Your Xbox Controller can learn a new trick

It might be worth updating your controller’s firmware especially if you use it on your Xbox and another device. The new trick is that you can pair the controller with two different devices. One device must be your Xbox, the other any other compatible Bluetooth host. Then simply double-tap the controller’s pair button to change which device the controller is attached to. It’s genuinely quite seamless.

How to check for firmware updates

On your Xbox you can go to Settings > Devices & Connections > Accessories then select the controller you wish to update, go to the … button, then the top button will indicate if an update is available.

How to pair a second device

Simply pair it as you usually would for your particular device by scanning for Bluetooth devices on the device you’re pairing with, then holding the pair button on your controller for a couple of seconds until the Xbox logo flashes.

Limitations

One of the two devices must be your Xbox, when you bind any other non-Xbox device it will always remember the Xbox and the new device paired. For example, I paired my controller to my Xbox and my PC. Then I paired my controller to my phone. The controller forgot my PC. Pairing the device back to my PC my phone would be forgotten.