Troubleshooting problems using the Xbox controller on Windows

For quite some time now, Microsoft has gradually been turning its operating system, Windows, into a complete gaming platform. And not only because of the integration of the entire Xbox platform within this system, but also because of the large number of functions, features and APIs that we can find in this system. Of course, Windows is designed to be able to connect the Xbox console controller to it, recognize it and allow us to play with it without having to make the slightest configuration. However, as usual, the process is not without problems.

Troubleshooting problems using the Xbox controller on Windows

Common Xbox Controller Problems

When we use this command on our computer, we may come across various possible failures and problems. Let’s see which are the most common.

  • The controller does not turn on . This problem can be due to several causes. Do we have batteries? Is the battery charged? Does it turn on if we connect it by cable?
  • Unable to connect to PC . We can connect the controller in three different ways to the computer. Do we have Bluetooth on the equipment? Is Windows connected to the Internet to download drivers? And wired?
  • The audio output of the controller does not work . At the bottom we can connect a headset with a microphone, but this only works when we use an official dongle (not Bluetooth) or when the controller is connected by cable.
  • Failed to update the firmware and the controller does not respond . If this process fails, the controller may be locked.
  • The controls do not work well . This may be due to a fault in the configuration or calibration of the equipment, or due to a physical problem with the controller itself.
  • The controller does not vibrate . This control has several vibration motors: in the handles and in the triggers. If it doesn’t vibrate, something is wrong.

Configurar mando xbox

Unless it is a physical problem with the controller itself, all of these problems have a relatively simple solution. And then we are going to see how to fix all these issues when connecting this Xbox controller to Windows.

Solve the main problems

The first thing to keep in mind is that most of the problems that we can find when using this command are due to a failure with the battery or with the batteries. If this is at a critical level, the first thing we will find is that the controller does not turn on, or turns off instantly . It may also happen that we are not able to connect it to the PC, and even that some of its functions, such as vibration, do not work correctly. The quickest and easiest solution is to either change the batteries for new ones, or connect the wired controller to the PC to rule out and isolate problems.

If the batteries are not the problem, we are going to see how to detect and solve the problems that we have seen just in the previous point.

Unable to connect controller to Windows

Connecting your Xbox controller to Windows should be quick and easy with no issues. But in the process we can run into several impediments that can prevent us from carrying out this action.

The fastest and most comfortable thing is to connect it via Bluetooth, since it is a technology that practically all computers have. But not all controls have this protocol, but we must make sure that our control is the V2 (the one launched together with the One S / One X) to be able to use this protocol. Also, our computer must have Bluetooth turned on and ready to connect to a device. Also, to avoid problems, we must make sure that the PC uses a Bluetooth LE (4.0 or higher) to avoid pairing problems.

Connecting the controller via Bluetooth is the fastest, but it can give us problems. Therefore, if what we want is the best wireless quality, then we must get a USB dongle. We can buy the official one from Microsoft (which is more expensive), or a clone that we can find in many stores like Aliexpress. With this dongle, instead of using Bluetooth we will use the Xbox’s own protocol, at 2.4 GHz, for the connection. And the process will be much simpler, faster and more stable.

Finally, if none of the above makes the controller work well, then we always have to connect it by cable to the PC. There should be no problem there.

The remote disconnects every so often

This is a very common failure, especially when using a Bluetooth connection. Depending on the manufacturer of our Bluetooth, and its version, it may happen that, while we are playing, the PC loses the connection with the controller. And, although it automatically reconnects without you having to do anything, it is a very big hassle.

The best solution for this problem is to either buy a new dongle (Bluetooth 5.0) to connect the controller to the PC, or buy a USB dongle to connect it through Microsoft’s own protocol, just like connecting it to a console.

Of course, the USB cable is once again a great ally when trying to solve connection problems.

Windows does not show the charge of the batteries or battery correctly

The truth is that this is a bug of Windows itself. While the operating system can read the battery of any Bluetooth device that we can connect to the PC without problems, when we do it with the official Microsoft console controller, this does not work.

Fallo batería mando Xbox Windows 10

The solution, again, is to buy Microsoft’s USB dongle (or a clone) and connect it via its own protocol. In this way we can see the real state of the controller’s battery in the system’s own game bar.

vibration not working

The vibration of the controls is designed to offer us a much more immersive experience within the games. As it could not be less, the Xbox controller has several vibration motors that are activated when certain events occur within the games.

Again, Bluetooth can play tricks on us in this regard. The first thing to keep in mind is that when we connect the Bluetooth controller to the PC, the trigger motor will not work. And, depending on the version of BT on our PC, the other may not do it well either.

The quickest solutions are, again, either to buy the dongle from Microsoft to get all the vibration working smoothly, or to connect the wired controller.

Problems getting the sound out of the remote

Another problem that, as we can guess, is related to the Bluetooth of the controller. When we connect the controller through this protocol, another feature that does not work is the transmission of sound to be output through the headphones connected to the controller itself.

The solution, as in the previous case, is the same: either use the dongle to connect the controller to the PC, or connect the cable controller to the PC.

Solution to other problems

In addition to all of the above, it may happen that, while using the controller, we encounter other problems. For example, some controls may not work at all because they have been out of calibration, or we may have some other performance issues with the controller.

If we download an application called “Xbox Accessories” from the Microsoft Store we will be able to abort these and other problems. This free app will allow us to calibrate the remote from scratch to test that all the controls work correctly, and even update the firmware of the remote to install a new version and solve possible problems.

Developer: Microsoft Corporation

Actualizar mando Xbox PC - 3

That yes, as we can imagine, this app will be very limited when we use Bluetooth, having to connect the control by cable (recommended), or through the Microsoft dongle, to be able to make full use of it.