How do I make it so my Xbox controller only works in a game and not on the main window?

Hi and thanks for reaching Microsoft Xbox gamer's community. My name is Josef.
I'm an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft Xbox user like you.

Hope you're doing great today despite this Demoltu

Please answer the following questions to assist you properly:
Are you using Windows 10 or 11?
Is this happening with all your games or with an specific game?
Also, are the games or game downloaded from the Microsoft store, steam, Epic or no matter the store the problem persists? (In case it's happening with more than one game)

Are you using the controller via USB or bluetooth?
And what did you tried so far to fix this
In that way I can advise you different things or how to proceed

In the meantime, please double check if your controller firmware is up to date using the Accessories app

If everything looks good there, try to Reinstall your controller driver:
Press Windows key + X and select Device Manager > search something like Xbox controller category (or similar) > expand the category using the little arrow (">") > select delete/uninstall driver

Click OK, restart your PC and reconnect the controller.

If the issue persists, reinstall or update Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator driver.

You can do it following previous steps, but now select Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator.

Can take a while, would be great to wait up to 15 minutes before trying again

so, I kinda found the solution thanks too you but its not a full fix.

So, what I did is made a new account on my windows and the games works fine there but its not my main account how do I how do I make my main account work can I re do my main account?

Pretty sure all those controllers are wireless and as you've noticed, there is no way to make a wireless controller wired using a Play & Charge. For a wireless controller to work in Windows you need a Xbox Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. They used
to be sold separately, but now are only included in the Xbox 360 Wireless Controller for Windows.

So, unless you can find a Gaming Receiver on it's own, you may need to by the Wireless Windows controller first. Once you have the receiver, it will work on all wireless Xbox controllers including the transforming D-pad ones.

ok HOW?....how can I set both my XBOX controller and my Saitek AV8R to work simultaneously on the same control port?.....I'm sure it has something to do with wireless XBOX controller and wired flightstick...but how do you make 'em both work on the same port,
so all you have to do is quickly set one down and grab the other in a pinch?

Thanks for the reply.

I checked the available updates for both my Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. There was an update available for the Windows PC and I downloaded and installed it. There was not an update available for the Xbox One.

I also connected all of my controllers to the Xbox One and searched for updates, and none were available.

So everything should be on the latest updates.

I did try and plug the controllers into the Windows 10 PC over USB to see if that helped, but I got the same results. In the Xbox app in Windows all of the connected controllers worked for navigation of the menus and making selections. It is when I connect
to the Xbox One and open streaming that I lose the ability to do anything except with the one controller. The issue isn't isolated to a single controller either, whichever one I connect first works while streaming, and all the others won't. If I try again
using a different controller, then that will be the one that works and the others don't.

I have not made any changes to my system or connections outside of applying the updates as they come along.

I am not able to try a different Windows 10 PC as this Surface Pro 2 is my only one.

Everything else about streaming the games works great, I am hoping you can help me find a solution to the controller connection issue as it is the only thing standing in my way. Thanks again for your support.