Like any electronic device that has an active cooling system (fans), the consoles end up absorbing dust inside and there comes a time when they make a lot of noise , or even have overheating problems. In this tutorial we are going to teach you how to clean an Xbox One (or Xbox One S) inside safely so that it does not make as much noise and, at the same time, prolong its useful life.
Before you start, you should bear in mind that to be able to clean the inside of your Xbox One, you must open it and, therefore, the warranty will be voided . Therefore, we recommend that you only do so if the console is over two years old and therefore is not under warranty and, in any case, that you carry out this procedure at your own risk, since there is always the possibility that something go wrong and the console breaks down.
Necessary materials
The process is quite simple and it will only take you a few minutes if you have a little skill and the necessary tools previously prepared, so let’s see what you will need:
- Microfiber cloth.
- A can of compressed air is recommended.
- A large flathead screwdriver , or a hard plastic tool with a flat face.
- A medium Philips ( Phillips) screwdriver .
- A Torx T9 screwdriver .
We recommend the essential iFixit Toolkit for this task, since except for the micro fiber cloth it has everything you need to open the console (and of course you can get more use for any other type of task with electronics).
How to clean an Xbox One or Xbox One S inside
The first step is how it is logical to turn off the console and disconnect all cables. It is recommended that you have previously removed any DVD you had inside to avoid possible problems. It is recommended to work with the console on a smooth surface (such as a table) to make everything easier (by this we mean that you do not put yourself on the sofa with the console above your knees).
With that done, the first step is to remove the bottom cover of the console, and this is the most complicated step because Microsoft has designed a “safety clip” type closure here. The ideal is to start working from the short side adjacent to the power connector, and from there press the clips with a flat screwdriver while lifting the cover with another (or using the iFixit kit tool).
One of these security clips is under a sticker, which you will have to break to access it. This is a warranty sticker and if you break it you will be voiding the warranty of the console, which is why at the beginning we indicated that doing this process voids the warranty of the console.
Once the lower cover of the console is removed you will see a metal piece that covers the entire surface, with a good number of screws. You must remove all the green painted screws with the screwdrivers, which will allow us to remove all the interior hardware of the Xbox One and separate it from the outer plastic casing.
After removing the screws, flip the console over and remove the top cover again using the flat screwdriver and / or the iFixit tool. This cover cannot be removed without first removing the screws.
Now that we have access to the internal hardware of the console, the first thing you should do is remove the metal cover that covers the fan and clean it with the micro fiber cloth.
Now you have access to the fan, and the first thing you should do is block it by inserting a screwdriver to prevent the blades from turning, since if you force them to turn too fast with the console turned off, you could damage it. Once this is done, proceed to clean the fan with compressed air (with the blades blocked) and use the micro fiber cloth to clean both the fan and the heatsink.
Once this is done and when you are satisfied with the cleaning, you must follow the reverse process to reassemble everything: first place the metal cover with the fan grille, then anchor the white casing on the top, turn the console, replace the screws, and finally fit the black cover on the base of the console again. The steps of anchoring the two caps (upper and lower) must be done carefully so that no plastic tab breaks, so if it does not fit the first time, do not force it.
Now that you have the Xbox One clean, reconnect it and check that it works correctly. You should now make less noise and run at a better temperature with it.