You’ve lost to the Elden Beast a few times, but now you know how it attacks, so you’re ready to beat it. You get the message “Wireless Controller battery level is low” as you try to avoid its Wave of Gold Attack. How is this possible? You just charged your DualSense Wireless Controller a few hours ago.
The next-gen haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in PS5 controllers make them break down quickly. How long the controllers’ batteries last depends on how much these technologies are used in PS5 games.
This article will tell you what affects how long the battery in your PS5 controller will last. It also shows you how to check the battery level of your controller and gives you tips on how to make it last as long as possible.
What Is Causing My PS5 Controller To Die So Fast?
When you’re playing a game, nothing is more annoying than getting a message that your battery is low. This is especially true if your PS5 only came with one controller.
Your PS5 controller’s battery life depends on how adaptive triggers and haptic feedback are used in games. When the next-generation features of the DualSense Wireless Controller are used a lot in video games, they can use up a lot of power.
These next-generation features make games feel even more real. In first-person shooters, like Call of Duty, you can feel the recoil of different guns.
The official PlayStation blog says that the DualSense controller should have the same battery life as the DualShock 4. But this only works if you don’t play games that use the next-gen features of the controller.
How Do I Check My PS5 Controller’s Battery Level?
If you don’t want to have to charge your PS5 controller in the middle of a game, you should check how much power is left before you start.
The battery level of the PS5 Controller can be seen on the “Accessories” tab in “Control Center.” Up to three bars on the battery icon show how much charge is left on the controller.
Follow these steps to find out how much power your controller has:
- Tap the button in the middle of the controller that says “PS” (between the left stick and right stick).
- Once the “Control Center” opens at the bottom of the screen, use the analog sticks or D-pad to move to “Accessories.”
- Select “Accessories” to see how much power is left in the controller.
The battery icon has bars that show how much charge your controller still has. If there are three bars, you don’t need to worry—the battery is full. If it goes down to one bar, you’ll need to plug your controller in or use the DualSense Charging Station.
Your controller will be fully charged after about three hours.
How Can I Improve My PS5 Controller’s Battery Life?
If the battery life of your PS5 controller isn’t as long as promised, there are a few things you can do to make it last longer.
If you turn off adaptive triggers and haptic feedback on the PS5 controller, the battery will last longer. When video games use these features, they cut down on how long a single charge of the controller will last.
Here are a few things you can do to improve the battery life of your PS5 controller:
Disable or Lower Next-Gen Features
You can make your controller last longer by turning off or turning down the following features:
- Adaptive Triggers
- Haptic Feedback
- Light Bar
All of these settings can be found in the “Control Center” under “Accessories.” All of these features are set to the highest level right out of the box. You can set them to “Medium,” “Weak,” or “Off.”
If you want to make your controller’s battery last longer, keep in mind that you might not be as immersed as you were before. The next-gen features, which are meant to make video games more fun, are one of the things that set the PS5 apart from Xbox and PC.
Reduce The Time For The Controller To Turn Off Automatically
Even if you leave your controller alone for a few minutes, it won’t turn off on its own. Follow these steps if you want to change that:
- Choose “Settings,” which is at the top of the screen.
- When “Settings” opens, use the side menu to choose “System.”
- Click “Power Savings,” which is in the menu on the left.
- Find “Set Time Until Controllers Turn Off” and click on it. “Don’t Turn Off” is the default setting.
- Choose this option and then choose “After 10 minutes,” “After 30 minutes,” or “After 60 minutes.”
Based on this setting, your controller will turn off by itself.
What To Do If Changing These Settings Doesn’t Work?
There are a few more things you can try if changing the above settings didn’t make your controller’s battery last longer.
Here are three more things you can try to see if they help the battery life of your controller.
- Update the software on the controller. Use the cable that came with the controller to connect it to your PS5. If there is a change, you will be told about it. Updates give your controller the latest fixes for bugs, so if the battery drain is due to a bug, this should fix it.
- Charge the controller’s battery all the way up (three bars). Before you plug the battery into your PS5, let it die completely. You should wait until it’s full to use it. The problem could be fixed by giving the battery a full charge and discharge cycle.
- If none of the above steps work, replace the controller. From the day you buy a controller, Sony gives you a one-year warranty on it. If you can’t get the controller fixed under warranty, you’ll have to buy a new one. I’d say to get the first PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller (available on Amazon.com). I know you just had a bad time with it, but it’s still much better than third-party alternatives.
Wrapping Up
The DualSense Controller has next-generation features that make video games feel more real. But they can also be the reason why your controller’s battery dies quickly. If you turn off these features, the battery life will last longer, but the experience will be less immersive.
Some battery problems can be fixed by updating the software or going through a charge and discharge cycle. If none of these work, there’s a good chance that your controller is broken. In this case, you should either get a new one or replace it under the warranty, if there is one.