You’ve fired up your new PlayStation 4, but suddenly you see it. There’s shining light on your PS4 controller, and you wonder, “what do the PS4 controller light colors mean?”
In this article, we’ll go into depth about the meanings behind the different colors shown by your controller. We’ll also look at how one color may mean your controller’s not working quite right. In that case, we’ll examine what you can do to get your controller going again.
What Do the PS4 Controller Lights Mean?
Quite often, colors that light up a PS4 controller just help identify each player taking part in your game. For example, your controller isn’t depressed if the color turns blue. It just means it’s player one’s controller. Likewise, player two’s controller turns red, player three is green, and player four is pink.
But if the light bar turns white, then your controller is no longer connected. There’s a simple fix, however, just hit the PS4’s reset button for 15 seconds and you should be good to go again. The light, however, can also change based on the game you’re playing. Let’s break it down further.
Expert Tip: The colors that light up on your PS4 controller have different meanings depending on the number of players involved, the game you are playing, and a few other reasons.
PS4 Controller Blue Light
In the case of the blue light, your PS4 is showing that you are player one. It’s a feature that proves helpful when playing multiplayer games like Fortnite or Back 4 Blood.
However, other games may give your controller’s light bar a workout with other colors. Action-based games can flash the light depending on the situation on-screen, like say during an explosion it may turn red briefly.
PS4 Controller Red Light
Are you ready, player 2? If you do happen to be considered player 2, your PS4 controller will usually be lit red.
Well, that’s the best-case scenario. They’re other reasons your controller may go red on you. For example, if you’re taking damage while playing certain games like Call of Duty, your controller will flash red at times. Or you might notice it when police are hot on your tracks in Grand Theft Auto 5.
So watch out for red because sometimes it can mean you’re about to be dead.
PS4 Controller Green Light
Green means go for player three. The green light will typically shine when player three’s PS4 controller is activated. But you may also see a green light during gameplay in games like Killzone. Sometimes green comes up to show your health status. In other words, green can equal healthy.
PS4 Controller Pink Light
Just like the other colors mentioned here, the color pink is also used to identify a player in multiplayer games. If you see pink it means you’re playing four. However, pink may also light up your controller for other reasons during gameplay.
One example can be found during the game Thumper, which uses pink to identify a certain level you’ve reached.
PS4 Controller White Light
There’s another color that has nothing to do with identifying a PS4 player, but it’s not the greatest of news. If your light bar goes totally white it means your PS4 controller is no longer connected to the console. But hopefully, a simple move will fix the issue.
Just press the PS button for about 15 seconds and wait for the magic. If all goes well the console should restart, the controller should restart as well, and voila. You should be ready to mash those controller buttons again. We hope. But if that doesn’t do the trick you have other options, and we’ll discuss those below.
PS Controller Yellow and Blue
If you thought that was more than enough colors shining from your PS4 controller, well have we got news for you? A couple more might pop up in your gaming adventures. The colors blue and yellow can sometimes be shown during games like Far Cry 4.
In that particular case, they’re used to illustrate your role in the game: light blue for medics, and yellow for support players. Sounds like the United Nations would approve.
How to Troubleshoot Your PS4 Controller?
So let’s say your controller’s light has either turned white, is blinking blue, or isn’t working at all. These are all indicators of an issue with your controllers, such as a wireless connection, battery issues, or other potential problems.
But there are steps you can take to address whatever’s ailing your baby. We mean your PlayStation controller.
Reset time
As we mentioned earlier, if your controller is showing the color white you may need to reset the console to get your controller running again. Many controller issues are linked to the PlayStation itself. However, resetting your console may save the day.
If the controller has enough power to reach the menu you don’t necessarily have to hit the console’s power button. Instead, hit the controller’s PS button and navigate the power option on-screen. Once there, hit “restart PS4”.
But if the controller is completely off, then yes, it’s time to hit the console’s power button. After hearing two beeps, you can release the button. Then turn the console on again after it powers down.
Now, is your controller connecting? If so. the issue was the console, but if not it’s time for another look at the controller.
You also have the option of resetting your controller by hitting the hard reset button. You’ll need something thin and tiny like the head of a paperclip to press the button on the back of the controller. Then prepare to pair it with the USB cord that comes with the PS4 console.
Expert Tip: If your PS4 and controller still aren’t getting long, there’s yet another option, the forget device method. You’ll have to access the PS4 settings to do so, but once accomplished, you can do the pairing process once more.
Conclusion
So many pretty colors, and all from one little device. The PS4 controller has a spectrum of colors it can light up with, many of which are used to identify players. If you’re player one, you’ll be the color blue. Player two is identified with the color red while player three is green, and player four is pink.
The color white comes into play (no pun intended) when your controller is disconnected from the mother ship (a.k.a console). But hopefully, a reset of your PS4 console, which can be done in various ways, will resolve the issue. Happy gaming!