How to clean a PS4: vents, case, fan and controller

Step by step: how to clean a ps4

Safety first. Turn the PS4 off completely (not rest mode) and unplug the power cable from the back before cleaning. Never spray liquid onto or into the console. Opening the case is at your own risk; static and loose screws can damage the board, so ground yourself and keep track of every screw.

1. 1

   Power off and unplug everything

   Hold the power button or use the Power menu to turn the PS4 off, not into rest mode, and wait for the light to go out. Unplug the AC power cable, HDMI and USB cables. Let it cool for 10 minutes if it was just in use.

2. 2

   Move it to a clear table

   Take the console out of its cabinet or off the floor and set it on a table with good light. Dust that falls off should land somewhere you can wipe, not on the TV stand behind it. Note where the vents are on your model (original, Slim or Pro): usually along the back and sides.

3. 3

   Wipe the case

   Wipe the top and sides with a dry microfiber cloth. For fingerprints on glossy panels, use a cloth barely dampened with water and buff dry right away. Do not use household cleaners, which can haze the plastic.

4. 4

   Vacuum and brush the vents

   Run a vacuum on low suction with a brush attachment along every vent, or brush dust out of the slots with a soft, dry brush while holding the vacuum nozzle nearby. You should see gray lint come away from the rear grille. Do not push the nozzle into the slots.

5. 5

   Use short bursts of air if you need to

   For dust you cannot reach, use a dust blower or canned air in short bursts, held upright and a few inches away, blowing dust out of the vents rather than deeper in. Long blasts can spin the fan too fast and canned air can spit cold liquid if you tilt the can.

6. 6

   Clean the ports

   Brush dust out of the USB, HDMI and power ports with a dry soft brush. Look inside with a flashlight for lint or bent pins. Never use metal tools or wet swabs in a port.

7. 7

   Clean the controller

   Wipe the DualShock 4 with a microfiber cloth lightly dampened with 70% isopropyl alcohol, then dry it. Use a cotton swab with a little alcohol around the buttons, sticks and touchpad edge, and a dry toothpick for grime in the seams. Never soak the controller or drip liquid into the buttons.

8. 8

   Set it back up with room to breathe

   Put the console on a hard, flat surface with open space around every vent, plug it back in and start a game. If the fan is still loud within a few minutes of light play, the dust is inside, and the next section explains your options.

Should you open your PS4 to clean the fan?

Open it only if the outside cleaning did not help and you are comfortable with small screws and ribbon cables. A PS4 that sounds like a jet engine after a few minutes, or shuts itself off from heat, usually has a clogged fan and heatsink inside, and vacuuming the vents will not reach that dust.

The PS4 user’s guide says a blinking red power indicator means the system is overheating: turn it off and wait before you use it again. Sony’s safety guide also says there are no user-serviceable parts inside and not to take the console apart, so opening the case is at your own risk.

iFixit’s guide to opening and cleaning a PS4 describes the job: stickers on the back hide the case screws, the case is held with TR8 Torx security screws, and on that model you remove the power supply to reach the fan. You then pick hair and dust clumps off the fan with tweezers, hold the blades still with a finger while you blow them clean, and brush and blow out the heatsink fins. iFixit estimates 30 minutes to an hour.

• Unplug the console and touch a grounded metal object before you start, to discharge static.
• Photograph each step and keep screws in labeled cups; they are different lengths.
• Disconnect cables by their plastic connectors, never by pulling the wires.
• If your console is still under warranty, contact PlayStation Support before opening it.

On older consoles, iFixit notes the thermal paste may eventually need replacing to bring temperatures down. If you would rather not open it, a local electronics repair shop can clean the inside for you.

How to keep a PS4 from getting dusty and loud

Give it airflow and keep it off the floor. The PS4 safety guide from Sony says not to block any vents, to place the console at least 10 cm (about 4 inches) from a wall, to keep it off carpets or rugs with long fibers and out of narrow or cramped spaces, not to cover it with cloth, and not to let dust build up on the vents. It also warns against using it in a closed cabinet where heat can build up.

• Keep the console on a shelf, not on carpet. iFixit points out that a console on the ground pulls in more dust, dirt and pet hair.
• If it sits in a TV cabinet, open the door while you play or move it out into open air.
• Dust the TV stand weekly so less lint is waiting to be pulled in.
• Homes with pets or smokers may need vent cleaning every month.

What not to use on a PS4

Skip anything wet, abrasive or high powered. The console has open vents and exposed ports, so liquid and force are the two things that damage it.

• No sprays onto the console, and no household cleaners or wipes that are dripping wet.
• No shop vac on full power pressed against the vents; strong suction and static can harm the fan.
• No canned air held upside down or blasted for long stretches.
• No paper towels on the glossy panels, which scratch easily.

If you also have a newer console, see how to clean a PS5, which has removable covers that make dust easier to reach.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cleaning the console in rest mode instead of fully off and unplugged.
• Blowing canned air into the vents so dust goes deeper toward the fan.
• Leaving the PS4 on carpet or in a closed cabinet right after cleaning it.
• Spraying cleaner directly on the controller, so it seeps under the buttons.
• Pulling the power supply cable by its wires when the case is open.