Point.
   • If using a wired Internet connection, you may find our information on How to Connect the Wii to the Internet with a Wired Connection helpful.
7. Select OK. The Wii will display all the wireless networks it finds.
8. Select the wireless network that is yours.(If you're not sure which is yours, or you don't see any wireless networks, you may find our information on Unable to Find a Wireless Access Point helpful.)

   Asked to enter a security key?

   • If you are prompted to Enter the Password or Key, then the wireless network you are trying to connect to has wireless security turned on. You will need to type in your security key or password and select OK.
   • If you need to switch between upper and lower-case letters, or numbers and symbols, select the Shift key on the on-screen keyboard.
   • Ensure you review the security type in the top-left corner as well. If this is not the same security type that is used by your router, select Change Security Settings and select the appropriate security type.

   Don’t know your router's security key?

   Let us help you find your router's security key. Select the brand of your router below and we'll provide you with the default information for that brand!

9. Select OK 3 times to save your settings and start an Internet connection test.
   • The Wii console will run a connection test with your wireless network.
   • When the test is completed, you should see the following screen: As long as you see The connection test was successful, the Wii Support Code does not matter and can be ignored.
   • If the connection test succeeds, then your Wii is now connected to the internet.
   • If the connection test was not successful, you will receive an error code.
     • Error Code 51330 or 52130: This means the security code you entered into the Wii is not the same one your router is set to. Look in your router's settings and try again. Please refer to step eight (8) above for more information.
     • All other error codes, search our infobase for more information. (You can ignore any Wii Support Code you receive on a connection test.)

Situation not resolved

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