Connect the Controller
Xbox support lists three ways to connect to a Windows PC: a USB cable, the Xbox Wireless Adapter, or Bluetooth.
- USB: plug the cable into the top of the controller and into the PC. Xbox Series X|S, Elite Series 2, and Adaptive controllers use USB-C, and older ones use micro-USB. Xbox says to use a cable that supports data transfer.
- Xbox Wireless Adapter: plug in the adapter and turn on the controller. Hold the adapter's Pair button, then the raised Pair button on top of the controller. The Xbox button stays lit once connected.
- Bluetooth: hold the controller's Pair button for three seconds. On Windows 11, open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Add device, and pick Xbox Wireless Controller.
For a test, USB is the simplest choice. Xbox says vibration doesn't work in PC games while the controller is connected through Bluetooth, and updates over Bluetooth aren't supported.
Test Every Button and Stick in Your Browser
- Open the controller test and press any button. Browsers show a controller only after a button press or stick movement while the page is open.
- Press A, B, X, Y, both bumpers, View, Menu, and each direction on the D-pad. Each one lights up, and the counter climbs.
- Squeeze each trigger slowly. Its percentage should rise smoothly from 0% to 100% and fall back to 0% when you let go.
- Push each stick to its edges, then let go. It should settle within about 0.05 of 0.00 on both axes.
- Press Weak Motor, Strong Motor, or Both Motors to check vibration. It works in Chrome, Edge, and Safari, not in Firefox.
The test labels the buttons for an Xbox controller when it recognizes one. Nothing you press leaves your browser.
Check a Resting Stick for Drift
A stick that reads off center while you aren't touching it is drifting. Browsers read each stick axis as a number from −1.0 to 1.0, so a resting stick should read close to 0.
For a measured result, put the controller flat on a table and run the stick drift test. It reports how far each resting stick strays, as a percentage of its full range, and suggests a deadzone.
If the Controller Doesn't Show Up
- Press a button with the page open and its tab in front. The page can't see the controller before that.
- Try a different USB cable. Many cables only charge and carry no data.
- If Windows misses the controller after waking from sleep, press the Xbox button to turn it back on. Xbox says unplugging it and plugging it back in also works.
- For Bluetooth, Xbox says the PC needs the Windows 10 Anniversary Update or later. If buttons give no input, install the latest update from Settings, then Windows Update.
- Close Steam or other apps that take over controllers, then reload the controller test.
Xbox notes that once the controller is paired with a PC, you must sync it to the console again before you use it there.
If a Button Doesn't Respond
- Update the firmware. Install the Xbox Accessories app from the Microsoft Store and connect the controller by USB or the Xbox Wireless Adapter. If it says Update Required, install the update.
- Check the button mapping. If the controller misbehaves in every game, Xbox says its buttons may have been remapped. On the console, open Controllers & headsets in Settings, select Configure, and restore the default mapping.
- Clean it. Disconnect the controller and wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth dampened with mild soap and water or isopropyl alcohol of 70% or less. Xbox says never to apply liquid directly to the controller.
Then run the controller test again. If a button still never lights up, Xbox says the controller needs a replacement. Check the warranty through Xbox support first.
Out of warranty, Xbox sells replacement parts for repairing a controller yourself. Xbox notes that they need tools and moderate technical skill.