title: “How To Update Xbox One Controller Firmware” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-03” author: “Jason Treadway”
You can update Xbox One controller firmware with an Xbox One or a Windows 10 PC, and you can do it through a wireless connection or with a micro USB cable. The process doesn’t take very long, and it can take care of a lot of annoying problems like dropped connections.
How to Update an Xbox One Controller Wirelessly
Xbox One controllers are designed to connect to the Xbox One console through a wireless connection, and most of them are capable of receiving updates wirelessly as well. Some older Xbox One controllers can only be updated over a wired USB connection.
If you aren’t sure which type of controller you have, check the part of the controller that points toward you when you’re holding it.
If you see a small circular jack that’s designed for use with a headset or headphones, you can update your controller wirelessly. If you don’t see this jack, then you have an older controller that needs to be updated through a wired USB connection.
Here’s how to update an Xbox One controller wirelessly:
Turn on your Xbox One, and sign in to Xbox Network. If you have a stereo headset adapter for your Xbox one controller, plug it in at this time so that it will also receive any available updates. You also need to have a headset plugged into the adapter for it to turn on and receive updates. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Navigate to System > Settings. Navigate to Kinect & devices > Devices & accessories. Select . . . (three dots) to access more options. Select the box that says Firmware version, followed by a version number. If this box says no update available, your controller is up to date already. Select Update now. Make sure you have fully charged batteries in your controller. If your batteries are low, either replace them or connect the controller via USB before proceeding. Wait for the update process to finish. Select Close. Your controller is now done updating.
How to Update an Xbox One Controller With USB
In some cases, you may find that your Xbox One controller fails to update via the normal wireless connection. When this happens, you can perform the update by connecting your controller to your Xbox One with a micro USB cable.
This process is exactly the same as updating your controller over a wireless connection, but it’s designed to initiate automatically when you connect a controller that’s in need of an update with a USB cable.
If the process doesn’t initiate automatically, you can proceed with a manual update, which works the same as the wireless updating process that was outlined in the previous section.
Here’s how updating an Xbox One controller through a USB connection works:
Turn your Xbox One on, and sign in to Xbox Network. If you have a stereo headset adapter, plug it into the controller. Connect your controller to your Xbox One with a micro USB cable. If the update starts automatically, follow the on-screen prompts to complete the process. If it doesn’t start automatically, you will need to get it started manually using the same basic process that’s used to update a wireless controller. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Navigate to System > Settings. Navigate to Kinect & devices > Devices & accessories. Select . . . (three dots) to access more options. Select the Firmware version box. Select Update now. Wait for the update to complete. Do not unplug the USB cable during this process. Select Close. Your controller is done updating.
How to Update an Xbox One Controller With a Windows 10 PC
The Xbox One controller is designed to work with Windows 10, which means you can connect your controller to any Windows 10 computer with a USB cable, Bluetooth, or the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows.
Due to the Xbox One controller being designed for use with Windows 10 in addition to the Xbox One, these controllers can also be updated using any Windows 10 computer.
Here’s how to update an Xbox One controller using your Windows 10 computer:
Download and install the Xbox Accessories app from Microsoft. Launch the Xbox Accessories app. Connect your Xbox One controller to your computer using a USB cable. If you have the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows, you can connect using that. However, using a USB cable is less prone to failure and other issues. If your controller requires a mandatory update, you will see a message to that effect as soon as you connect it. If you don’t see an automatic message, click . . . (three dots) to access more options. Click the box that says Firmware version followed by a number. If this box says No update available, your controller is already up to date. Click Continue. Wait for the process to complete. Do not disconnect the USB cable during this process. Click Close. Your controller is now updated.
How to Update Your Xbox One Console
Before you can update your Xbox One controller, you Xbox One console may need to be updated. Most Xbox One consoles are set to update automatically, but if yours isn’t, or an issue like an internet or power outage interrupted an update, you’ll have to do it manually.
Here’s how to update your Xbox One console manually:
Turn on your Xbox One, and make sure it’s connected to the internet. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide. Navigate to System > Settings. Navigate to System > Updates & downloads. Select Update available. If you see No update available, then your console is already up to date. Wait for your console to finish updating. Once your console has finished updating, you can try updating your controller again.
