Microsoft Reveals Secret Xbox Wireless Controller Feature
- Paul Thurrott
- Feb 09, 2021
-
5
A Microsoft employee revealed on Twitter that the new wireless controllers for the Xbox Series X|S have a secret feature to more easily move them between devices.
“Using your Xbox Series X|S controller with console and PC/mobile for Xbox Game Pass frequently?” Microsoft’s Timo Wolf tweeted. “Xbox Series X|S controllers can memorize sync! Hold ‘sync’ to recall last mobile/PC device (flashing 2-3x). Double-tap ‘sync’ to switch back to your Xbox (flash once).”
Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox
Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!
"*" indicates required fields
That’s a cool little tip, and while I did try to clean up some of the Twitterese in that quote to make it more readable, here’s my own pass at how this device switching works.
Normally, you press and hold on the controller’s Sync button to sync it with an Xbox console or whatever other device. But now the controller will remember the previously-synced device when you sync it with a new device. So you can switch the controller between the two devices more easily now than with previous generation consoles. (Where a new sync was required each time.)
I found out about this tip through Polygon. Hey, it was new to me.