PS4 & PS5 Controller Light Colors Meaning
July 31, 2023The PS4 controller known as the DualShock 4 and PS5 controller known as the DualSense, both has a light bar that can glow in different colors.
PS5 Controller Light Bar Meaning
The PS5 DualSense controller features LED lights on the front that indicate the player number and provide other visual feedback. Here is the meaning of the PS5 controller light bar:
DualSense Controller Light Bar Colors
The DualSense controller has seven lights on it, including two side lights on the light bar. The colors of these lights indicate different statuses of the controller, such as its connection to the PS5 and its battery level. Here’s what each color means:
1. Blue: This color means you’re player 1. If you see a blue light circulating all across the controller, it means you’re the main player. This is usually the case when you’re playing alone or you’re the one who turned on the PS5.
2. Red: The red light means you’re player 2. If you’re playing a multiplayer game, the controller with the blue light is for player 1, and the one with the red light is for player 2.
3. Green: If there’s a green light on your controller, it means you’re player 3. This is useful when there are more than two players.
4. Purple: The purple light indicates that you’re player 4. So, if you’re playing with three other friends, the one with the purple light is the fourth player.
5. Orange: If your controller switches from the player color (blue if you’re player one) to orange, it means you need to charge your controller. If your DualSense is pulsating with an orange light, it means one of two things: your PlayStation 5 is preparing to enter sleep mode, or your DualSense controller is charging.
6. Pulsating White: You’ll see the pulsating white light on the PS5 controller when you connect it to power and it’s actively charging. When the charging process is complete, the orange LED will stop pulsating and simply turn off.
7. Faint Red: If your controller is connected to anything other than the PS5, you will see a faint red color. This is the default color scheme that your DualSense has when it’s connected to a Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device.
Table of PS5 and DualSense Light Colors and Their Meanings
| Device | Light Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| DualSense | Blue with One Light | Player one’s controller connected |
| DualSense | Red with Two Lights | Player two’s controller connected |
| DualSense | Green with Three Lights | Player three’s controller connected |
| DualSense | Purple with Four Lights | Player four’s controller connected |
| DualSense | Orange | Needs charging or PS5 is entering sleep mode |
| DualSense | Pulsating White | Actively charging |
| DualSense | Faint Red | Connected to a non-PS5 device |
PS4 Controller Light Bar Meaning
The light bar on the DualShock 4 controller serves multiple purposes. It not only adds a visual flair but also conveys crucial information during gameplay. For instance, when you play as the first player, the light bar emits a distinctive blue glow, while the second player is represented by a red light. Many games also utilize the light bar to provide in-game feedback, such as health status or character-specific cues.
The PS4 controller light bar has three different settings that you can adjust within the PS4 settings: Standard, Bright, and Dim. The standard setting is the default one, but you can also set it to bright or dim. However, it’s recommended to keep it on the dim setting to save battery life. The bright setting can drain the battery faster.
Important Note: Keep your PS4 controller light bar on the dim setting to prolong battery life while still enjoying the lighting effects.
Player Identification Through Light Colors
The light bar on the PS4 controller also serves to identify different players. The color of your light bar changes depending on the order in which you log in to your users.
- Blue: Indicates that the controller is Player 1.
- Red: Indicates that the controller is Player 2.
- Green: Indicates that the controller is Player 3.
- Pink: Indicates that the controller is Player 4.
These colors are assigned based on the order in which each player presses the PlayStation button and connects to the PlayStation. The first player to connect will be blue, the second will be red, the third will be green, and the fourth will be pink.
How To Change The Color Of The PS4 & PS5 Controller Light
PS4 & PS 5 does not provide an option to manually change these colors. if you want to change your DualShock 4 PS4 controller or PS5 DualSense you must change your login order.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to change the color of your PS4 controller light bar:
- Hold down the PlayStation button on your controller. This will open a menu on your screen.
- In the menu, go down to ‘Power’.
- Under ‘Power’, go to ‘Switch User’.
- You will need four users on your PS4 to change the light bar color. If you don’t have enough users, create a new user by selecting ‘New User’ and following the prompts.
- Once you have four users, you can switch between them to change the color of your light bar.
Note: You don’t need a PlayStation membership to create a new user. Just pick a random avatar and go through the process. It doesn’t matter what its name is.
Color Options
The color of your light bar changes depending on the order in which you log into your users. Here’s a table to help you understand:
| Login Order | Light Bar Color |
|---|---|
| First | Blue |
| Second | Red |
| Third | Green |
| Fourth | Pink |
For example, if you want your light bar to be green, you would need to log into two other users first, and then log into your main account. If you want pink, you would need to log into three other users first, and then log into your main account.Important: The color change is not permanent. If you log out and log back in, the light bar will revert back to its default color (blue).
A Cool Trick to Remember the Colors
If you’re worried about forgetting which color corresponds to which player number, don’t worry! There’s a super easy way to remember. The colors on the light bar are the same as the colors of the face buttons on your controller.
Here’s how it works:
- The blue color on the light bar matches the Cross button.
- The red color matches the Circle button.
- The green color matches the Triangle button.
- The pink color matches the Square button.
Just start from the Triangle button and go counterclockwise: Player 1, Player 2, Player 3, and Player 4. Easy peasy!
Important Note: Remember, the order of the colors starts from the Triangle button and goes counterclockwise. Don’t forget!
Note: These colors are the default settings. However, some games may have their own color coordination set.
Light Colors in Different Games
Different games may use the PS4/PS5 controller light bar colors in unique ways. For instance, in Fortnite, one of the more popular games, the colors used to identify players are purple, blue, pink, and yellow. These colors help players identify who is who, especially with the new split-screen feature.
Here are some examples of how different games use the PS4 controller light bar colors:
- Tomb Raider: When Lara Croft picks up a torch, the controller starts flickering yellow and orange.
- Destiny: The game uses a multitude of colors for different purposes, such as indicating low health, a flashlight, or when your super attack is fully charged.
- Grand Theft Auto 5: The controller starts flickering red and blue to indicate that the police are on your tail.
- Killzone: Green and red colors are used to indicate your health status. Green means full health, while red indicates low health.
- Borderlands: Non-elemental: Blue, Incendiary: Orange, Shock: Lighter Blue, Corrosive: Green, Cryo: White, Slag: Purple, Radiation: Yellow.
- In the NASCAR Heat games the color bar indicates what flag is displayed:Yellow: Yellow Flag, Green: Green Flag, Red: Red flag.
- The color in Spyro Reignited Trilogy can change based on your health level or Sparx’s color: Full health – Yellow, 3 Health – Blue, 2 Health – Green, 1 Health – Red (No Sparx’s)
Fun Fact: Game developers creatively use the PS4 /PS5 controller light bar colors to enhance the gaming experience.
Light Colors When Charged & Connected
- White: Indicates that the controller is connected to the PS4 console.
- Yellow: Indicates that the controller battery is low and needs to be charged
Conclusion
The PS4 controller light bar colors are more than just decorative. They serve practical purposes, from indicating battery life and player identification to enhancing the gaming experience in different games.
Your PS4/PS5 console also have light indicator. Each light color on your PS console has different meaning and can be use to indentify any error on your PS4 or PS5.
