Sometimes you will need to reset your Xbox Series X. The reason may be different: from selling to getting a black screen or freezing. This process is quick and easy if you know what to do. A factory reset may help to solve many problems like crashes, glitches, freezes, black screens, controllers not working, etc.
There are 4 ways to reset your Xbox Series X:
- Soft reset (Restart)
- Hard reset
- Factory reset
- Factory Reset with USB
How to Soft reset or restart an Xbox Series X
Restarting is mean the same as a soft reset.
There are two ways to restart an Xbox Series X: Using Power Center or via Guide
To restart with Power center you need:
- Activate Power Centre by holding the Xbox button on the controller.
- Select Console Restart from the menu.
- Select and press the Restart option.
To restart Xbox X by using the Guide you need:
- Press the Xbox button on the controller.
- To access the power settings, go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power mode & startup.
- Click the button Restart now
How to Hard Reset Your Xbox Series X
You can do this process when your Xbox is frozen.
Press and hold the Xbox button on the front of the console for about 10 seconds or until the system is off. To make sure it clears out all caches, after performing the shutdown, unplug the power cable for about 30 seconds and plug it in.
You can do a hard reset also via the menu:
Settings > General > Power mode & startup and choose Full shutdown.
How to Factory Reset an Xbox Series X
Open the Xbox Guide. To do it you need to press the Xbox button.
Select Settings — scroll over to the Profile & system tab
Choose the System tab from the left sidebar, followed by Console info.
Finally, choose the Reset console entry.
Factory reset in Xbox Series X has 2 options:
- Full erase all data (we recommend doing it if you want to sell your gadget or all other methods do not help to solve your problems). To restore your personal settings and info you will need to connect to the internet and log in to your account.
- Reset and save your data (settings, game, personal info.) Try to use this method first. After the reset, connect your console to the internet and it will sync with Xbox Live and all your info and settings will restore from the server.
Xbox Series X factory reset USB
In the situation where you have a black screen or freeze and you can’t access the menu, you can do a factory reset on your Xbox Series X using a USB drive.
1. You need the flashcard at least 4GB (Format it first as NTFS)
2. Download the Xbox Restore Factory Defaults file from Microsoft. Unzip it and copy all files to the root directory of the flash drive.
3. Unplug any wired connection in the console.
4. Plug the USB drive into the console.
5. To read from the USB you need to hold both the Pair and Eject buttons on the console, then press the Xbox button on the front of the console. On the original model Xbox Series X, the Pair button is on the left side of the console.
6. After you press the Xbox button to turn the system on, continue holding Pair and Eject (or only Pair for the digital consoles) for 10-15 seconds. Listen for two power tones while you do this; you can release the buttons after you hear the second sound. If you don’t hear two tones within 15 seconds, or you hear a power-down sound, the process has failed and you need to try again.
7. When the console restarts, you can remove your flash drive. After it completes the process, your Xbox will be completely reset.
How to Reset an Xbox Series X Controller
If you have problems with your Xbox Series X controller, you can reset it too. Press and hold the Xbox button on the controller for several seconds to shut it down. You’ll know it’s shut off when the light under the Xbox button goes off. You can turn it back on by pressing the Xbox button again.