Xbox One X controller sync issues when powering on the console

Hello everyone,

I am the owner of an Xbox One X console, purchased on launch day and I am experiencing a particularly strange issue over which I am at a complete loss. I am hoping that somebody here could help.

The initial synchronization of the enclosed controller (model number 1708, updated to the latest controller firmware) with the console goes without a hitch. However, attempting to turn the console on using the controller (in contrast to using the power button
that's on the console's chassis) results in a very strange phenomenon – the console would turn on as expected (indicating that the signal from the controller was indeed received by the console) but the controller itself would not sync to it at all and would
instead continue flashing indefinitely. When this happens, the only way to gain controller connectivity is to physically remove the controller's batteries and reintroduce them; then, upon pressing the "X" button that is on the controller, the controller would
connect to the console almost immediately.

Further, turning the controller on slightly after the console has been turned on separately using its power button – right after the Xbox One X exclusive 4K animation has been played – results in an almost immediate connection. This made me assume that the
delay that is introduced by the Xbox One X exclusive 4K animation that is displayed prior to the usual green Xbox One boot logo has something to do with the controller failing to connect, yet this is just an uneducated guess.

Replacing the controller with a controller of the same model (1708) had on effect on this issue and it reproduced every time. Yet strangely enough, the issue does not reproduce when connecting an original Xbox One controller from 2014 (model number 1537)
to the Xbox One X, and the controller is able to gain perfect connectivity when turning the console on every time. Even stranger still is that the Xbox One X itself controller does not exhibit said behavior when paired with the original Xbox One. For some
reason then, something goes wrong in the marriage of the Xbox One X controllers with my Xbox One X console.

I attempted to re-pair the Xbox One X controllers and even to reset the Xbox One X to its factory settings, but to no avail. To rule out external interference, I deactivated all electronics in my apartment (apart from the Xbox One X and a Samsung flat panel)
– but the issue reproduced every time. Another observation of mine is that this is happening only when the console's power mode is set to "Energy Saving" (which makes it repeat the boot process every time). When the power mode is set to "Instant On", the usual boot
up sequence is skipped and the controller syncs almost immediately.

I have no friends who own an Xbox One X, with whom I could consult. I was also unable to locate any retailers with Xbox One X units on display, which I could use to compare console behavior. All I was able to do is to rule out the malfunction of a particular
controller unit by replacing it with another controller of the exact same model, to confirm that the issue persists.

Is this a known issue? Would it make sense to make a warranty claim on the console? Given the combination of factors, this genuinely has the taste, smell and looks of a software issue that is patchable with a firmware update – rather than a hardware problem.

Does anybody have any idea regarding this? Did anybody experience this?

Thank you very much for your time and inputs!

:)

 

Sync issues

Hi FaintestRoom26,

I'm sorry to hear that there's issues with the sync button.

I do know that there's an alternative way to sync your controller to the Xbox One.

You can sync your controller by connecting it via USB cable to the Xbox, once plugged in do the hard reset to your console.

Once it's back up try to see if you're able to use your controller wireless, or you can keep it wired.

Here is a link in regards to this as well:
https://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/accessories/connect-a-wireless-controller

 

Sync issues

The sync button on my xbox one x will not work ive tried it all from powering down to the hard reset. Any ideas???

 

Exactly the same problem here. Is your Xbox a Project Scorpio Edition too?

 

There are a lot of people with the same issue. Microsoft: is this something that can be fixed with an update? Or do we need to send our consoles for repair?? HELP!!!!!

 

Thanks a lot for your comment. This is not the Project Scorpio Edition but rather the regular one. You are saying that there are a lot of people with the same issue, yet I could not find a trace of it online. Could you please point me at similar posts?

Update: I went into another store of the chain where I purchased the console from and in front of me they unsealed, unboxed and set up a new unit.
The issue reproduces with the new unit every single time, which is indicative that this is not an isolated issue. I've also contacted Xbox Support over the phone and it appeared as though they are unaware of this issue. This could be attributable to
the fact that there are a lot of those who prefer to set their console to the "Instant-On" mode (in which this issue is nonexistent, it only manifests in Energy Saving mode).

 

I am unwilling to send a newly-bought unit for repair (yielding what would be a refurbished unit at the price of a new one). New units should work properly out-of-the-box and should not require hardware repairs to bring them up to the quality they should
have been shipped in, to begin with. Given the fact that I am still within the bounds of the 14 days period during which I could return the unit for a refund due to a defect, it would be nice to know whether this has any potential of being addressed by software
or firmware means.

 

I’ve already been through three consoles, two Scorpios and a normal. All same problem. This can’t be a streak of bad luck!!! Microsoft please say something!!!

 

Can anyone help with this please?

 

Latest build 1711 did not fix it on Xbox One X

 

I have never tried using the controller in the box but I can say that I have an Xbox One X with a Special Edition Lunar controller which I paired manually when I set up my console. It works fine every time that I turn on my console and I am using Energy
Saving mode. I must admit that I also power my console off at the wall when I am finished with it (if that makes any difference). I will try a controller firmware update tonight and let you know what happens because I haven't updated my controller in ages.

 

Mine is already updated and it didn’t help. But yeah please try that and tell us if it helped. Thanks!

 

Checked earlier but wouldn't let me reply. Turns out that my controller firmware is up to date. This is indeed a very strange issue! I can't remotely think of anything off the top of my head that you haven't already tried but I'll have a think. No doubt
it will be a software-related bug.

 

I agree. It seems like a software bug. But console software more than controller firmware I think.

 

Hi, thanks for writing!

Actually, your findings are not surprising to me. When I was trying to make some sense of this situation, I tested the older an older Xbox One controller (manufactured in 2014) with the Xbox One X – which worked flawlessly (noteworthy
here is the fact that the latest firmware version that is available for the older controller is 2.x, which is different from the Xbox One X model 1708 controller – bearing a firmware version of 3.x). Likewise, in my tests, the Xbox One X controller worked
flawlessly with the good old Xbox One. There is something in the combination of the Xbox One X and controller model 1708 (the one that ships with the Xbox One X, which is essentially the same as the Bluetooth-enabled controller that can be purchased separately)
that is causing this problem.

Moreover, if you turn on the console using the power switch that's on its enclosure – rather than using the controller –
and activate the Xbox One X controller just after the Xbox One X-exclusive 4K intro animation has been played, it syncs without a hitch. However, if you do the same and yet activate the controller almost simultaneously with turning the console itself
on – this issue recurs.

This suggests that turning the console on with using the console's power button – as opposed to the controller – is of no significance here; what's significant is the timing thereof. Get past the 4K intro animation and everything syncs fine (this is also consistent
with the inability to reproduce this issue when "Instant-On" mode is activated, because then the 4K intro animation does not get played back to begin with). Moreover, another interesting factor is that the original Xbox One itself does not have any 4K intro
animation, and is able to sync with this controller perfectly every time.

I've been working in the software industry for over a decade (for most of that time, I was responsible creating interfaces between various software and hardware components). Although this is plain guesswork and speculation, this situation bears high resemblance to
a typical timing issue.

By the way – I, too, can confirm that version 1711 of the operating system had no effect on this issue and as such it still persists. The Xbox Support representatives, on their part, are not aware of this issue and suggest that I send my console in for service.

How could something as fundamental as this be missed during a proper QA/QC procedure is beyond my perception.