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

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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
    2021-01-16T22:08:53+00:00

    OK. I had the same problem and this is how I fixed it:

    • Make sure you have fresh batteries!
    • Remove all the Xbox controllers from the "Bluetooth & Other devices " settings.
    • Connect the Xbox pad to the computer with a USB cable. The Windows 10 computer should detect the xbox pad.
    • With the pad connected, turn off the computer and disconnect the pad.
    • Plug the XBox pad with the USB cable to a power adapter. Then press the x button on the pad, the light should flash. But it would only flash if you have it connected to a power adapter with the USB cable.
    • Then turn on the computer and with the pad connected to an external power adapter, press the x button and pair via bluetooth.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-22T23:49:50+00:00

    THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

    2 hours scrubbing through the same generic Microsoft replies and outdated reddit posts. This was the fix.

    My question is WHY is it such a simple, but hard to find fix? And why is the solution in connecting through the "bluetooth" selection rather than the "everything else" when that is clearly the selection Microsoft originally designed for these controllers. This was so unnecessarily difficult.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-01-23T04:00:03+00:00

    As an engineer my fear is that no one on the Microsoft help team really knows whats going on inside the Xbox pad firmware. They only know what's been documented which may not be much.

    Glad it worked for you!

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