Playstation 4 is one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market today. It has a ton of great features, including wireless controllers, so you can play comfortably from anywhere. But you might be wondering: How long does a PS4 controller take to charge?

PS4 controllers take approximately two hours to charge to 100% if the battery is completely depleted. You can make your PS4 controller charge faster by turning off the light bar, speaker, and vibration settings. After 2 hours on charge, the controller should last from 4-8 hours. 

If you want to learn everything there is to know about charging a PS4 controller, including why yours might be dying faster than normal and how to charge it as fast as possible, keep reading! This article has it all. 

How Can I Charge my PS4 Controller Faster?

As you now know, it usually takes about 2 hours for a PS4 controller to fully charge when the battery is completely dead. 

But if you want to use the controller as soon as possible, you probably want to know if there’s anything you can do to charge it a little faster. 

Great news: You can get your PS4 to charge faster by turning off the light bar, speaker, and vibration settings. 

Although it may seem like a great way to charge the controller faster, you should understand that PS4 controllers won’t charge if they are completely turned off, so make sure that it is either on ON or REST mode.

Can I Use a PS4 Controller While Charging?

As well, if you want to keep playing or start playing immediately when your PS4 controller needs to be charged, don’t worry; you can use it while it’s charging. 

However, it is important to note that using the controller will make it charge much slower, so you will have to keep it charging for much longer than the 2-hour time frame if you want it to be fully charged. 

Also, if the battery is already extremely low, it may run out of juice while you are playing, even if it’s plugged in. 

You should also know that experts don’t recommend frequently using a PS4 controller while it’s charging as it’s not as good for the battery as letting it fully charge. 

How Long Does a PS4 Controller Last?

Once the battery on a PS4 controller has been fully charged, it should last anywhere between 4 and 8 hours before having to be charged again. 

If you are using it consistently, you should expect the battery to die after about 4-5 hours of playtime. While it can last for up to 8 hours, that will probably only happen if you take frequent breaks from the game and make sure the controller is set to shut off as quickly as possible when it isn’t in use.

There are a few tricks as well to help your PS4 controller last longer before it has to be charged: 

  • Dim your controller’s light bar.Reduce your controller’s speaker volume.Turn off the vibration setting.Allow it to fully charge before using it. Ensure it’s in rest mode when you’re not using it.

While most PS4 controllers should last at least 4 hours, and even longer if you follow these tactics, some users have reported that their controllers don’t hold a charge for nearly that long. 

Why Is My PS4 Controller Dying so Fast?

PS4 controllers are a little different than those offered by other gaming consoles. The internal DualShock 4 batteries are not meant to be replaced and shouldn’t stop charging over time. So why is it that some PS4 controllers die faster than others? 

The most common reason why PS4 controllers seem to die fast is that users are not turning them off when they’re not playing.

It’s important to always hold down the PS button for a few seconds when you’re taking a break from your game so that the battery doesn’t die while the controller isn’t being used. 

Also, PS4 controller batteries work a lot better when you let them fully charge before use. Simply charging a controller for a few minutes will not allow the battery to perform as it should and last for hours. 

Remember, a great way to increase your PS4 controller’s battery life is to turn down or off the light bar, volume, and vibration settings. 

The Bottom Line

A PS4 controller takes about 2 hours to fully charge after the battery is completely empty. 

But hopefully, you now know a lot more than just how long it takes to charge! You also know how long it should last, how to increase the battery life, and even why your PS4 controller doesn’t seem to be holding a battery charge as it should. 

Now, you can get back to playing your favorite Playstation 4 game with a fully charged controller!