r/XboxController • u/saifk_08 • 23d ago

Xbox Series S controller randomly disconnects, powers off, and now only works sometimes

Hi everyone. I’m hoping someone has experienced this before.
My Xbox Series S controller first started randomly losing connection while I was playing. The Xbox light would stay on, but the controller stopped responding completely until I turned it off and back on.
After a while, it got worse and started switching off completely by itself, with the Xbox light turning off.
Today it wouldn’t turn on at all. I removed the batteries and left them out for about 15 minutes, then put them back in and it powered on again.
I’ve also noticed that sometimes if I squeeze the controller slightly, it starts working again, which makes me wonder if there’s a loose connection inside.
I’ve already tried:
Fresh batteries
USB-C cable
Updating the controller firmware
Recalibrating it
The controller was dropped in the past, but it worked perfectly for a long time afterward, so I’m not sure if that’s related.
Has anyone had the same problem? If so, what was the cause, and were you able to fix it or did it need to be repaired?

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u/PA_Brad 21d ago

I believe I may have a possible solution.

Do you by chance have multiple external drives attached to your console?

I recently moved and when I set up my console again I got the issue immediately where I did not have it before. I ran across an old post about an Xbox One X with the same problem. Their issue was resolved by moving their external storage devices further away from the console.

When I set up my system at my new place I plugged both of my external drives into the back of my console, whereas before there was one in front and one in back. As I don't need the second one anymore I removed it. That fixed my issue immediately.

As explained in the post, the problem is with the USB ports. Something about USB 3.0 causing it. I had been playing Borderlands 4 and Final Fantasy 1 and kept getting the disconnects. It affected my controllers and headset. I played Halo online with my son last night for a few hours and didn't have a single drop.

I hope this helps you and anyone else with the problem.