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Have you ever walked into your room and noticed that your PlayStation was on and you don’t remember turning it on? Maybe you even thought that you just forgot to turn it off and went with it.
Has that happened more than once and now you are sure that your PlayStation is randomly turning itself on? Well, in this article we will answer all of your questions about the PlayStation turning on by itself and why this might happen with your PS4 or PS5.
So why does a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 turn on by itself?
When your Playstation (PS4 or PS5) turns on by itself it is normally the result of a software glitch, hardware glitch, or an issue with your controller having some gunk on it. Since you can turn on your Playstation with a connected controller that is most often the reason that it turns on randomly.
Often we will use our consoles while eating and drinking and the excess food or drinks that we have on our hands will eventually rub off on the Playstation controllers. What this can lead to is a build-up of “gunk” (yes that’s the official term) on the controller which in turn could press the PS button on your remote causing your console to turn on.
If you don’t have any paired controllers or you know your controllers are as clean as possible then the issue could be the software on your Playstation, the software with your controller (telling the console to turn on even when the button isn’t pushed), or a hardware issue (the power button on the console itself could be failing).
The best way to know which issue you are experiencing is to turn off all of your controllers and remove the battery packs or drain them entirely. If the issue persists then you know it is either a hardware or software problem with the console itself.
If you want to know more about the PlayStation and it turning on by itself and how to fix it, you will want to keep reading. You can also watch this short video that will give you a step-by-step of how to fix this issue once and for all.
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How To Cheaply Fix Your Playstation Turning On By Itself
If you are having this issue, and you want to fix it, the simplest way is to simply unplug your console when it is not in use. You should always disconnect the electrical power connection so that the console does not use any power while you are not using it.
Some people prefer to simply use a smart outlet so they do not have to physically flip any switch. If you do not have a smart outlet, you can get one here for just a few bucks.
Common Reasons Why A PlayStation (PS4/PS5) Turns Itself On
There can be many causes for the PlayStation to turn on by itself. The common one, in this case, is database failure. You can solve this problem using the “reset database” function in the settings.
It may solve the problem if it is the actual problem. Otherwise, there can be some other issues.
The main reason for this auto-starting of the PlayStation is that one of the following items does not work. It could be the power connection, hard disk, safe mode, APU, connectors, wireless internet connection, as well as a hardware or software issue.
These problems can be solved, but each of them requires its own solution.
Power Issues
You can replace the power cable if this issue keeps happening. Try to solve it by using a brand-new cable. You can purchase a brand-new one here.
If you keep your PlayStation plugged in, you will get a continuous power connection. Because of this, you can continue to start your console using the start button of your PlayStation or with your wireless controllers.
There are many times an automatic signal from the remote is sent to the console so that it turns on.
It may feel that it turned on automatically, but it is all the result of the remote. This is how a faulty controller can cause your PlayStation to start. If you need to buy a new remote, you can get one here.
Even if it is not charged, it will still begin to start the console. Because of this, it is recommended to cut the power to the console after you are done playing on the console.
APU Problems
Another reason that your Playstation might turn itself on is a problem with the Accelerated Processing Unit (APU). The APU lies inside the Central Processing Unit (CPU), which is the main central unit. The circuit problem in this can result in the auto-starting of the console.
Wi-Fi connectivity can also be the cause of this auto-starting error. If you use your PlayStation with a wireless router connection, then there is a strong possibility of getting a similar problem.
Sony recommends its gamers use an Ethernet connection instead of wireless. Even though there are these two methods of internet connection available, you should go for a wired cable internet connection over wireless.
The wired ethernet cable is secure and faster than using it wirelessly. If you do not have an ethernet cord, you can get one here for only a few dollars.
Wireless connection fluctuates the internal settings of the console which can result in this kind of problem. If you use a wireless connection for your home or workplace where you keep your PlayStation console, then you should switch to a wired one.
Hardware issues
If none of the above-mentioned solutions work for you, then you can go for the complete hardware checkup. Your console may have an overheating problem which would cause it to shut down and restart again.
If that is the issue, then you can go to get the memory extension hard disks. This will free up space on your console and will allow the hardware issue to be fixed. This is the best external hard drive available.
Checking for updates
Another thing that could be causing your PlayStation to randomly turn on by itself is that it is checking for updates. Since most people keep their PlayStation in sleep mode it will normally check for updates despite being turned “off”.
When your console starts checking for firmware updates it may turn on which if you have it connected to your TV in a certain way could also make your TV turn on by itself as well (since the TV detects the output signal from the PS4/PS5).
One way to check if this is what is causing the issue with your PlayStation is to look at the update folder. If there was an update that was installed when your PlayStation turned itself on you know that is the culprit.
If you want you can turn off automatic updates (whether you don’t have enough free space for the system software update files or you want to prove to yourself that your console isn’t haunted). To turn off automatic updates all you need to do is:
- Go to the home screen and then click on the settings icon on the function screen
- Next select system
- Then select automatic downloads
- Once you are on this screen you can uncheck the boxes that allow the automatic downloads in rest mode.
To ensure no application update files are ever downloaded while your PS4 or PS5 console are in rest mode you will need to go to settings, power save settings, and then set available features in rest mode. uncheck the box for staying connected to the internet and your console will go offline when it is in rest mode.
Other issues that could cause the problem
If you are facing the PlayStation turning on by itself for a long time, then you can try some of the methods by adjusting the settings.
Generally, placing the PlayStation in a vertical direction solves this issue. It is because the internal setting is recalibrated, so it does not affect the internal hardware of your console.
If it is still happening, you can try to get the APU in the CPU checked from the PlayStation stores. Although it is not so common, you can get a check of it from any professional at Best Buy.
There are a few power connection setup methods that need to be considered before taking some significant measures.
The first thing to try is to turn the PlayStation off by holding the power console button. After you hear the second beep your console will be entirely shut down. After this step, you can disconnect the power cords from the power outlet. If you have controllers plugged in using a USB cable or a USB stick attached to your console you should remove those as well.
Next, you will want to clean the PlayStation and remove the dust/dirt particles so that it is in good condition. Once that is done you can plug the console back in.
I know simply power cycling your PlayStation seems like it wouldn’t fix anything but sometimes when the console has been left on or in sleep mode for a long time it can get some glitches. Doing a hard reset like this can work wonders for many different types of electronics including the PS4 and PS5.
You can check for system software updates on the system software of PlayStation. Many times, this issue keeps happening because of internal bugs in the software/firmware.
Rather than getting it repaired from outside in the first place, most of the time you can simply check the system for an update. After updating, check whether this issue comes up again. You must update the system in safe mode.
Many times, updating skips the installation of some crucial files during automatic downloads. This sometimes can result in a problem with files not being updated to the latest version.
Although auto-updates are great they can cause this type of problem if not installed correctly.
The Acceleration Processing Unit (APU) needs to be solved to stop this issue. This unit lies entirely over the motherboard. To fix it, you need to get its circuit checked by the stores or repairers. In case this is the fault, you can get it replaced from the PlayStation Stores or its online marketplaces.
Conclusion
Most of the time the issue is simply a hardware or software issue, and can easily be fixed by unplugging the console and resetting it. You may also be able to fix this issue by simply keeping the console unplugged or the outlet turned off when you are not using the console.
Buying a smart outlet for under $10 is far cheaper than replacing the APU or taking it somewhere to try and fix the issue. The outcome will be the same, and once an update comes out the issue will probably be fixed anyways.
Now that you know the easiest and fastest way to fix the issue, you can go get a smart outlet and never have to worry about your console turning on by itself ever again.