How to Use the Xbox One Controller on Windows 10

The story about the integration of Windows 10 with Xbox One is well-known. Since Microsoft introduced the system in July 2015, the company has tried to improve the cross-play features between the two platforms. One of the earliest cross-platform possibilities available is the ability to use the Xbox One Controller on Windows 10 PCs.

So, if you own both platforms, you don’t need to spend extra cash on buying a new gamepad for your PC because you can use the one for the Xbox One. There are a couple of ways to connect the Xbox One Controller to your Windows 10 PC, and in this article, we will show you all of them, plus some additional information.

How to connect the Xbox One Controller to Windows 10?

1. Use the USB cable

The USB cable may be the simplest way to connect the Xbox One Controller to your computer. Each Xbox One Controller comes with a USB cable, which is primarily used for charging but can be used for PC integration, as well.

So, plug one end of the USB cable into your controller and the other end into your computer. The connection will be automatically established. Just like it’s the case with almost every other device you plug into your computer, the Xbox One Controller will automatically start charging while plugged in.

2. Use a wireless adapter

Another practical way to connect the Xbox One Controller to your computer is with the Wireless adapter. Some Xbox One Controllers come bundled with this device, but you need to buy them separately in most cases. Remember that the Xbox 360 Wireless adapter won’t work with the Xbox One Controller.

Now, just plug the Wireless adapter into any USB port on your computer. To establish the connection between two devices, do the following:

1. Hold the Home button on your controller to turn it on.
2. Now, press the button on the adapter.
3. After that, press the bind button, located near the top of your controller
4. Wait for the controller to establish the connection. The LED on the controller will blink while it searches for the Wireless Adapter.

3. Use Bluetooth

If your computer supports Bluetooth, you can use this type of connection to connect the Xbox One Controller with your computer. However, this method is more demanding and slightly more complicated than the previous two.

First thing first, you need to have the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 installed on your computer because Microsoft introduced the ability to connect the Xbox Controller to Windows 10 with this update.

Second, you must use the controller for Xbox One S. this controller comes bundled with the console, but you can also purchase it separately.

Once you’ve made sure you meet all requirements, here’s what you need to do to connect your Xbox One S Controller with Windows 10:

1. Hold the Xbox One button to turn on your controller.
2. Now, open the Settings app, and navigate to Devices > Bluetooth.
3. Make sure you have the Bluetooth option enabled, by sliding it to On.
4. Now press the bind button on your controller.
5. Wait for the Xbox Wireless Controller will appear on the device listing.
6. Now, just click Pair to connect the two devices.

There you go. After performing this action, you’ll be able to use your Xbox One S Controller to play games on your Windows 10 PC.

Update Xbox One Controller drivers

No matter which method you’ve used to connect the Xbox One Controller to your Windows 10 PC, there’s one more thing you should do.

You need to ensure that your Xbox One Controller drivers are up to date because updated drivers are required for your device to work correctly.

If you want to make sure your drivers are always updated and in perfect condition, use a driver updater such as PC HelpSoft Driver Updater. You can set it up to regularly scan your drivers and automatically download and install the best versions available.

You now know how to connect the Xbox One (S) Controller to your Windows 10 PC and how to make it work properly.

We hope you’ll have a great time playing your games, and we’re looking forward to seeing more amazing cross-platform features in Windows 10 and Xbox One from Microsoft in the future. And in case the Xbox controller keeps blinking when connected to a PC, things are easy to fix!

If you have any questions or suggestions, just let us know in the comments below.