Set up the Xbox controller driver
Windows 10 and 11 recognize an Xbox Wireless Controller without a separate driver. Pair it by Bluetooth in Settings. For button mapping and controller updates, install the Xbox Accessories app from Microsoft, which needs a compatible USB-C cable for the Windows version.
Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.
Hardware IDs on this page
| Hardware ID | Device name |
|---|---|
USB\VID_045E&PID_02EA | Xbox One Controller |
USB\VID_045E&PID_02FD | Xbox One S Controller [Bluetooth] |
USB\VID_045E&PID_0B12 | Xbox Controller |
USB\VID_045E&PID_028E | Xbox360 Controller |
Match the first line of Hardware Ids in Device Manager (Properties, Details) against this list. Names come from the public PCI ID Repository.
The short version
What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.
Official files only, nothing bundled
Step by step
Put the controller in pairing mode
Turn the controller on with the Xbox button, then hold the pairing button on top until the logo flashes quickly.
Pair in Windows
Open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Add device, Bluetooth, and select Xbox Wireless Controller.
Test it
Open a game with controller support, or search for Set up USB game controllers in the Start menu and check the buttons.
Install the Xbox Accessories app
Get it from the Microsoft Store. Xbox says it works on Windows 10 and 11 and needs a compatible USB-C cable, sold separately.
Check for updates
Plug the controller in, open the app and follow any update prompt. Keep the cable attached until it finishes.
Run Windows Update
If the controller shows as unknown, check Settings, Windows Update and Optional updates for a driver.
What Windows already does
Xbox says its wireless controller works with Windows PCs, and its page describes a wireless Bluetooth connection to Windows 10 and 11. Windows recognizes it as a game controller, so most players never touch a driver. The Settings app handles pairing, and games read the controller through Windows.
The Xbox Accessories app
The app is where button mapping lives. Xbox’s page notes mapping for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows 10 and 11. The page also says the Windows version of the app needs a compatible USB-C cable. That is why a controller that pairs perfectly over Bluetooth may still need a cable the first time you open the app.
Different controller generations
The USB ID list shows several Microsoft entries: Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox One S over Bluetooth, and a newer plain Xbox Controller. Newer pads share the Microsoft vendor ID 045E but use different product IDs. If Device Manager shows an unknown HID device, the Hardware Ids line tells you which one you have.
Bluetooth trouble
If pairing fails at the first step, the cause is usually the PC’s Bluetooth driver, not the controller. Our Bluetooth guide covers that driver and the Windows 11 fixes.
Questions
Do I need to download an Xbox controller driver?
Xbox lists Windows 10 and 11 as supported, and no separate driver download is named on its page. The Xbox Accessories app is optional.
What does the Xbox Accessories app do?
Xbox's page says button mapping is available through it on Windows 10 and 11.
It connects then disconnects.
Remove the controller in Settings, Bluetooth & devices, then pair it again. Replace the batteries first.
Does an old Xbox 360 pad work?
The public ID list has an Xbox360 Controller entry under Microsoft's ID. Check the Hardware Ids in Device Manager to confirm which pad you have.