Tricks to improve PS4 Controller Battery Life

PS4 comes with a Wireless controller named Dualshock 4 which needs to be charged again and again so the battery life of the PS4 controller becomes a major concern among users. Generally, the PS4 controller offers a battery life of 4 to 6 hours on a single charge depending upon the settings and conditions of use.

Dualshock 4 is equipped with a 3.7 V, 1000 mAh rechargeable battery which is lesser than the controllers available on other gaming platforms. Having less battery capacity doesn't mean that you can't get more from your battery. You can still extend your PS4 Controller battery life by changing a few settings. Here are some steps which need to be followed to increase your PS4 Battery life:

1. Dimming Controller's front light Bar: PS4 controller comes with a LED light bar installed at the front of the controller which glows in multiple colors. This Light bar is aimed to distinguish players as the color of light on the controller and player color on the screen match. Also, the light is added to give some feedback and special effects while gaming. This light bar is made up of LEDs that draw some energy from the battery so dimming the controller light can save some energy. You can dim the light of the controller by following these steps:

1. Go to Quick Menu.
2. Then go to settings.
3. Go to Devices and select Controllers under Devices.
4. Under Controller settings, select Brightness of DualShock 4 Light Bar.
5. Under this setting, you will have three options- Bright, Medium, and Dim. Change the setting from Bright to Dim and you are ready to save some energy.
   

Note: You can not turn off your controller light.

2. Decreasing controller volume: Like Nintendo's Wii Remote, Dualshock 4 has also got a mono speaker which makes sounds according to the game. Apart from the game audio, this controller speaker gives you multiple sound effects and cues which add up to the gaming experience. 

This controller sound feature is fun but it offers higher sound than normal so you can reduce the volume to save some power. To reduce the controller's volume follow these steps:

1. Go to Quick Menu.
2. Then go to settings.
3. Go to Devices and select Controllers under Devices.
   
4. Under this setting select Volume Control(Speaker for Controller) and reduce the volume to an audible level.

3. Turn off Vibration: PS4 controller is equipped with Vibration motors that vibrate to give the user a better gaming experience. PS4 Vibration could be a Pet Peeve if you are not a hardcore gamer or are a casual gamer. Vibration is a feedback mechanism that gives you cues and indications but since motors are an electromechanical device that draws a large amount of current so it can reduce the battery life of the Controller. You can turn off the controller vibration to save battery by following these steps:

1. Go to the Quick Menu.
2. Then go to the settings.
3. Under settings go to Device options and select Controller.
4. Under the Controller option, you can disable all vibrations. 

4. Turn off your controller when not in use: Apart from gaming, PS4 also offers you entertainment services like Watching Netflix or a stream on Twitch. While watching Netflix, you don't need a controller so it is advised to turn off your controller to save some battery life. Also, if you take some breaks while playing games then the device should be turned off to save battery. To set your Controller's automatic turnoff time to a minimum follow these steps:

1. Go to Quick Menu.
2. Then go to settings under the Quick Menu and Select Power Save Settings. 
   
3. Under Power Save Settings, select Set Time until controller turn off and turn the time value to the lowest(10 minutes). 

5. Frequently charge your Controller: To keep the controller ready whenever you need it, you should charge the controller during breaks or whenever you get time. If your controller's battery indicator shows that there's sufficient battery left to be used then also you can plug it in to charge fully. The controller uses a Lithium-ion battery so it is completely safe to charge your battery again and again whenever you need to.

6. Remove Vibration Motors/Rumble Packs from your controller: Vibration motors draw a large amount of power from your battery and also make your controller heavy. Since vibration in the PS4 controller is not liked by some users so they can remove the motors to reduce weight and improve battery efficiency. To remove the Rumble Pack make sure to follow these precautions:

1. Open up the back of the controller by taking out the screws.
2. Safely remove the battery.
3. Cut the connections of motors and cover the exposed wires with electrical tapes inside the controller to prevent any short circuit.
4. Take out the motors and install the back of the remote. Now you are done and the battery performance will be improved. 

7. Remove Controller Light Bar Connections: Since LED lights of the controller can't be turned off but their brightness can only be increased or decreased which still makes them unnecessarily suck up the power. So you can take off the Light cable connection inside the controller. To take off the LED light cable connection follow these precautions:

1. Unscrew the back of the controller.
2. Safely remove the Battery to prevent any short circuit.
3. Take out the ribbon cable connecting the LED with the motherboard. 
4. Cover the exposed connections with electrical tape. Also, you can keep the Ribbon cable safely inside the controller or take it out to store it somewhere else. 

8. Replace the existing battery with a Larger Battery pack: PS4 controller is equipped with a 1000 mAh battery pack which is very less compared to the features it offers. Since there's enough space to install a larger battery pack like 2000 mAh so you can buy and install it. To replace the battery pack follow these instructions:

1. Unscrew the back of the controller.
2. Safely remove the Battery.
3. Install the new battery and make sure the connections are tight. 
4. Close the back of the controller and then you are ready to rock.

We hope this article helped you know about the PS4 Controller Battery life and also helped you with the tricks to improve it. 

Thanks for Reading!!