We've been hearing quite a lot of reports since the release of the Xbox Series X and S this past November that the controllers are constantly losing connection for some players, and Microsoft has confirmed it's aware of the issue.
Highlighted as part of a Xbox system update earlier this week which included general stability and performance improvements, the team provided the following temporary workaround for the problem:
"We're aware of an issue in which some Xbox Series X|S controllers are losing connection with the console. If you see this behavior, try reconnecting the controller to the console wirelessly or with a USB cable, or if possible, connecting another controller and then submitting feedback. Then reboot the console and try reconnecting the controller."
This isn't the first time Microsoft has commented on the disconnection problems either, explaining to The Verge back in early January that the team was "actively working on a solution to be included in a future update."
If you're looking for other "known issues" that Microsoft is currently attempting to fix with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S right now, you'll find a pretty exhaustive, up-to-date list over at the Microsoft website.
Are you having connection issues on Xbox Series X/S? Let us know down in the comments.
[source support.xbox.com]
Comments 26
I have the series s and I get this quite often, even plugging a wired controller in doesn’t have any effect, have to do a hard reset every time it happens
I've not had this happen with the Series S, I did have it quite regularly with my One X though
I think I may have a dodgy controller. It plays sounds out of the TV even when the headphones are plugged in?!? Anyone else noticed this or should I return my controller? Took me a while to notice (as I obviously had headphones in) - but I have to turn the sound down on the tv each time (then back up) which is highly irritating!
I don't have this issue however I find it strange that, if I want to shutdown the system completely, I have to go in the settings.
I’ve had this issue a few times. Glad they are going to fix it!
@StonyXL it might be a settings thing. I have it setup to where sound comes out of both the tv and headset as well but it’s by choice. I can’t remember where that setting is but I remember messing with it before.
@StonyKL that's normal behaviour
@carlos82 are you serious? seriously? I've never known something to have headphones plugged in but still come out the original sound source before (unless you count my old SPV phone which started doing that after a few months among many other crazy things!)?
I'm seriously considering returning the controller but will be annoyed at having to wait for a replacement.
If you are serious is there a setting I should use to say that when I plug headphones in its to hear through the headphones and not the tv?
@xMightyMatt14x sorry just saw your response. So there is a setting then. I'll google it and try and figure it out. I honestly thought @carlos82 was winding me up. Its the most absurd thing I've ever heard? Or at least having the option isn't so bad but to have it as default is very odd.
I wore headphones to not wake the kids up and so they didn't hear the gruesome noises but failed miserably!
I have had my Series X since Day One and while I see this being often discussed in forums, I have yet to experience this lost connection (Black and Blue controllers). I am very curious what makes it happen on one person's console, but not others?
@StonyKL I just had a quick check on my Series S but can't find an option to turn off sound to the TV, party chat is set to headphones only by default though
@StonyKL to clarify. @carlos82 and @Medic_Alert are correct. You just basically have to turn the volume down on the tv. But what I do is put voice chat to come out of both, and then when my kids are asleep, I just turn the volume down on the tv and still hear everything in my headset. However the setting allows you to just do party chat on your headset. This is pretty standard though from what I understand. It was this way on my old PlayStation as well.
@Medic_Alert oh wow. I guess the good news is the controller isn't broken and I've avoided a very embarrassing call to MS.
Annoyingly muting my tv leaves a mute symbol on the bottom corner so isn't an option. I suppose I'll just have to turn the volume down to 0 every time I play then back up again after i've finished.
This is pretty much my first Xbox (had 360 for 2 months before
RRD and returned) so this 'feature' is new to me. Its also the first time I've ever owned something that doesn't switch sound output on insertion of headphones so surely I can be forgiven for being completely baffled!
@xMightyMatt14x I have PS4 and PS5 and never had this issue before?
Anyway - problem solved.....sort of. Thanks everyone for the help. I'd have told me to call the help desk then report back to Pure Xbox with the outcome - but perhaps I'm not as nice you you guys
Since switching to the robot white controller I got with my S my controller hasn't disconnected. Can't remember if it happened with the black controller I bought to use with the Xbox One before getting my Series S, which disconnected a lot. Haven't used it for the Series S in a while.
I've only recently got the controller disconnect twice, both times while playing Assasins Creed Valhalla, pretty annoying seen as I had to hard reset to get it to work again.
I sometimes have a similar issue but ONLY when I first turn it on. e.g. I press the xbox button on the controller and it turns on the xbox and then immediately turns off the controller. Once I turn on the controller again I don't lose connection.
Strange, I haven't encountered this problem yet..
Dang, I fall into this. I have the Series S and sometimes it will lose connection after a few minutes of using the console. Other times it will turn on the Series S, but lose connection immediately after that. A hard reboot is often the solution. Once in awhile pulling the batteries on the controller fixes it. Thankfully it only happens like once or twice a month on average.
It seems game specific, but I'm not sure. I see it happen with Fenyx all the time specifically while on the pause screen/menu, but rarely during gameplay. Yet I don't think it's happened once in Hitman 3.
With Fenyx, sometimes removing a battery and putting it back in fixes it. Other times that won't fix it and force-rebooting the console from the physical power button (press and hold) is the only way to fix it.
@belmont "shutdown the system completely, I have to go in the settings"
Do you mean if you have it configured for instant-on but want to do a "power saver" shutdown anyway?
This was happening to me constantly. Had to use a workaround where I can't use instant on anymore, but my connection never drops now.
@StonyKL I noticed this too. It's not just you. Damn annoying you have to mess with the tv volume. Thought that was the whole point of using headphones.
Happens to me quite often. Worst possible time as well
@NEStalgia Yes, I usually want to shut the console off completely if I know that I won't use it for a couple of days.
@belmont Yeah, I could see that. It would be nice to have both the eco mode and instant mode as available buttons on the power screen.
It happens quite a bit but only for a split-second, on both Xbox and PC. Not a big issue but an annoyance I assume will be patched. Hopefully its not hardware like the left joy-cons. If the connection lost popup didn't come I wouldn't even notice it cause it reconnects so fast.
Edit: My 3.5mm jack controller and S controller work fine, it's just the Series one flaking on me. I've yet to test it on Android, Linux, or Bluetooth on Windows. I'm still on my fat Xbone and I have the slim PC dongle. I got the Series controller in a bundle cause I dropped my S controller on my old dongle and killed it, and the dongle is only stocked in bundles now. It's great to have a USB C port, if only the controller was more stable.
I might try to saw through the old dongle and see if I can solder the broken joints, it bent badly but the LED remained lit. The data pins probably snapped inside since it isn't recognized in Device Manager anymore, it would be useful to have a spare even if it's glued together.
I have to do a hard reboot each time. Then it always connects right up. Happened at least 20 times or more.
@StonyKL mine does the same always has on my xbox one x and my series x...its really not that big of a deal just either turn off your surround sound or turn the volume down on the tv when you use headphones.
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