Cotton Buds And Rubbing Alcohol
For dirt that’s really baked in, or in particularly difficult-to-reach places, then rubbing alcohol and cotton buds are the next weapon in your armoury. Apply a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the tip of the cotton bud, and work your way around the controller. Focus on areas such as the buttons, and the areas below the joysticks. You can also look at cleaning the ports on the controller.
Once you’ve finished, let the controller dry. Alcohol will evaporate pretty quickly, so you don’t need to use a cloth on it. Unless you’ve massively overapplied it.
Next, use a toothpick to get any dirt that your cotton bud can’t reach. Go around the touchpad, around the buttons, in between the trigger buttons, and under the joysticks. Be gentle though, you don’t want to push too hard or you’ll risk damaging the controller.
If you want, you can finish with another wet wipe and a bit more compressed air, to get rid of anything that was dislodged during the cleaning process.
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Cleaning The Sticks And Buttons
To clean the two analog sticks, which is why I cleaned it in the first place, spray some isopropyl alcohol into the small green boxes, there are two per stick. Then move the sticks in circles for a bit and used an office duster can to dry them out and remove any debris. This step really helped, before my right stick was drifting to the left and the dead zone was pretty wide. After cleaning the drifting stopped and the dead zone shrunk quite a bit.Now, I decided to clean the contacts on the membrane inside the PSX, so I took a q-tip, soaked the tip in some alcohol, and wiped the pads down. Make sure you get the ones for the L and R buttons as well.
Getting Crumbs And Dust
Before getting to the detail work of cleaning your PS4 controller, youll want to get any loose crumbs and surface dust removed. Its a good idea to give your controller a quick once-over with a can of compressed air before and after cleaning the outside. Because of all of the crevices on the PS4 controller, though, youll want to be careful where you point your can.
The goal is to have the stream of air pointing away from your controller, not toward it. Crumbs that would otherwise break free can get lodged deeper in the controller if youre not careful with your can of compressed air. Although its easy to skip past this step, its critical in the process. The goal is to clean smaller and smaller particles off the controller as the process goes on, so getting anything big cleaned out at the beginning helps.
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Set Up Dualshock 4 Back Button Attachment
The DUALSHOCK 4 back button attachment is only compatible with a DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller.
Turn your DUALSHOCK 4 wireless controller off by holding the PS Button> Sound/Devices > Turn Off Device > DUALSHOCK 4.
With the attachments stereo plug and controllers stereo headset jack aligned, firmly push the attachment toward the controller to insert.
Press thePS button to turn on your controller.
Press the screen button on the attachment twice to switch between the three default profiles.
How To Prevent The Sticky Residue
One of the best ways to ensure that you dont end up with sticky Playstation controllers is with prevention. By taking a moment to properly clean your controllers can help to remove the current sticky residue from it. Still, if you take the time to prevent it from building up during both gameplay and before you store them, then you dont have to worry about getting sticky.
You may have heard the phrase that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this is kind of the philosophy that I am going for here. Rather than having to take the time to clean to remove sticky residue from your Playstation controllers, it is better to prevent it from forming, to begin with.
Taking a little time and effort to prevent the ingredients to this annoying situation is better than having to take the time at a later date to have to remove it after it forms, and then you have it on your hands as well. Coming from someone who has had it happen, I know its one of the grossest things I have felt when trying to enjoy a game from a previous system.
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How To Open Up Your Ps4 Controller
You Might Not Need To Desolder Everything
The Alps Alpine branded analog sticks used in DualShock 4 wireless controllers can be split into three discrete components for the context of this repair: the main housing and two potentiometers. The former contains a spring-loaded joystick constrained along a two-axis gimbal mechanism.
The loss of spring tension in this gimbal assembly is one of the two primary contributors of controller drift. The joystick will not return to the center position as the springs deteriorate over time. This can be verified by checking for play in the mechanism.
Excessive play allows the joystick to be moved more than a few degrees off-axis before you can feel return pressure from the springs. Controller drift occurs when this axial play increases beyond the preset dead-zone threshold of the sensors.
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These sensors, or potentiometers to be precise, bring us to the remaining two physically distinct pieces of the analog stick assembly. Moving the joysticks rotates the two potentiometers, which record joystick movement along the X and Y axes. These components are the culprits in an overwhelming majority cases of controller drift.
Potentiometers translate rotational motion into voltage signals by sliding one electrically conductive piece of metal across another one. This high-friction affair eventually wears out these sensors until they output faulty signals, which manifest as controller drift.
Whats the point of this engineering lecture?
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Limit Eating While Gaming
A lot of gamers tend to snack while gaming instead of stopping for a break, and when you are getting close to solving a puzzle or beat a level, it can be hard to just hit pause to eat. Unfortunately, many of our snack foods can contribute to a greasy, grimy controller. This, in turn, will lead to the sticky residue if it sits too long.
Take a few minutes away from playing games to properly have a meal or even just sit and a snack where you can talk face to face with someone. I know it can be hard when you are really into a game to get away from it, it can help make good use of any socialization that you do get and protect your gaming gear in the process.
Some snacks contain a greasy type of dust, like cheetos or different types of potato chips. By not taking the time to wash your hands after eating, you can transfer this greasy dust to your controllers as well.
Why Is My Ps4 Controller Not Working
You’re all set to play your PS4⢠when suddenly you discover your controller won’t work. But what’s wrong with it? Much like other PlayStation® issues that stop your game before it starts, such as overheating, software crashes, or controller drift, it’s annoying when you can’t figure out or solve the problem.
Here at Asurion, when tech breaks, we fix itâwhether it’s speeding up your iPhone® or Android⢠or fixing a TV with no sound. Here’s a guide from our tech experts to fixing your PS4 controller.
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Carefully Pry Off The Potentiometers
Flip over the PCB to pry the potentiometer from the main analog stick housing. The module should come off easily. Dont attempt to force it out if its stuck, because that can lift a pad. A tiny sliver of solder might be holding back one of the leads. Heating the offending pad with the soldering iron should release it.
Repeat this procedure for another potentiometer. Skip to Step 13 if you only need to replace the potentiometers.
How To Clean The Ports And Speaker Grills
A dirty charging port could prevent the charger from making proper contact and charging your controller. However, controller ports are sensitive, so its a good idea not to stick anything into them too deep. If you do, you could bend or break the pins inside.
Dip the Q-tip in rubbing alcohol, and then use it to clean the entrance of any ports. Again, take care not to force it too deep.
Repeat this process on any speaker grills or other smaller areas you might have missed.
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Fix #: Clean Edges Of Button With Wd
If the aforementioned method does not work, then we suggest cleaning the button.
We do not recommend opening the DualSense as it is a rather complicated process. Not to mention that you can easily break the PS5 gamepad if you arent careful when disassembling and reassembling.
Instead, we recommend cleaning the edges of the button.
One of the methods is to use the WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner. This product is designed to remove oil, dirt, residue and condensation of electronics. The solution dries quickly and wont leave behind any residue.
If you dont have the cleaning product, then you can purchase one on Amazon with the following link:
To apply the WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner on the mushy or sticky DualSense button, you need to do the following:
1. First off, you need to make sure that the DualSense is completely turned off. You can tell that the PlayStation 5 controller is powered off where there are no lights coming out of it.
2. Using the smart straw of the WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner, spray along the edges of the mushy or sticky button. When applying, make sure you dont press the PS button as doing so will power the controller on.
3. After spraying all around the edges of the problematic button, wait a few minutes to make sure that the WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner solution has completely dried.
How To Fix Sticky Buttons Ps4
When your Ps4 buttons are sticky and hard to push, it can be a real pain. This blog post is going to show you how to fix sticky buttons ps4. The solution will be simple and easy, and Ill even provide the steps for it.
This has been an issue that many people have had, but they dont know what to do about it because of the lack of information out there on it. Unfortunately, there are no videos or posts that actually help in this case, so hopefully, my blog will fill in some gaps for those who need help with their controllers!
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How To Fix 5 Common Ps4 Controller Issues
PS4 gamers know all too well how a bad controller can ruin their day, but you don’t have to put your gaming on hold or go out and buy one of the best PS4 controllers when yours is on the fritz. Here are some common issues you may run into with your DualShock controller, as well as suggestions on how you can fix them.
What To Do When Your Ps4 Controller Doesn’t Charge
Test your USB cable on another device to confirm that it’s working.
Plug your USB cable into the DualShock and give it an inspection with the lightest touch.
When you remove the cable from your DualShock controller, give it a good inspection. Use the flashlight on your phone and shine it into the charging port. If the metal inside looks bent or warped, you can either attempt to bend it back into shape yourself, call upon a professional to do it for you, or replace the entire controller. We do not recommend attempting to bend the metal back into place yourself, as it might break the warranty of your device.
Regardless of whether or not the metal inside of your charging port looks OK, it might be dirty. If you are noticing a bit of dust or grime buildup, follow these next steps.
Do your best to knock all of the dust out of the DualShock, and don’t just knock it loose.
Grab a toothpick or a different type of thin needle.
Wrap a very slightly damp paper towel around the toothpick. You only need a very small amount. Less than a 1-inch square should do you just fine.
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Clean The Flux Residue Off The Pcb
Although flux makes soldering easy, it also creates a sticky mess that promotes corrosion by trapping dust and moisture over time. In an increasing order of effectiveness, high-purity IPA, acetone, or specialized flux removers are best suited for the job.
IPA and acetone are more effective if you use a blow dryer to heat up the PCB.
Avoid spreading the flux everywhere on the PCB. Instead, place cleanroom wipes on the residue and dab it up with your flux cleaner of choice. You want the cloth to soak up the flux instead of smearing it around.
Clean both sides of the PCB.
Dealing With The Details
After a general sweep of the controller, its time to deal with the dirty details. For this process, youll want to ditch the water and be sure to have isopropyl alcohol, cotton swabs, and toothpicks handy. Unlike water, isopropyl alcohol isnt electrically conductive, so if a little slips into the guts of your controller, youre fine.
Starting with the cotton swab, soak it in isopropyl alcohol to fully saturate the tip. Then, work your way around the controller, be sure to wipe off the face buttons and under section of the thumbsticks. Once finished, leave the controller to dry naturally. Alcohol evaporates quickly, and you dont want to leave lint on a controller you just cleaned.
Before ditching your cotton swabs, soak a new one in alcohol and use it to clean the micro USB, headphone, and EXT ports on the controller. Youll want to be very gentle here, as pressing down too hard will leave some cotton lodged in the port.
After everything is dry, use dry toothpicks to shallowly dig around the creases of the controller. That includes getting around the touchpad, cleaning between the triggers, and picking around where the controller body meets. You can also pick around the speaker grille on the front, but be careful not to bury any crumbs stuck inside further.
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How To Store Long Term
You also want to make sure that you store them properly rather than just letting them set in a box in your room. It may seem like a waste of effort, but storing your controllers in plastic bags, even zipper-lock bags, can help to prevent the dust and dirt that contributes to the sticky residue from accumulating on your controllers as well.
Dont just throw everything into a box, either. Make sure that everything is properly wrapped and stored to ensure the longevity of your Playstation, from the delicate wires, to preventing the sticky residue on your controllers each piece needs to be considered during storage.
What To Do When Your Ps4 Controller Doesn’t Connect
First, try plugging your DualShock 4 into the PS4 using your USB cable.
If your DualShock still isn’t connecting to your PS4, try these steps instead.
If neither of those options works, you’ll need to reset your controller entirely.
Look on the rear of the controller for a tiny hole located next to the L2 button.
Connect your DualShock 4 controller to a USB cable that is connected to your PlayStation 4.
Sometimes, during the PS4 controller troubleshooting process, it just fails to sync with the console. It’s worth noting that the PS4 uses a standard Bluetooth connection, so if you use your controller with multiple devices such as your PC, smartphone, or tablet you’ll want to make sure it’s not connected to anything else while you’re trying to connect it to your PS4.
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