PowerA gaming HQ doesn't recognise my wired controller

Hi Stepan, and thanks for getting in touch. I'm Aileen, and I'm here to provide you advice as an Independent Advisor.

I can imagine how frustrating this is—you just wanted to set up your new controller properly, and suddenly the app stops recognizing it after accidentally closing it. Now the back buttons aren’t responding either, even though the rest of the controller works fine. That kind of issue can really throw you off, especially when it was working just moments before.

Let’s go through a few steps to try and get things back on track.

Step 1: Restart and reconnect everything

Close the PowerA Gaming HQ app completely.

Unplug the controller from your PC.

Restart your PC fully (not just sleep mode).

Plug the controller back in, preferably using a different USB port.

Open the Gaming HQ app again and wait to see if it detects the controller.

Sometimes a clean reboot resets how the controller and app communicate.

Step 2: Reinstall the PowerA Gaming HQ app

If the app was interrupted while scanning, it might have glitched.

Uninstall the app from your PC.

Restart your PC once more.

Then download and reinstall the latest version of the app from PowerA’s official website:

https://www.powera.com/app/

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

Step 3: Look for firmware updates

Once the controller is recognized again, check if the app offers a firmware update option. If the process was interrupted earlier, a partial firmware install could be causing the back buttons to stop working.

Step 4: Reset the controller configuration

Inside the PowerA app (once working), try restoring the controller settings to default. If the back buttons were remapped or if the profile was corrupted during the scan, this might reset their functionality.

Step 5: Try another USB cable or port

Even though the controller powers on and works for gameplay, some features like programmable buttons rely on a stable USB connection. A weak or low-power port can interfere with full detection.

If none of this helps and your back buttons still don’t respond, the issue could be tied to an incomplete firmware process or app-side glitch. Since the controller itself is still functional, it’s worth contacting PowerA directly for warranty support or a firmware repair recommendation.

Please let me know if you need any further assistance. Looking forward to your response.

The controller is wired. I'd rather not use Edge. It's an enhanced xbox PowerA controller

Hi. The controller I have is "PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S". There is a section for PowerA in verified controllers. It use to work for me just fine for over a year. I am not sure why suddenly it is not working. Any ideas?

I think powerA make a small controller its wired but its half the size of a standard controller i belive

PowerA JUST released a competitor to the Elite Controller called the FUSION Pro. It is half the price of the Elite Controller, doesn't look as "cool" and it is Wired.

I would seriously stop playing video games if they went back to wired controllers. It's also part of the reason I prefer X Box controllers over the PS4; if the battery dies on the PS4 controller when I'm playing, it gets turned off even in the middle of
a game. I never, ever, ever, want to play using a wired controller. -_- Lol.

Peace, J.R.