Learn how to send your PS5 controllers for service to get back to gaming quickly. Follow these steps for a smooth repair process!
The problem, however, is that you have no idea how to send PS5 controllers for assistance , nor how to get in touch with Sony. What do you say? Did I guess right? In that case, you are on the right guide: below I will not only explain how to request the collection and repair of the pad directly from Sony, but I will also take care of showing you how to try to solve the most commonly encountered problems on your own.
So, without further ado, sit back and read carefully everything I have to explain to you on the subject: I am sure that, at the end of reading this guide, you will have very clear ideas on what to do and you will be able to reach the goal you set yourself, without any difficulty. That said, I have nothing left to do but wish you a good read and wish you the best of luck with everything!
Index
- Getting Started: Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Ignition problems
- Connection problems
- Operation problems
- In case of further problems
- How to send your PS5 DualSense controller in for service
Getting Started: Troubleshooting Common Problems
Before sending your PlayStation 5 controller for service, I recommend that you analyze the problem you are experiencing and, if possible, try to resolve it yourself by putting into practice one of the “tips” I suggest below.
Ignition problems
Among the most common malfunctions, there is certainly the one regarding the controller not turning on . In most cases, unless there is hardware damage caused by an accidental impact (such as a fall, for example), the cause is due to a low battery : if the pad is not used for a long time, it risks slowly but inexorably discharging, until it no longer has enough energy to turn on.
So, the first thing you need to do, if your DualSense controller won’t turn on, is to connect the charging cable to it, turn on the console and connect the other end of the cable to a free USB port on the PlayStation; following this operation, the light bar on the pad should turn red and start flashing very slowly, a sign that the device is charging.
If this doesn’t happen, try using a different charging cable : you can use any cable with USB-C and USB-A connectors, even a different one from the one you received with the console and/or controller.
The DualSense controller takes approximately three hours to fully charge; once fully charged, the light bar on the pad should turn off, indicating that the pad is ready to be turned on and used without any issues.
In any case, if you want to avoid something like this from happening in the future but you really don’t want to keep the pad constantly connected to the PlayStation (which, in order to recharge the controller, must remain on or in rest mode), I recommend purchasing a special charging station : simply connect the latter to a power outlet and place the controller on the special slot, so as to keep it constantly charged and ready for use.
Note : To see the controller’s charge status, turn on your PlayStation, sign in with your account, and when you get to Home, press the PS button to display the control center. The battery level is displayed in the Accessories section .
Connection problems
The controller turns on but, despite the gamer light being on, it does not connect to the console? This usually happens when the controller has been paired with another device: the DualSense, like the DualSense Edge, can in fact only “remember” the last console, computer, smartphone or tablet to which it was connected.
So, if you used the pad to play PlayStation on your phone , you must necessarily pair it again with “its” console, in order to control the latter.
To be safe, I recommend putting the pad in pairing mode: just turn the controller off completely and turn it back on by pressing and holding the PS and Create buttons (the one located to the left of the touchpad), until the light bar starts to flash rapidly. Once this happens, connect the controller to the turned-on PlayStation 5 using the charging cable , and that’s it: after disconnecting the cable, you can use the DualSense to control the console again. More info here .
Operation problems
Alternatively, you can also perform the software update from any PC with a Windows 10 or Windows 11 operating system, via the official application made available by Sony. Keep in mind, however, that you will have to reconnect the controller to the console turned on via cable, in order to use the pad again, as the connection to the computer will cause the DualSense to “forget” the device to which it was previously connected.
That said, to get the software to use for the purpose, connect to this website and click on the Download button , located in the Update section . Once the download is complete, run the file obtained (e.g. FWupdaterInstaller.exe ) and click on the Yes , OK and Next buttons ; now, put a check mark next to the item I accept the terms of the license agreement , click again on the Next button (twice) and finalize the process by pressing the Install and Finish buttons .
At this point, connect the controller to the computer via USB cable and launch the Firmware Update for DualSense application via the icon that has been added to the Start menu in the meantime. If your PC only has USB-C ports, you may need to use a dedicated cable or adapter to connect the pad to them.
Once the connection is established, if there are firmware updates available for the controller, you will see a message indicating this, inside the program window; to download and apply the update, press the Update Now button and wait for the progress bar to reach 100%. Please note: do not exit the application, nor disconnect the USB cable from the controller and/or the computer, before the update is complete: doing so could make the pad unusable.
In case of further problems
As a last resort, if even the solutions I have indicated so far have not solved your problem, try to perform a complete reset of the controller: as you can easily imagine, following the reset, the pad will “forget” the console (or other platform) to which it was associated, therefore you will have to perform the first association procedure again.
That said, to reset the DualSense, get a sharp object such as a needle or a toothpick, turn on the pad by pressing the PS button and, when it is on, turn it on its back. At this point, use the aforementioned object to press the recessed Reset button , located immediately next to the Sony logo, and hold it down for 10 seconds.
Finally, release the button in question and check that the light bar flashes quickly, indicating that the DualSense is back in pairing mode; the next time you use it, the problem you were experiencing should be resolved.
How to send your PS5 DualSense controller in for service
Have you tried all the tips I have provided so far but, alas, your controller still does not want to work? In this case, the chances that you are the victim of hardware damage are very high and, consequently, you may need a physical repair.
If your pad is still under warranty, you may be eligible for a free replacement or repair; however, the damage you are experiencing must be covered by the warranty. At the time of writing, all Sony controllers are covered by a one-year warranty from the date of purchase, against manufacturing defects , which includes a free replacement of the damaged pad or components.
Where the product was purchased directly from the Sony Italia online store , or from an Italian seller who issues a receipt or invoice in Italy , the direct Sony warranty is instead extended to 24 months ; this last condition also applies to accessories produced on European soil, provided that they were purchased from a retailer belonging to the Italian tax territory.
If the controller was purchased from a seller operating in a European Union country other than Italy, a second guarantee is added to the 12-month Sony warranty, valid from the thirteenth to the twenty-fourth month following purchase , but provided by the retailer of the item ( 12+12 formula ); in other words, if the controller should prove to be defective during the extended warranty period, you will have to contact the retailer directly (obviously showing proof of purchase), to request a free repair.
Of course, the warranty does not cover issues caused by improper use of the controller, which include drops, impacts, physical damage, and attempted tampering, just to name a few. To learn more, check out the accessory warranty on Sony’s website.
Some retailers, however, may apply an extended warranty that, depending on the case, could extend the duration of the standard one or extend the coverage to physical damage to the pad, caused by accidental falls or impacts; coverage of this type must however be requested from the seller at the time of purchase of the product and usually requires the payment of an additional amount.
However, if you believe that your controller is the victim of a manufacturing defect and you want to send it to Sony for assistance, connect to the hardware support area on the PlayStation website, press the Controller button and then the DualSense Controller or DualSense Edge Controller button , depending on the controller device you own. At this point, press the Troubleshooting and PlayStation Repairs items (twice), press the DualSense or DualSense Edge button again and set the What’s the problem drop-down menu to the I’m experiencing another problem option .
At this point, press the Request a repair button , enter the DualSense serial number in the appropriate field and press the Enter serial number button ; for your information, you can obtain the DualSense controller serial number, consisting of 17 alphanumeric characters, by scanning the QR code printed on the back of the PAD; the information is also written in characters, immediately below the QR code.
Now, also type the controller model number (it is also printed on the back, next to the wording Model ) and press the Enter serial number and model button ; if the pad is covered by the warranty, you will see a wizard, which will allow you to provide proof of purchase of the controller to book its collection , for the purposes of repair, or its return . Therefore, follow the instructions you see on the screen and complete the request: all the data necessary to process it will be sent to you by email.
If you have any problems during the procedure, I recommend that you contact PlayStation support directly via phone or chat, following the instructions in my guide dedicated to the topic .
If, however, the pad is no longer covered by the Sony warranty, you will see a message indicating this (e.g. Your product is out of warranty ), along with a button that allows you to return to PlayStation support; in this case, if you are entitled to the European 12+12 warranty, you must necessarily contact the seller, to request the repair of the controller. Otherwise, there is not much else you can do, other than take the defective controller to an authorized center and request a repair at your expense, or buy a new one .
Finally, if you believe you are entitled to the extended warranty provided by the retailer where you purchased the pad/PlayStation, you must contact the retailer — by going to a point of sale, contacting the staff by phone or by email — in order to find out how to repair, return or replace the defective device. Please note that, in most cases, you will be asked to provide proof of purchase of the pad or console, which clearly shows the date on which the commercial agreement was made.