Xbox controllers face a lot more abuse than gaming keyboards and mice. However, with that being said, even after facing a lot of bangings, drops, seat, hand grease, and all that pressure, these controllers tend to work correctly even after years of use.
However, in some odd cases, when an Xbox controller isn’t able to take it anymore, some random issue may pop up in the form of a stuck joystick, malfunctioning d-pad, damaged grip covers, inoperable audio jack, nonfunctional rumble motors, stuck /inoperable buttons, and more.
Although some of these issues may require professional help, a number of them can be fixed right at home. For example, you need to take apart your Xbox one controller.
Taking apart an Xbox one controller might sound like a big deal, but it isn’t. All you need is a common tool kit that almost every household has. If you do not have one, go out right away and get one. Whether you get it from a store or a friend, that’s up to you. Moving on!
Things to know before you take apart your Xbox One Controller
Taking apart video game controllers or any other complicated device is not a simple thing. One wrong move or one missing part, and you will mess up your device. Here are some things you must know if you are planning to disassemble your Xbox One Controller:
Plan when you wish to disassemble your Xbox One controller
is going to require a lot of time as well as patience. So plan a time to take apart your controller so that you do not have to leave an open controller unattended.
Take Extra Caution
Be extremely careful and extra cautious with the steps. Before making a move, be sure of what you are doing. And you don’t want to lose even a single piece of the device, such as a screw or other components.
Prepare well in advance
It would help if you were well prepared with a place to take apart your Xbox One Controller along with all the necessary tools.
The most preferred place to carry out this gig would be a well-lit, clean, wide table. Also, keep a couple of containers ready to prevent screws from falling or getting lost.
What are the tools required to take apart an Xbox One Controller?
You will not be able to take apart your Xbox Controller without the help of specialized tools. Let us look at the tools you will need for this.
- A pry tool
- A screwdriver set
- Tweezers
How to take apart an Xbox One Controller explained step-by-step
Now that you are ready with all the tools let us go through the steps to disassemble an Xbox One controller.
Step 1: Exposing the hidden security screws inside the Xbox One controller
On the very first view, you will not find any screws or openings visible on the controller. So you got to begin by taking off the grip covers of the Xbox One controller. Next, you will notice a plastic seam around the controller grips.
Use the prying tool to split open the seam on one side of the controller housing. Once you see that you have made enough gap, keep the prying tool aside and use your hands.
As shown in the picture above, use your hands to split open the controller grip cover. You may have to apply more pressure and more force as an adhesive holds the components together.
Now do the same and take apart the controller grip from the other side. This is how your controller should look with both the covers off.
Step 2: Unscrewing the screws
Next up, take off the battery cover from your Xbox One Controller.
Now, begin removing the screws from the controller, one at a time. Begin from the top right screw.
Unscrew the screw at the bottom right of the controller.
Now take out the screw on the bottom left side. Then the one on the top left.
The screw you are about to take out is present inside the battery compartment, hidden by the caution sticker inside.
Use your finger to feel where the hidden screw is inside the battery compartment, then poke a hole right through the sticker with the help of the screwdriver and start unscrewing.
Step 3: Stripping down the Xbox One controller body
You are almost done with taking apart your Xbox One Controller by unscrewing the five security screws.
Once you take out all the screws as mentioned earlier, you will be able to separate the upper and lower body casings of your Xbox One Controller.
The best way to do this is to lift the back panel and keep it aside. Then, go ahead and lift up the main controller body to separate it from the controller’s face.
This is what the circuit board assembly or the controller body of the Xbox One Controller looks like. You can see the sticks, D-pad, D-pad ring, and other controller components here without the cover.
Step 4: Taking off the analog sticks of the Xbox One Controller
Now, analog sticks are the ones that go bad often. So if you are wondering how to take them out, see below.
You need to grab the analog stick and carefully pull it off. That’s it. Similarly, you can pull off the other analog stick from the Xbox One controller body.
Step 5: Fixing unruly D-pad
If the D-pad of your Xbox One controller doesn’t work great and you want to fix it, you will first need to take off the D-pad ring. Let us see how to do this.
Use a pair of tweezers to remove the D-pad ring from its housing.
Once the D-pad ring is out, place it on a flat surface and use the tweezers again to lift the arms of the ring (see above) a bit. Again, do not apply excessive pressure while pulling, but enough to lift them slightly.
If this solution for your Xbox One controller works for you, then all good; else, you can order a new d-pad ring and replace the older one.
Once done, go ahead and reassemble your Xbox One controller. All you need to do is follow the above-given steps in reverse order and put back the five screws in their place.
Note: Do not forget to put back and tighten the screw in the battery housing.
Closing words
I hope you were able to disassemble your Xbox One controller with the help of this illustrative article. We recommend doing self-diagnosis only for minor issues. If you think the issue is major, you must contact Xbox customer support.
