Xbox One Controller not connecting via Bluetooth after being plugged in with USB

Anonymous
2019-09-20T00:45:11+00:00

I have a Xbox One Wireless Controller without the PC adapter so I use Bluetooth to connect directly to my PC.  After charging the controller through one of my PC's USB ports while the PC is on, once the USB to the controller is disconnected it can no longer connect via Bluetooth.  It will still work while the USB is connected but won't work via bluetooth.

Trying to un-pair the controller or uninstall it through devices or device manager often doesn't uninstall.  The most successful method of getting it to work again is to un-pair in the Bluetooth devices and uninstall in both the devices and printers and device manger, then restarting the PC and attempting to pair via Bluetooth again.  This works most of the time but occasionally won't work.

I assume this problem is related to Windows or driver as the device still works perfectly when it is connected via USB. It is like it is flipping a switch to say that it is USB only when it detects the USB connection.

A solution to this problem would be appreciated as I only have 1 USB cable long enough to reach my gaming position and if my headset goes flat while my controller is charging, I have to spend 20+ minutes trying to get the controller to work again via Bluetooth.

Thanks.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2020-05-16T21:29:34+00:00

Hi everyone,

Improved Solution:

  1. Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices

Find Xbox Wireless Controller and Remove Device.

  1. Windows Search > Device Manager > View > Show Hidden Devices

Find "Human Interface Devices" and uninstall HID-compliant game controller.

*Important to "Show hidden" or you won't find it as the device is disconnected*

  1. Go through the normal pairing process. *Turn on Bluetooth*

Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & Other Devices > "Add Bluetooth or other device" > Bluetooth.   Don't use "Everything else" even though it says Xbox controllers.

  1. Turn on your Xbox controller and press the sync button. You should now be able to pair AND connect to your computer.

I really hope this was the main and only issue. If it isn't, go into my last post for the clean slateidea. Upvote if this worked!

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Anonymous
2020-01-04T13:05:04+00:00

I had a similar problem (although I could repair controller without PC restart)

I found a workaround:

  1. Connect controller via USB
  2. Go to win+X -> device manager and disable (not delete) Xbox one controller here
  3. After that repair controller via Bluetooth

Thus when you connect controller via USB it will only charge but will not connect as a device - and Bluetooth connection will remain connected

I have win 10 1909

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-06-25T07:22:05+00:00

    What wireless adapter did you buy?  Are there multiple good ones?

    Thanks,

    Hunter

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-06-25T01:34:50+00:00

    Update: I was now able to get it connected, and the light on the controller is steady. 

    But the controller is dead.  Everything in Windows says the controller is fine and working properly, but it is not providing any input to the computer (which I can test using a couple of third-party apps and the properties for the controller in Windows itself).

    This is extraordinarily frustrating.

    Does anyone know of a dongle I can buy that will let the controller work properly wirelessly, but not via Bluetooth?  I have an old Xbox 360 controller dongle that I used that way, but it does not work with the Elite 2, which came out many years later.

    Thanks,

    Hunter

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-06-25T01:16:46+00:00

    Hi ChessScholar,

    I have a new Elite Series 2 controller, and mistakenly plugged it into my PC to charge.  Now I am having this issue.

    Your suggested steps of May 16th mostly work for me, until I get to step 4.  Then, it's like the sync process takes too long, and the controller times out.  The system can sometimes find the controller on Bluetooth, but while it tries to connect it never completes because the controller drops out of the sync process before the computer can complete the connection.

    Any ideas?

    Best,

    Hunter

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