Once you're ready to start playing, check out our favorite PC games. For more controller advice, check out our guide on how to choose the right controller for your PC.

We also have tips for connecting Nintendo Switch and PS4/5 controllers to your PC. How to Connect Other Game Controllers to PC The good news is that you can use 8Bitdo's Ultimate Software to customize and tweak your gamepad's controls, which the standard Bluetooth connection doesn't allow. However, it uses Bluetooth and not Microsoft's proprietary wireless connection, so the headset jack won't work as expected. You can also use an 8bitdo USB Wireless Adapter to connect your Xbox gamepad. The headset jack is also enabled if you use the adapter, with adjustable settings in the Xbox app. If you can get one, it'll let you use up to eight gamepads with the adapter, while Microsoft recommends using just one at a time with Bluetooth. You can still find it online for around $40 to $75 rather than its original $25 price, but good luck tracking it down. Unfortunately, this adapter is long out of stock. All you need to do is plug in the dongle and pair it to your controller just as if you were pairing your Xbox, pressing the Pairing button on each device. It's a USB dongle designed to connect directly to your Xbox gamepad without any Bluetooth setup or pairing. If you have an older Xbox One controller, or you just want to use your newer one with Microsoft's proprietary wireless connection instead of Bluetooth (and get headset connectivity), you need to get an Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10. Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With a USB Adapter Although you can use a wired gaming headset with the gamepad and its associated game system, audio isn't sent through the jack when it's connected to a PC via Bluetooth. However, you can't use the headset jack on the gamepad, just like Sony's DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers. You can now use the Xbox Wireless Gamepad with your PC, and play the vast majority of modern games that support controllers. Click 'Xbox Wireless Controller.' Wait until the Guide button is solid white, and the Bluetooth menu says the controller is connected.Click 'Add Bluetooth or other Device' and select Bluetooth.Right-click the Bluetooth icon in your system tray.Hold the Pairing button for three seconds until the Guide button flashes.Hold the Guide button to turn on the controller.You also need a Bluetooth USB dongle if your PC doesn't have Bluetooth. If you're connecting the controller to a Windows 10 PC, you need to go through some menus. If you're connecting the controller to a console, you hold the Pairing button on the system itself. You activate the controller by holding down the Guide button, then hold the Pairing button for three seconds until the Guide button flashes. Pairing the Xbox controller with your PC over Bluetooth is almost the same as pairing it with your Xbox One or Xbox Series. Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With Bluetooth That's it! It will automatically configure under Windows 10 and 11, and work with virtually any game on your PC. Plug one end of your USB-to-micro USB or USB-to-USB-C (depending on the version of controller) cable into the controller.This is simple, but you do need a physical cable connecting the controller to your PC. Connect Your Xbox Controller to PC With a Wire If it has a small, rectangular Capture button between the Menu and View buttons, and a USB-C port on the top instead of micro USB, it's a current Xbox Series controller, and also has Bluetooth. If it's the same plastic as the bumper buttons, with a seam between the Guide button and the controller's face, it's a non-Bluetooth gamepad. If it's the same plastic as the face of the controller, without any seams, you have a Bluetooth gamepad. If you have an older Xbox One gamepad, you must look at the plastic surrounding the Guide button. If you have an older Xbox One gamepad, check the area around the Guide button. You can still use one with your PC, but the process is different you must get a wireless dongle. This is fine for Xbox consoles, but not for PCs. Original Xbox One controllers lack Bluetooth connectivity, and rely specifically on Xbox's wireless communication standard.

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