How To Fix Xbox One Controller Won't Charge Via USB

Are you having an issue charging your Xbox One controller? If your Xbox One controller won’t charge and you have no idea how to go about it, this troubleshooting guide should help.

In this post, we’ll explain what are the causes for this problem and what are the solutions that you can take to fix it.

How do you know if your Xbox One controller is charging?

If you are new to Xbox One and doesn’t know if your controller is charging or not, all you have to do is look for a couple of indicators.

First, you want to check the battery level indicator by pressing the Xbox button and go to the Home screen. Then, once you’re in the Home screen, look for the battery indicator in the lower right corner. If you have multiple controllers connected to the Xbox One console, the battery indicator should belong to the controller that you use to go to the Home screen.

Once you’ve located the battery indicator on the screen, you will be shown the remaining power of the battery in the current controller. If you are getting a red battery indicator, that means that the power is low and you need to charge.

If you are using the official Xbox One rechargeable battery pack and the controller is connected to the Xbox via USB cable, there will be an animated indicator to tell you that the controller is currently on charge.

Why does your Xbox One controller stop charging?

If you are not getting an animated battery level indicator even if the controller is connected to the console thru a USB cable, there can be a number of possible reasons for that. You’ll have to do a set of troubleshooting steps in order to identify and eventually fix the problem.

Defective charging cable.

Most of the time, the main reason why your Xbox One controller may fail to charge is simple: the USB cable that you’re using is damaged. Your Xbox One USB charging cord has tiny wires inside that can easily break if you’re not being careful. Even though the USB cable may appear fine externally, the problem may lie inside.

Broken USB port.

For some people, the reason why their Xbox One controller may have stopped charging is due to dirty or broken USB port. Try to check the port where you plug the USB cord in on the controller and in the Xbox One. Sometimes, dirt, lint, foreign objects, or dust may block the cable from making contact with the metallic connectors in the port.

Damaged or bad battery pack.

Sometimes, a bad battery pack can prevent an Xbox One controller from charging and may even cause some power issues. If your Xbox One controller won’t turn on or charge, try using another set of a rechargeable battery pack or a third party set of batteries and see if that will work.

Internal damage to the controller.

If you accidentally dropped your controller before noticing that it stopped charging, it’s possible that there may be a damaged component inside it. Physical damage may sometimes kill the controller for good.

Outdated firmware.

For a few people, the reason why your Xbox One controller may not be that serious and merely require some updating. To ensure that your controller is always in top shape, you want to ensure that it runs the latest firmware version.

How to fix Xbox One controller won’t charge

If your Xbox One controller does not charge and the battery indicator does not move at all, check out these possible solutions that you can try:

Fix #1: Try a different USB cable.

Most cases of Xbox One controller charging issues are caused by a bad USB cord. To see if you got a broken charging cord, find a new USB cable, preferably another official Xbox One accessory and see if that work.

Alternatively, you can find out if you have a bad cable by using the current one to charge a second Xbox One controller. If the other controller also fails to charge when using the same cord, it’s time that you replace it.

Fix #2: Check the USB port.

If the charging cord works, the next troubleshooting step that you can try is to check the USB port on the controller. Sometimes, dust, dirt, lint, or foreign objects may block the USB cable while charging. If you think that the USB port needs some cleaning, use a can of compressed air to do it. Do not try to insert something in the port to avoid damaging the components inside.

Fix #3: Detach and plug in the batteries.

If you are using rechargeable batteries on your controllers, try to see if using a different pack will help. Sometimes, busted rechargeable batteries will prevent charging, especially if there’s a problem with its circuit.

Fix #4: Use a charging stand.

If you have a charging stand, try to see if your controller charges using that one. This can be a good charging alternative if you are charging wireless controllers via USB and the port is broken.

Fix #5: Check for Xbox One controller firmware update.

If your Xbox One controller still won’t charge, make sure that it’s not because of an outdated firmware. To check if the controller requires an update, follow these steps: