Xbox Adaptive Controller: what it does and how to set it up

Set it up, step by step

1. Charge the controller with the included USB-C cable plugged into your Xbox or PC. The battery light flashes while charging and turns solid white when full.
2. To pair with an Xbox Series X|S wirelessly, press the Xbox button to open the guide and go to Profile & system > Settings > Devices & connections > Controllers & headsets. When the Xbox Accessories app opens, select Connect a device and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Alternatively, turn the controller on with its Xbox button, press and hold the Pair button on the console, then press and hold the raised Pair button on the back of the controller until the Xbox button stays lit.
4. To use a USB-C cable instead, plug the cable into the back of the controller and into the console. It is detected and charged automatically.
5. On a Windows PC, connect with the USB-C cable if you want to create profiles: Microsoft states that the Configure option in the Xbox Accessories app is disabled over wireless and Bluetooth.
6. Open the Xbox Accessories app (on Xbox: Xbox button > My games & apps > See all > Apps > Xbox Accessories; on Windows: search for Xbox Accessories from Start).
7. Scroll to the Xbox Adaptive Controller and select Configure, then select New profile and give it a name.
8. Select Edit. In the Mapping tab, choose a button or input, select Primary and pick the function you want it to perform. Select Ok to confirm.
9. Back out with the B button to save. To keep a profile on the controller, assign it to one of three slots and switch between them with the Profile button.

Where it works

A tour of the controller's buttons and ports

Microsoft's support pages describe the controller face by face:

• Top face: the Xbox button (top left), View and Menu buttons, a battery light, a Profile button, a D-pad, and two large buttons that act as A and B by default.
• Back edge: the raised Pair button, then 19 3.5mm jacks, one for each of Y, X, B, A, right stick click, right bumper, right trigger, left trigger, Menu, View, X2, X1, Xbox, left bumper, left stick click and the four D-pad directions. Then the USB-C power port and a round DC power port.
• Sides: a USB 2.0 port on each side for joysticks or gamepads, and a 3.5mm stereo headset jack on the left.
• Underneath: two 10-24 screw holes for AMPS mounts and a ¼-20 hole for tripods.

The large buttons can be remapped, so they do not have to stay as A and B.

Which switches, buttons and joysticks plug in

The controller accepts two connection types. The 3.5mm jacks take most digital switches and buttons, which register simply on or off. Analogue devices, which register a range of values, work in the left trigger, right trigger, X1 and X2 jacks. Microsoft explains that X1 and X2 are catch-all ports: an analogue joystick in X1 becomes the left stick, and in X2 the right stick, while a digital button in either defaults to a stick direction that you can change in the Accessories app.

The two USB 2.0 ports accept HID joysticks or HID gamepads to stand in for the left and right sticks. Microsoft says the controller can detect up to 12 buttons, a hat switch and two joysticks from each device, but cannot detect the right stick on HID gamepads. If a USB device is connected, it takes priority over an analogue stick in the matching X1 or X2 jack.

Microsoft mentions the Xbox Adaptive Joystick and the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro as examples that work with the controller. Before buying switches, a specialist charity can help you work out which types suit you: see our UK support page.

Profiles, remapping and stick sensitivity in the Accessories app

The Xbox Accessories app is where you decide what every input does. You can store up to three profiles in the controller's slots and switch between them with the Profile button; when no bars are lit, the controller is using default mapping, which cannot be changed.

Besides swapping one button for another, the app supports:

• Keyboard keys, with Shift, Ctrl, Alt and Win modifiers, for PC games (USB or Xbox Wireless Adapter only);
• Mouse movement and mouse buttons from a connected joystick on PC over USB;
• Stick directions as buttons, so pushing a joystick up can act like a button press;
• Stick sensitivity presets named Default, Delayed, Aggressive, Instant and Smooth, plus curve and dead-zone calculation options;
• Button brightness for the Xbox button light.

One detail catches people out: when you remap a button, every input with the same value follows it. Microsoft's example is that remapping D-pad down on the face also remaps the D-pad down 3.5mm jack.

Shift, toggle holds and Controller Assist

Shift lets one input act as a modifier. While you hold it, other buttons and sticks switch to their second function. Microsoft gives the example of using one stick for movement and, with Shift held, for looking around. Shift itself is not a toggle by default, but you can select Enable toggle hold for Shift so it latches.

Toggle hold works on any button or port: press once to hold, press again to release, similar to Sticky Keys on a keyboard.

Xbox Controller Assist (formerly Copilot) links two controllers so the game sees one. You might pair the Adaptive Controller with a standard controller and use whichever is easier for each input, or let a friend take some controls. Turn it on from Profile & system > Settings > Accessibility > Controller > Xbox Controller Assist settings. Microsoft notes that remaps apply only to the controller they are set on and do not carry across to the other controller in Controller Assist.

Power, charging and mounting options

The controller charges through its USB-C port from an Xbox or PC, which detect it automatically. The battery light on the top face flashes while charging and turns solid white when it is full. If the controller does not turn on, Microsoft's first suggestion is to charge it.

A separate round DC power port on the right end takes an AC adaptor, sold separately. Microsoft says this adaptor is required if you connect one or more high-powered USB devices, giving the QuadStick as an example.

For positioning, the underside has two 10-24 screw holes for AMPS-compatible mounts and a central ¼-20 screw hole for tripod mounts. That lets the controller sit on a desk, lap tray or wheelchair mount, with switches placed separately wherever they are easiest to reach. Because the controller's own buttons and the external switches can be remapped independently, you can leave the controller out of reach and play entirely through external devices if that suits you.

Common setup problems and where to get help

If the controller will not turn on, charge it first. If Windows lists it as "Xbox Wireless Controller", that is normal according to Microsoft. If you cannot edit profiles on PC, check that you are connected by USB-C rather than Bluetooth. If external switches do nothing, check whether a profile has remapped that jack, and update the firmware: in the Accessories app, find the controller and select More (…), then the update if one is offered.

Microsoft runs an Xbox Disability Answer Desk for accessibility questions. For hands-on advice on setups in the UK, Microsoft's own pages point to SpecialEffect. For console-wide settings that work alongside the controller, see our Xbox accessibility settings guide and the motor and mobility guide.

Tips that save time

• Map your inputs on paper first: list the controls a game needs, then decide which switch or joystick will handle each one.
• Use the left and right triggers or the X1 and X2 jacks for analogue devices; most other 3.5mm jacks accept digital (on/off) inputs only.
• If you plug an analogue joystick into X1 it acts as the left stick; in X2 it acts as the right stick.
• Toggle hold makes a button stay pressed after one press, which can replace long trigger holds.
• Shift gives every button a second function while a chosen Shift button is held, useful for one-handed setups.
• If you connect high-powered USB devices such as a QuadStick, Microsoft says you need the separate AC adaptor.
• Remaps made in the Accessories app are invisible to games, so on-screen prompts may still show the original button.

Questions people ask

Does the Xbox Adaptive Controller work on PC?

Yes. It connects to Windows 10 and 11 by USB-C, Xbox Wireless or Bluetooth. To create profiles in the Xbox Accessories app on PC, it must be connected by USB (or the Xbox Wireless Adapter).

Do I need to buy switches to use it?

It has two large buttons and a D-pad built in, but most setups add external switches or joysticks through its 3.5mm and USB ports.

How many profiles can it store?

Three, in slots you switch between with the Profile button. You can create more profiles in the app and assign them to slots when needed.

Do I need a disability to use it?

No. Microsoft says the controller is for everyone, although it was designed primarily for players with limited mobility.