How to Take Apart a PS4 Controller for Repairs

I took apart a PS4 controller to fix my stick drift. It was a very fun process that taught me a lot about the controller. I forgot to take a picture of the controller all together, but it was very straightforward toward the end.

Small Precision Screwdriver

Soldering Iron

Flathead Screwdriver

The four screws are very small and easy to lose, so try your best to put them in a container where they won't get lost, like a glass, water bottle, or small bag. The controller won't come apart easily, so I used a little bit of force. I tried to pull it apart, and it will sound like it's breaking, that's normal.

The top and bottom are actually glued together inside, so we don't try and tamper with it ourselves (look at second picture). I used a flathead screwdriver to pull the controller open. I used it by the handles because that is where there is little to no electronics, so it is very safe to open it there.

After a little bit of work, it opens up, it won't separate completely because there is a small white cord connecting the 2 sides. (3rd photo) That cord is responsible for turning on the light of the controller. The side of the controller with the green motherboard is where you want to disconnect the white cord. Disconnecting and reconnecting the cord is very easy, just don't rush it and it will reconnect. When you disconnect the white cord, both sides are 100% separated.

When you separate both sides, we will focus on the side with the battery and all the electronics. Taking off the battery is easy; it simply pulls out of that small, black, pocket it is in. After that, I unscrewed the screw in the motherboard. I thought this was going to be all I needed to do in order to take out the motherboard. This is where the soldering iron is required.

There are 4 wires soldered onto the board, 1 black and 1 red wire on each side. These are responsible for activating the "rumble" effect on your controllers. I just pulled them off, it was incredibly easy, no damage done to the board or the wires themselves. After you detach the wires, then the Motherboard is able to be separated from the controller.

The joy cons are connected to the motherboard, so when you see them coming off the controller when you take off the motherboard, don't be as shocked as I was. I was able to take out the motherboard and I tried to just clean the joy cons with a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol. It normally does the trick with my N64 controllers.

THIS IS THE LAST STEP IF YOU ONLY WANTED TO REACH THE JOY CONS! JUMP TO STEP 4 FOR RECONSTRUCTION!

I was incredibly invested with the inside of my controller at this point. So, I kept taking off different parts. Be warned, the small orange cord thing is an annoying thing to put back, so if you keep deconstructing it can be put back, but it may drive you a LITTLE insane :).

There is a different type of electricity board under the motherboard. I assume it is responsible for sending the signals from pressing the controller's buttons, to the motherboard. I took of the plastic part of the controller, not messing with the blue and grey circuit board. I loved how it has different wires for each button. I was amazed by everything. Under this plastic part, is the topside of the controller, with the buttons. If you would like to remove the buttons to see them and the way they look, it is really easy to do. I would do this in a clear environment because a couple of these buttons are really easy to misplace.

Before I took out the buttons though, I wanted to look at the piece that has the orange stripe. I took it out of the controller and realized it is the touchpad. So, I REALLY wanted to see the computer chip/circuit board running it. It was easy to take off, I saw the computer running it and noticed it doesn't look like anything I've seen before. I wonder how many types of circuit boards/motherboards there are in electronics.

Now, onto the buttons. I first wanted to look at the △,□,◯,X, buttons. I was intrigued to see the back of these buttons have little designs. I never thought there would be different backs to these buttons, but then again, I never really thought about it before seeing them. The L1,L2 and R1,R2 buttons don't have anything special about them and they are a little tricky to put back, so as much as I advocate for learning new things, they aren't as important and I would leave them alone. The little rubber pieces on the back of the circular buttons and D-pad, make sure when you put them back, they have the metal part facing away from the buttons. Also, when putting them back, make sure the little plastic pegs on the controller lock them in. You will see it when putting them back and probably noticed when pulling them off.

At this point, I learned as much as I could and I started my reconstruction process. Now, if you followed me down this long journey, this is where the warning comes in. With putting everything back, there is a little slot for that orange stripe to follow through and it is a pain in the butt to keep it there, it will always try and slip out. put the plastic part with the blue circuits back on the way you took it off. Make sure it is on correctly.

After that, I fed through that annoying orange stripe and then put on the motherboard. This is where the strip annoyed me, I had to make sure it doesn't slide away while also screwing in the motherboard. if you have another pair of hands, that would be great, but it is possible to get it done solo. After all that, I insert the orange stripe where it is supposed to go on the motherboard and I soldered on those wires. If you want to know which ones attach where, I have a picture of where they were before I detached them, on Step 2. Next, attach the white stripe, that is responsible for lighting up the controller, where it goes. Then, align the controller so that it looks like it is intact, then screw in the 4 screws.

Congratulations, you now know what the inside of a Playstation 4 controller looks like and how it works. Thank you!