GAMERS should check their DualSense controllers – you might be making a common mistake.
Thankfully it’s easy to fix once you spot it.
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Sony built a clever feature into its DualSense controller for the PS5: a microphone.
It means you can chat to pals without the need for a headset (although it’s not exactly recommended).
There’s also a Voice Command feature that works a little bit like Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri, which you can use if that setting is turned on.
But there are two big downsides to the microphone that you may not have noticed.
The first is that when the LED light bar below the PS button is switched off, it actually means the microphone is on.
This means you might not realize that you’ve had a microphone switched on for a while.
This can be annoying if you’re having private conversations in real life and you join an online multiplayer lobby in a video game.
The second problem is that if your microphone on the DualSense controller is switched on, the joypad becomes “dulled”.
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Your PlayStation will reduce the intensity of DualSense features so that it doesn’t ruin the quality of the microphone.
That includes the Adaptive Triggers and the haptic vibration feedback.
Thankfully it’s extremely easy to mute the microphone: just press the LED bar beneath the PS button.
If it’s worked, the light bar will turn a bright orange color.
Just make sure that you only press the button rather than holding it down.
If you press it for a few seconds, the button will mute your entire system – shutting off the PS5’s sound altogether.
It’s a handy hack to know, but don’t do it accidentally.
For greater control over your microphone, consider going into the settings.
This will let you choose the default microphone device for your console.
Just go to Settings > Sound > Microphone.
It’s also possible to change it so that your microphone is automatically muted when you log in.
You can reverse these settings at any time.
