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You’re going to need to update your Xbox One controller. Here’s how…

Adam Rosenberg
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microsoft xbox one review controller front angle
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Remember when video games required just a joystick and a single button? Wasn’t that nice?

If you’ve picked up one of those new Turtle Beach headsets for your Xbox One, you might have noticed a little sticker pasted to the base of the included Xbox One Headphone Adapter that reads “Controller Update Required.” It’s not lying: there’s an entire process in place that you’ll need to perform to update the firmware inside each controller you own. It’s relatively painless once you know what to do, taking only a few minutes, but here’s a quick and easy rundown to help you.

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1. Turn on your Xbox One. This is important. If you follow the rest of the steps without turning the console on first, you might not see the pop-up messages you need to in order to run the update.

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2. Remove the batteries from your controllers. Yup. Take those batteries right out. You won’t need them until you’re done.

3. Plug your new headset or Headset Adapter with the headset attached into your controller. Easy stuff here. Just connect the headset/headset adapter to your battery-less, deactivated controller.

4. Connect your controller to your console using a mini USB cable. You should have a mini USB cable included with whatever headset you’ve purchased. If you have a play-and-charge kit, you can use the lengthy mini USB cable it comes with. The smaller end plugs into your controller, with the port located just above the battery housing. The larger end plugs into your console’s USB port, which can be found on the left side of the machine, near the front.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen. Once you’ve followed steps 1-4, a pop-up should appear alerting you that your controller needs an update. If it doesn’t, you’ve done something wrong. Choose yes and put your controller down with the headset and mini USB cord still plugged in. Wait for the progress bar to fill up; it shouldn’t take longer than 2-3 minutes. Once that’s done, you’ll have the option of syncing another controller right away. If you want to do that, select the option and then switch the mini USB and the headset to the next controller. Repeat this process until everything’s updated.

As you can see, it’s really not a big deal. It’s just a new process that console gamers haven’t ever really had to contend with before. That’s the price we pay for fancier controllers. C’est la vie.

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Adam Rosenberg
Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
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