Geared up to game but your PS4 won’t turn on? Before you assume the worst, try a little troubleshooting!
So, it could be your hardware or software that’s gone critical – and you might need a repair shop or even a new PS4.
On the other hand, it could be a really simple problem. Fingers crossed!
Let’s see if this troubleshooting guide is all you need to get back to gaming.
Why Your PS4 Won’t Turn On
There are three basic reasons for a PS4 not turning on, and knowing which one applies to you is the first step. It could be your:
- Power source: Inconvenient though this might be, it’s the easiest problem to fix and the first possibility to eliminate before you move on to other possible reasons for the failure.
- Hard drive: Unfortunately, hard drive failure is a very common reason for a PS4 not turning on. You may need a new hard drive.
- Software: Software glitches can sometimes be quite easy to resolve. It’s an outside chance, but we’ll look at how to troubleshoot this too.
Let’s get started.
Fixes For PS4 That Won’t Turn On Issue
1. Troubleshoot Power Supply Issues: PS4
Begin with basics. Is your PS4 plugged in properly? Is the power outlet switched on?
Check the Power Outlet
Yes, we know this sounds almost too simple – but you won’t believe how many times electricians get called out because devices aren’t working, only to find that the power supply is switched off or plugs aren’t making contact.
If this all checks out, try plugging your PS4 into another power outlet – or, if you’re using a power strip, go directly to the outlet instead.
Theoretically, using a power strip should be fine – but the power strip itself can be faulty.
And, of course, so can the main outlet. You can double-check this by plugging in another device and seeing if it powers up.
Check the Power Cord
Is your PS4 still dead? Now that you’ve eliminated the power source, it’s time to look at the cable. Try unplugging it from the PS4 and then plugging it in again. If it wasn’t making proper contact, that might fix your problem.
Next, check the cable for signs of damage – but be aware that you might not see external signs of damage. So, just checking isn’t conclusive, but it could point you in the right direction.
Finally, try another cable. If you have older PlayStations, it’s safe to use their power supply cords with your PS4.
Power Supply Issues: Note
You’ll find that a lot of users say that a quick unplug and plug in gets their PS4 working. But if this is a repeated problem, you might want to try another cable.
If it still cuts out, get your PS4 to a repair shop. If there’s a short somewhere, it could spell the end for your PS4.
2. While You’re Checking Cables: Don’t Forget the HDMI Cable
If the lights on your PS4 look normal but you aren’t getting any display, then your PS4 may be turning on just fine – but can’t “talk” to the screen. Check the cable and its connections – or try another cable.
If your screen has more than one HDMI port, try switching ports. You can also confirm by trying the HDMI cable (or a suspect port) on another device, for example, a DVD player.
3. Try Forcing a Reboot
This might sound counterintuitive – after all, your PS4 won’t turn on! However, if the power supply is fine and the real problem is a software glitch, there’s an outside chance that forcing a reboot will work.
You can begin by unplugging your PS4, leaving it for 30 seconds, and then plugging it back in to see if anything happens. Failing that, try unplugging it for longer – say 20 to 30 minutes – and then give it a try.
In most instances, you will see a flashing power light on with this type of problem. If you do, hold in the power button until the light stops flashing. This resets your PS4 and might even solve the problem on its own.
4. Any Port in a Storm: Try Inserting a Game Disc
If you’ve got this far with troubleshooting your PS4, things might be getting complicated – but before you go further, do try inserting a game disc.
Rarely, we’ve heard of this simple step actually working, and it doesn’t take long to do.
5. Overheating? Clean it Up
Although this might sound like another desperate measure, just getting rid of dust can be the only solution you need to get your PS4 going again.
Since it costs you nothing, it’s worth trying – and if you browse forums, you’ll find that plenty of users have successfully got their PS4s up and working after a straightforward cleanup.
If your PS4 was working, suddenly turned itself off, and won’t start again, this fix is actually a very likely solution. Dust causes the system to overheat, and the device turns off to protect itself.
And dust isn’t the only culprit: insects love the warm environment, and you may even have some critters living in your PS4!
Other reasons for overheating include a broken cooling fan or too much clutter around the vents.
6. Troubleshoot in Safe Mode
In this case, you’re suspecting a software glitch. The hardware seems OK and you’re able to start your PS4 in Safe Mode.
By this time, you’re nearing the end of your troubleshooting journey. And yes, you can lose data when selecting certain Safe Mode options – so begin by backing up data.
In Safe Mode, you can begin with “Restart System” on the off-chance that this is all you’ll need to do.
You can also check for system software updates. If you see updates still pending, see whether installing them does the trick.
Moving to more drastic options, you can select “Rebuild Database.” This should only discard corrupt memory files, leaving most of your data intact.
However, if you haven’t been doing this as a housekeeping routine, you may find that you lose large chunks of it.
“Restore Default Settings” is a factory reset. You will lose all your data and will need your backup files if you hope to pick up where you left off gaming.
We don’t generally see reports of this fix working for this particular issue, but if all else has failed, it could be worth a try – provided you have your data backed up.
7. PS4 Won’t Turn On: Is It Your Hard Drive?
Got this far without getting your PS4 to turn on? There’s a reasonably good chance that your hard drive is faulty.
If it is, you may have noticed symptoms of a failing hard drive like crashing, error messages, “missing” data, repeated rebuilds, and lag. If you aren’t sure, you can try connecting your hard drive to your PC and doing a health check there.
However, having come this far, the repair shop will likely be your next port of call. Yes, it’s possible to replace a PS4 hard drive yourself, but we don’t really recommend it.
Even if you don’t make any mistakes when doing this, you might still end up paying for a hard drive only to find that your PS4 is still broken. Hand it over to the professionals and keep your fingers crossed.
Summing it Up: Most Common Fixes
Top of the list for a PS4 not turning on is the power supply or power supply cable. A lot of users find that they need to unplug and plug back in.
Switching to a different power cable is a close second as a possible fix. After that, things get rather more complicated but still worth troubleshooting.
Here’s hoping that our advice helped to get you gaming again. If not, how soon you’ll be able to play depends on your local repair shop. Wishing you luck!
