Microsoft has always been a major player in the console gaming world, starting with the Original Xbox, and now the Xbox One X today. They’ve consistently upgraded their Xbox to keep up with technology, and competitors; however, they’ve also made their controllers advantageous, by making them compatible with PCs right out of the box.
You may notice that some games work better with a controller then a keyboard, or you may just enjoy the compact style of controllers. So, you might be looking for a cheap controller made for the PC. But, if you’ve already got an Xbox One in the house, why waste the money when that controller can easily hook up to your PC? There are two convenient ways of connecting your Xbox One controller to your PC, through Bluetooth and USB. Follow along below, and we’ll show you how to setup both of these methods.
How To Use An Xbox One Controller On PC
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is an excellent way to connect up your controller. This is a great method if you like the convenience that wireless brings; however, wired over USB is generally better if you want faster reactions and don’t want to deal with dead batteries. Nonetheless, here’s how you can setup an Xbox One controller over Bluetooth:
If you are going to use a Xbox One controller over Bluetooth, it is essential that you have Windows updated to the latest version. Any recent version should do, but we recommend the newest as it is safest to use, at least as far as security goes and performance.
If you need to check what version of Windows you’re on, press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard simultaneously. A tab will open with a search bar — just type ‘winver’ — sans quotation marks — and you should see your Windows version.
Now you will need to turn on your controller — just push the Xbox button at the center of it. Then press and hold down the connect button for a few seconds, then Release. Now you will need to go to the Bluetooth menu on your Windows PC. Just click on Start — there should be a gear icon to the left hand side of the menu. You’ll want to click on that.
Now click on the ‘Devices’ menu, and then click on Bluetooth submenu. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled, and look for an ‘Xbox wireless controller‘. This should show up in something that says Nearby Devices. It may have another term, depending on your wireless controller model. Either way, simply left click on it, then click on ‘pair’.
After just a few seconds, your controller should be enabled on your PC, ready for use! Your controller wont work until you head into a video game, or some other client that uses controllers.
USB
Depending on how old your Xbox controller is, it could have come with a USB Dongle. If it didn’t, you’ll need to buy one separately, as it is essential to use if you want to connect via USB.
In order to connect your controller via USB, turn on your controller. Connect up the wire from the controller to the PC. Then, press and hold the Connect button on your controller until the Xbox button stops flashing. Now your controller should be connected to your PC and ready to use in any game or client that uses controllers!
Verdict on how to use an Xbox One Controller on PC
It is very easy to see why you would want to use a controller in a game, as they often give you better precision in some genres that mouse and keyboard couldn’t. And as you can see, it is easy to connect the Xbox controller to your PC. It can often be done in just a couple of seconds, as long as you have all the necessary accessories with you.