How to Connect an Xbox Controller to a PC
Despite the fact that “Xbox” is part of the name of the Xbox Wireless Gamepad, you are not restricted to using it exclusively with an Xbox console. You can also pair the controller with Windows 10 and Windows 11, allowing you to use it wirelessly with any PC game that is compatible with it. Here is all you need to do in order to begin using the gamepad that came with your Xbox console with your own computer.
Determine Which Xbox Controller You Already Have Access To Xbox 360 Wireless Gamepad
Figure Out Which Xbox Controller You Own
If you have recently purchased a new Xbox gamepad, you may skip this section because you already have the most recent version of the software installed on your console. And if you’ve gotten one within the past few years, you should be fine on that front as well assuming you’ve kept it up to date. The Xbox Wireless Gamepad that is now available supports Xbox wireless connectivity as well as Bluetooth, and it is the same gamepad that is included with the Xbox Series S/X. Following the launch of the first batch of Xbox One consoles, the majority of Xbox Wireless Gamepads for that generation were updated to enable Bluetooth. You are set to go from this point forward if you wish to use either Bluetooth or a wired connection.
Bluetooth connectivity was not included in the original Xbox One controllers; instead, they relied only on Xbox’s proprietary wireless communication technology. This is acceptable for use on Xbox consoles but not on personal computers. Even if the method has changed, you can still use one with your own computer; however, you will need to purchase a wireless dongle.
Xbox One controller comparison
Check the region around the Guide button on an earlier Xbox One gamepad if you’re having trouble with it. (Image courtesy of Microsoft)
Examine the plastic that surrounds the Guide button on your Xbox One gamepad if you have an older model of the controller. You have a Bluetooth gamepad if the back of the controller is made of the same plastic as the front of the controller and there are no seams. A non-Bluetooth gamepad can be identified by its use of the same plastic as the bumper buttons and the presence of a seam between the Guide button and the face of the controller. It is a contemporary Xbox Series controller if it includes a small, rectangular Capture button in between the Menu and View buttons, as well as a USB-C port on top rather than a micro USB port, and it also has Bluetooth if it has a USB-C port on top rather than a micro USB port.
You Can Use a Wire to Connect Your Xbox Controller to Your Personal Computer If You Have an Xbox Wireless Gamepad
Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With a Wire
The process is straightforward, but a physical cable must be used to connect the controller to the personal computer. The procedure is as follows:
Insert either the USB end of your USB-to-micro USB cable or the USB end of your USB-to-USB-C cord (depending on the version of the controller) into the controller.
Connect the other end to your computer.
That wraps it up! It will automatically configure itself under Windows 10 and 11, and it will operate with practically every game that you have installed on your own computer.
You Can Use Bluetooth to Connect Your Xbox Controller to Your Computer Bluetooth pairing
Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With Bluetooth
It’s virtually exactly the same process to pair the Xbox controller with your computer via Bluetooth as it is to pair it with your Xbox One or Xbox Series console. After depressing and holding the Guide button to activate the controller, you must then depress and hold the Pairing button for three seconds until the Guide button begins to flash. This identifies that it is in the pairing mode. Holding down the Pairing button on the system itself is required whenever the controller is being linked to a console. You will need to navigate through various settings in order to connect the controller to a computer running Windows 10. If your personal computer does not already have Bluetooth built in, you will additionally require a Bluetooth USB dongle. The complete procedure is as follows, step by step:
- The controller can be turned on by depressing and holding the Guide button.
- Keep your finger on the Pairing button for three seconds, until you see a flashing Guide button.
- To use Bluetooth, right-click the symbol that appears in your system tray.
- Simply select “Add a Bluetooth Device” from the menu.
- Select Bluetooth from the drop-down menu that appears after clicking “Add Bluetooth or other Device.”
- Select “Xbox Wireless Controller” from the menu. Wait until the Guide button is completely white and the Bluetooth menu indicates that the controller is connected before continuing.
You may now play the great majority of new games that support controllers on your PC by connecting the Xbox Wireless Gamepad to your computer and using it to play the game. On the other hand, the gamepad does not have a jack for a headset, just like Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers do not have headset jacks. Although a wired gaming headset can be used with the gamepad and the game system that it is paired with, audio will not be transmitted through the jack when the gamepad is connected to a PC through Bluetooth.
Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With a USB Adapter
You can use a USB adapter to connect your Xbox controller to your own computer.
Wireless Adapter for Xbox One, Compatible with Windows 10
Have some luck finding it at a reasonable price. (Image courtesy of Microsoft)
You will need an Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 if you have an older Xbox One controller, wish to use your newer controller with Microsoft’s proprietary wireless connection rather than Bluetooth (and receive headphone connectivity), or if you just want to utilise your newer controller. It is a USB dongle that may connect wirelessly to your Xbox gamepad without the need for any Bluetooth pairing or configuration on your part. Simply connect the dongle to your controller in the same way you would connect your controller to your Xbox by hitting the “Pairing” button located on both devices after the dongle has been plugged in.