SHORT ANSWER
Tap the Xbox button on the controller → Choose Profile & System → Settings → System → Console info → Reset Console → Select Reset and remove everything or Reset and keep my games & apps.
Is your Xbox console not working? It might be due to corrupted data, software glitches, or hardware issues. You can try the basic workarounds like restarting or updating your Xbox console. If the problem continues, you can reset your console to factory default settings.
You can reset your console from the settings using a USB flash drive or via a startup troubleshooter. According to your preferences, you can either delete all data or keep the downloaded games and apps.
This guide will explain all steps to reset the firmware of all Xbox models.
What You Should Do Before Resetting your Xbox Console?
The precautious measures that you need to follow before resetting your Xbox console are listed below.
- Back up the data – Connect an empty USB drive to your console → Click the Xbox button on the controller → Select Profile & System → Settings → System → Back up & Transfer → Back up my settings → Follow the on-screen prompts to save the back to the USB drive.
- Remove the Discs – Restart your console, press the Eject button near the disc slot, and remove it.
- Sign Out of Xbox Live Account – Click the Xbox button on the controller → Tap Profile & System → Click Sign Out.
- Remove External Accessories – Remove any storage device connected to your Xbox console before resetting it.
How to Soft Reset Xbox Console
A soft reset is nothing but restarting your Xbox console. Sometimes, the issues on your console can be resolved with a simple restart. Hence, try restarting your Xbox console before resetting it to the factory default settings.
Press and hold the Xbox button on your controller. Then, click on the Restart Console option from the menu that appears. Your Xbox console will restart now. Check if the problem has been resolved. If not, you can proceed with a hard reset.
How to Hard Reset Xbox Console
You can reset your Xbox console to factory default settings in three different ways. Regardless of the method, you need to connect your Xbox console to a stable WiFi network before proceeding with the steps.
From Console
1. Open the guide by clicking the Xbox button on your controller.
2. Select Profile & System and click on the Settings option.
3. Choose System and tap Console info.
4. Click Reset Console and choose from the following options.
- Reset and remove everything: Choosing this option will reset your Xbox console completely by deleting your saved games, account data, customized settings, home Xbox associations, and all installed content.
- Reset and keep my games & apps: You can select this option if you want to reset your console without deleting the games and other installed content. It will only eradicate the error on your console by removing the corrupted data and resetting your console firmware.
- Cancel: If you have changed your mind at the last step, you can just click this button to cancel the Reset and revert back to the previous screen.
Using a USB Flash Drive
You need to use an empty USB flash drive with a minimum storage of 4 GB, and it should be formatted as NTFS.
1. Connect the USB flash drive to the USB port on your Windows PC. Check whether your PC is connected to a stable internet connection.
2. Download the Xbox Factory Reset compressed file on your PC. Open the file from your PC’s File Explorer, right-click on it, and choose Extract all.
3. Copy the $SystemUpdate file to the USB flash drive root directory. Then, eject the drive from your PC.
4. Turn off your Xbox console and disconnect all the cables connected to your console.
5. Plug in the power cable to the power outlet after 30 seconds.
6. Connect the USB drive with the reset file to the console and follow the below steps to force your console to search for the reset file.
- With Eject button – Press and hold the Pair button and Eject button. Then, click the Xbox button on your console.
- Without Eject button – Press and hold the Pair button. Then, click the Xbox button.
7. Continue holding the Pair or Eject for about 10-15 seconds. Release the button when you hear the power-up tones two times.
8. Once your console is restarted, eject the USB flash drive.
9. Reconnect your console to the internet via a wired connection and follow the on-screen prompts to reset your console.
Using Startup Troubleshooter
If you see something went wrong screen on your Xbox console, launch the Start Troubleshooter menu to reset your console. To do so, press the D-pad and the A button on your controller and choose Troubleshoot to launch the menu.
Alternatively, follow the below steps to manually launch the Startup Troubleshooter menu on your console.
1. Turn off your Xbox console and remove all the cables, including the network cable.
2. Wait for a minute and reconnect the power cable to the wall outlet.
3. Long press the Pair and Eject buttons on your console for about 12 seconds. Then, tap the Xbox button on the console once.
Note: If your Xbox console lacks the Eject button, press and hold the Pair and Xbox buttons.
4. Release the buttons when you hear the power-up tone two times.
5. Now, your Xbox console will enter into the Startup Troubleshooter menu. Tap Reset this Xbox to begin the factory reset.
6. When prompted, choose Keep games and apps.
Contact Xbox Customer Support
If your Xbox console shows the same problem even after the factory reset, the hardware might be damaged. You should seek professional help to repair your console rather than doing it manually. You can contact the Xbox support team and ask for a technician appointment. They will fix the issue by