Xbox controller charger: How to charge Series X, Series S or Xbox One controllers

By Joe Julians

Published: Tuesday, 14 December 2021 at 12:00 am

With the launch of the Xbox Series X, a console many people are still struggling to get hold of thanks to the problems with stock, came the launch of a fancy new Xbox Wireless Controller to use.

While the new Xbox controller does not break the mould from what came before, there are some nice changes. It feels better to touch, taking a screenshot or recording a video clip has never been easier, and the joypads move are more freely than they ever did on past versions.

But if you have one, how do you charge it? You have a couple of options to choose from when it comes to Xbox controller chargers! Read on for all the details.

How do you charge an Xbox controller?

"xbox-one-x-controller"

What kind of charger does the Xbox Series X controller use? Let’s get the important detail out of the way first – the gamepad that comes with new Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One consoles does not have a rechargeable battery. Rather, it will come with two standard AA batteries that will eventually run out of juice.

Your Xbox Series X/S controller does have a USB-C port, though, are those connections are becoming the norm for more and more gadgets and devices now, so you should have an extra couple of wires knocking about already. If you run out of battery, then, you can plug the controller directly into your console and use it in a wired way. But it won’t charge up unless you buy an extra product!

Which Xbox controller charger should you buy?

Thinking long-term, if you want to charge your Xbox controller up repeatedly, you will want to invest in a rechargeable battery pack, a controller charging station or some rechargeable AA batteries to put in your controller. Any of those three options will allow you to fulfil all your Xbox controller charging needs.

If you’re wondering, can I charge my Xbox controller with a phone charger? The answer to that question if a yes with caveats. If your phone charges via a USB-C cable, you’ll want to buy an Xbox battery pack (like the one linked below) that also uses USB-C. That’s if you’re dead-set on the idea of using the same charger for both devices.

Xbox has kept it simple by also allowing us to use good old fashioned batteries, and buying rechargeable ones is a very wise idea. We’d argue this option is better than buying a rechargeable battery pack, because actual AA batteries could come in handy for a great number of things besides your controller needs.

We’d recommend the Energizer Recharge Pro, linked below, which can house four AA batteries at a time and generally charges them up pretty quickly. Check out the product, which we’ve been happily using for months, at this link:

Just keep a spare set of batteries in the charger and swap them when the ones you are using run out. That way you will always have a charged pair ready to put in so you will never be caught off guard with a powerless controller.

Have you been wondering, does Xbox Series X have a charging station? The answer to that question is yes, too. There are loads of third-party charging stations listed online, like the one linked below that can juice up two controllers at a time.

There you have it, then – three solid options for Xbox controller charging. And if you’re wondering, do Xbox One controllers work with the Series X? Yes, they do! So you can use your old controllers in much the same way.

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