Powering off PS5 controller

November 22, 2023 9:16 AM

Is there a way to power off the PS5 controller that doesn't involve holding down the PS logo for 15 seconds?

Context: the DualSense controller was recently on sale. I bought one for use with a PC. I don't own a PS5 and will never own one.

This stupid piece of junk won't turn off. It will sit there in a cabinet with its annoying lights on forever. The only way I've found to turn it off is to hold a button for 15 seconds which I shouldn't have to say is fucking ridiculous. Why can this sony garbage not time out like reasonably designed controllers?

Is this really how people use these controllers with PCs?

posted by Rhomboid to Technology (9 answers total)

Best answer: They expect you to plug it into the charging cord when not using it. Or to put it on this: https://direct.playstation.com/en-us/buy-accessories/dualsense-charging-station

When plugged into the charging station is glows for a second to confirm its charging status and then doesn't blink or glow until you pick it back up.

Otherwise no you can't turn it off except by holding down the PS logo or turning the controller off using the PS5 menus (which will mean you can't use it to put your PS5 in rest or turn it off, lol).
posted by dis_integration at 9:21 AM on November 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I'm throwing this turd into the sun.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:36 AM on November 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

When it's attached to a PS5, it shuts down when the PS5 shuts down or goes into rest mode. I also miss the old days when stuff had on/off switches, but it is what it is. Weird thing is the new-ish Sony Pulse (PS5) headphones do have an on/off switch. I love the things, but my gripe with them is the switch and buttons are cartoonishly tiny.
posted by SoberHighland at 10:15 AM on November 22, 2023

This may be an artifact of using it with a PC, which is a bit of an edge case - for various reasons Microsoft's Xbox controllers have been by far the most common PC gamepads for a long time.

I use mine exclusively with my PS5, and it turns itself off when I turn off the PS5, so this is just... a non-issue. I'm not shocked you're running into this but it does sound pretty infuriating, and I'm sorry to hear it. (My wireless xbox controller on my PC does seem to turn itself off after some reasonable period of time.)
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:58 AM on November 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

I realize this is resolved, but I use my PS5 controller with my PC as well as my PS5. I use a cable, though, not Bluetooth. When it is disconnected it is immediately off, no lights. Is this an option?
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:12 PM on November 22, 2023

Response by poster: Not even a little. That piece of shit is currently on a truck back to Amazon.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:16 AM on November 23, 2023

Response by poster: I'd also like to clarify that it's not just the lights that are an issue, it's that it NEVER TIMES OUT. I do not want a controller connected permanently, I do not want games thinking I want to use a controller, I do not want an active touch screen acting as a mouse device (!!) that randomly moves my mouse cursor when I brush against a controller that is still on and hasn't turned itself off because I used it 8 hours ago. The lights are secondary to the main issue of NO TIMEOUT!
posted by Rhomboid at 3:21 AM on November 23, 2023

welp too late to suggest trying to adjust with the impressively still updated

ds4 for windows

"DS4Windows is an open-source gamepad input mapper and virtual emulator designed to use and connect your PlayStation controller (DualShock 3/4 and DualSense 5) to a Windows 10 & 11 PC."

I've used it for several years when Steam was not doing it well, and this sw surprisingly keeps getting updates. : )

That being said, haven't tested it with the DS5 since I only use the 4.
posted by bitterkitten at 9:53 AM on November 23, 2023

Response by poster: I had installed DualSenseX. Had no support for timeout.
posted by Rhomboid at 10:34 AM on November 23, 2023