The usage of the wireless gamepad that comes with Xbox is not only limited to Xbox Consoles. However, you can also connect the Xbox gamepad to your Windows PC and enjoy the game. However, the game should've been compatible with the gamepad, which we now know almost every Windows game is consistent with the box console due to the Windows Xbox compatibility layer.
There are quite a few ways on how to connect Xbox Controller to PC, and all of these methods are easy as they can get, therefore. This article has gone through each way, briefly mentioning how you can connect your box Controller to your Windows PC.
How to Connect Xbox Controller to PC Wirelessly
To connect your Xbox gamepad to your PC, you will first have to figure out which Xbox game controller you possess. It is essential to know because these gamepads look similar and have identical features because Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. However, the original Xbox One gamepad doesn't support wireless connectivity. Thus you can't connect Xbox One wirelessly to your PC.
So, we suggest you check your gamepad thoroughly. If your Xbox game controller is from Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, then you can go ahead and start connecting the gamepad to your Windows PC.
- In Windows, open up the Action Center and click on the Bluetooth button to turn it on.
- However, you can also open up the windows settings by pressing Windows Keys + I, go to the Devices section, and click on the Bluetooth & Another tab. Lastly, turn on the Bluetooth.
- To activate the Bluetooth of the box Controller, press the Guide button.
- From the available devices, select the Xbox Gamepad and pair it with the controller to connect the Xbox Controller with your Windows PC. You can also right-click on the Bluetooth icon on the system tray on the Windows Toolbar and select Add a New Device and then select the box Controller.
- However, make sure that while pairing the box controller with your PC, you hold the Pairing button for at least up to three seconds.
One major drawback of connecting Xbox controller via Bluetooth is that you can't use wireless headphones but could use jack Headphones.
One easy and quick way to find out whether your box gamepad supports Bluetooth or not is to check the plastic around the Guide button. If the plastic is the same as the face of the gamepad, then it has Bluetooth. If the plastic is the same as the bumper button, you probably don't have the Bluetooth option. Also, if your box gamepad has a USB-C port rather than a micro USB port, it has Bluetooth.
If you have brought your Xbox Console in recent four years, then you probably have the wireless Xbox controller.
Don't worry if you don't have Bluetooth support in your box gamepad. You can use a Bluetooth dongle and insert it into the USB port. Of course, you can use a wired cable to connect to your PC. However, using a Bluetooth dongle will give you the ability to connect your Xbox Controller with your PC wirelessly.
How to Connect Xbox Controller to PC using Wired Xbox Gamepad Connection
If you don't have the liberty to use the wireless feature of the box controller, then you can use a USB cable to connect your Xbox gamepad to your PC very easily. Unlike the wireless part available for a few controllers and some lack it, all the Xbox gamepad supports either the micro USB port or USB-C port for wired connection.
According to the version of the Xbox controller, you have to grab the micro USB or USB Type C cable, plug one end of the cable into the Xbox gamepad and plug the other end of the line into the USB port of your PC.
Windows 10 will automatically load and configure the Xbox controller driver, so you don't have to do any manual intervention to start utilizing the Xbox controller. It will just work automatically after plugged and is compatible with almost any game run on your PC.
How to Connect Xbox Controller to PC using Xbox Wireless Adapter
Rather than Bluetooth, there is another option for you to connect your Xbox to your PC wirelessly, and it is much better than Bluetooth because while using this technology, you can wirelessly connect your Bluetooth headphone.
Microsoft provides the Xbox Wireless Adapter for $25, and it has some significant advantages over using Bluetooth for connecting Xbox to your PC wirelessly. For instance, you can connect to eight Xbox gamepads using one adapter and will be able to use the headset jack.
To start utilizing the Xbox Wireless Adapter is is relatively simple, firstly insert the Xbox wireless adapter to your PC's USB port and press the button on the adapter to turn it on, then turn on your Xbox controller by pressing on the Guide button, and pair like you would pair Bluetooth.
For that, press the Windows Key on your keyboard to open up the Start Menu, there scroll down and search for the Xbox app, click and open the app, go to the add devices options, and click on the Xbox controller you want to connect. Windows 10 will automatically figure out the driver and usage of the dongle. Therefore you don't have to do any configuration. However, you can enable and disable a few things if you wish via the Xbox app in Windows 10.
