How to turn off your Xbox Series X controller

Playing games and consuming other entertainment media on your Xbox Series X and S consoles can be a drain on your controller’s batteries. No matter what power supply your peripheral has — a rechargeable power pack or disposable batteries — eventually, your gamepad will stop working. It will tell you that it needs powering up if it does.

Thankfully, there is a way to conserve your controller’s battery power. You can turn off your Xbox Series X or S gamepad to give it a break. This is most useful when you are watching a movie or TV show or downloading a new game or content. These kinds of activities don’t require your controller to be on unless absolutely necessary, so you can turn it off to save your battery life.

To turn off your Xbox Series X or S controller, press and hold the X button on your gamepad. It is the Xbox symbol in the center of your gaming accessory, and not the blue X button on the right-hand side. Wait for a second, and a new menu will pop up on the screen.

You will be given the option to turn off your console, restart your console, close the menu if you accidentally loaded it, or turn off your controller. Choose this last option, and the light on your gamepad will go off. This signifies that it has been turned off. To turn it back on, press and hold the Xbox symbol button on the controller for a brief moment. Once the light is back on, you can use it again.