Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

How to sync a PS5 controller to your PS5

By

Whether you’re going with the default DualSense controller — one of our favorite PS5 controllers — or a third party controller, you’ll need to connect your PS5 controller to your PS5. It’s not a difficult process, but if you aren’t aware of the ins and outs of it, it is reasonable to have trouble.

This guide specifically covers connecting your PS5 controller to your PS5, a process known as ‘syncing’. Previously, we’ve covered connecting your PS5 controller to PC and even how to update PS5 controllers from PC, if you’re strictly a computer gamer that uses a PS5 controller for the purpose. Naturally, we’ve also gone over syncing a PS4 controller, just in case you’re lost in the wrong gaming generation.

Recommended Videos

How to connect a PS5 controller to a PS5

A person holds up a PS5 controller.
Kamil S / Unsplash

Out of the box, the PS5 comes with one DualSense controller and a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging. You can use these steps with those or any compatible alternative.

  1. Turn on the system and plug the standard USB end of your charge cable into the front or back of the console.
  2. Plug the other end of the cable — the smaller USB-C end — into the PS5 controller. If you are using a DualSense controller, you’ll find what you’re looking for at the top.
  3. Press the PS button on the controller, located just below the speaker on the face of the DualSense.
  4. The controller should blink for a few moments and then light up on the front, indicating it has been powered on. Eventually, the lights on the controller will turn blue, meaning it has been synced to the system correctly.

You’re now free to unplug the cable and use your PS5 controller wirelessly. Just note that you will need to utilize that cable (or a charging dock) to charge your DualSense controller periodically. Also keep in mind that you may need to update the firmware of your PS5 controller, and the system will prompt you to do so if need be.

Connecting additional controllers to your PS5

A person plays Crash Bandicoot using a PS5 DualSense controller.
Sony

The PS5 supports up to four controllers at once, so you’ll need to know how to sync additional controllers to your new machine if you want to play local multiplayer games. You can utilize the method described above — by using a USB-C cable — but there’s an easier way. Instead, once you’ve got one controller paired with your PS5, you can sync other controllers wirelessly. To do so, follow these steps.

  1. Make sure your additional controllers are turned off. If the light on the controller is on, it means the device is turned on, so hold down the PS button for a few seconds to turn it off.
  2. Using the controller that’s already paired, go to Settings > Accessories > General > Bluetooth accessories.
  3. Now, press and hold the PS button and the Create button (the button above the d-pad on the left) simultaneously on the additional controller.
  4. Eventually, the device will appear as an Accessory found, so once it does, select it with the original controller to complete the syncing process. Test out the second controller to ensure it’s paired properly, and you’ll be all set. Repeat this process with your additional PS5 controllers (up to four total).

Please note that getting additional PS5 controllers can become expensive, so be sure to check out our regularly updated listing of Playstation deals, where we often find PS5 controllers (including the DualSense) on the cheap.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden
Joseph Yaden is a freelance journalist who covers Nintendo, shooters, and horror games. He mostly covers game guides for…
PlayStation State of Play returns this week, will feature 14 PS5 games
Three colorful PS5s float together in a line.

PlayStation will kick off the summer of digital video game reveal streams this week with a State of Play broadcast. The stream will take place at 3 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 30.

State of Play is one of Sony's primary livestream presentation formats. It tends to be slightly shorter than the company's flagship stream, the PlayStation Showcase. This State of Play is a significant one, though, as Sony's slate of first-party games for 2024 is entirely unknown at this stage. This stream should shed some light on what's coming later this year.

Read more
The best places to land in Fortnite
Brutal Beachhead location in Fortnite

Survival is key in Fortnite, and it all starts by picking the best starting location. Even if you're an expert player, your likelihood of coming out on top is greatly diminished if you start off on the wrong foot -- whether it be at a barren location with no loot or a hot drop that could lead to a swift death.

As part of Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 3, there's no shortage of fantastic landing spots, but which one is best comes down to your skill and preference. With that in mind, here are the best places to land in Fortnite for veterans, beginners, and everyone in between.
The best places to land in Fortnite
Before jumping into the list of the best places to land in Fortnite, it's important to be aware of what makes a good landing spot. Sure, any place with decent loot might serve you well, but there's more to consider than that. Does a spot have a consistent chest/loot spawn? Are there guaranteed materials? Is it close to other places of interest (POI)s? Is it out of the way? Of course, loot is the most important aspect, but it does you no good to have a stacked loadout if you're stuck in the storm. These recommended landing spots all have some degree of consistency and fantastic loot. they also typically have some quirk that makes them effective depending on your playstyle.
Mount Olympus

Read more
I would buy a PlayStation Portal 2 if it had this one feature
A Pulse Elite, DualSense, and PlayStation Portal sit on a table.

I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the PlayStation Portal since it launched. Initially, I was disappointed by Sony's cloud streaming device. I was impressed with its screen and appreciated its DualSense integration, but its slimmeddown features made it feel like a cheap version of a good idea. I've since learned to find a use case for my PlayStation Portal that turned it into an integral part of my gaming setup. It's very imperfect, but that doesn't mean it's not useful.

Ever since its launch, I've been hoping for a refreshed follow-up, whether that be a Pro model or a true PlayStation Portal 2. It may be way too early to start discussing that considering that the Portal just launched in November 2023, but the promising device has enough glaring flaws that I'd welcome a fast-tracked successor. If Sony were to make a PlayStation Portal 2, though, there's one feature that's nonnegotiable: Bluetooth.

Read more