Imagine you have your friends over for a game or ten of FIFA. The competition is getting fierce, and things are heating up. But right when you get to the final, your Xbox One hangs because it has become hotter than the contest itself.
This scenario becomes even worse when you are finally about to beat the most demanding boss in Elden Ring in your 50th attempt, and you face the Xbox one overheating problem.
If you are a fan of Xbox One X, the chances are that you have faced overheating issues more than once. It might be one of the most popular gaming consoles globally, but it’s still just a machine!
But don’t worry. This article will tell you all about the Xbox one overheating and turning off issue–what causes it and how to fix it.
Xbox One: An overview
Launched in 2013, Xbox One was supposed to be the perfect successor to Xbox 360. The ‘One’ in its name suggests that it’s an ‘all in one’ entertainment device. It has a sleek controller design and much better performance than its predecessors.
To prevent overheating, Microsoft added its cooling system to the console. But even after that, the console still heats mid-games causing immense frustration to gamers.
The overheating can cause the game to lag, and eventually, the console shuts down to cool off.
What causes the overheating issues?
Hot weather
Sweltering summer heat is not just bad for you; it’s terrible for your Xbox. If you stay in an area where the high environmental temperature, your Xbox One X will face more overheating problems. Keep your room cool with air conditioning, and make sure the console is not kept in direct sunlight.
The cooling fan is being blocked
As mentioned above, the cooling system prevents Xbox One from overheating. The cooling fans are central to that system. It regulates the temperature of the console. If something obstructs it, the chances are that your console will overheat. Stuff like dust particles, debris, etc., can cause this issue. Clear out to dust block to address Xbox One X overheating issue.
Overusing the Xbox
It’s fun to play all day, but it does take a toll on your console. Especially if you are playing graphically intensive games for long hours, they put a lot of pressure on the Xbox. When this happens, give your gaming a break and maybe grab a snack or something.
Poor ventilation/blocked exhaust grills
If you keep your Xbox One surrounded by walls or covered by a sheet, the ventilation suffers. The exhaust grills need proper airflow to stay calm otherwise overheating issues will occur.
Thermal lubricant needs replacing
Your processor is covered with a thermal paste that helps prevent the overheating issue. It would help if you kept reapplying every 2-3 years, depending upon performance and usage. If it’s not replaced on time, it can cause Xbox One X overheating issues.
How to fix Xbox One overheating issue
Now that we know the reasons behind your console overheating, we can look at relevant solutions. Below are some of them:
Keep the exhaust grill and side panels clean
As mentioned above, your exhaust grill needs room to ventilate and keep the device cool. Keeping the exhaust grill and side panels clean is essential.
Here’s how you can do that:
- Shut down your console and unplug it (make sure you switch off the power supply)
- Turn the console around and look for the exhaust grills
- Use a cloth and clean it properly
- Then, locate the side panels. You won’t be able to use a cloth here because of the tiny holes, so you can blow air into it to clear out the dust particles
Regularly clean the exhaust grill and side panels to avoid the same issue of overheating in your Xbox console.
Make sure your Xbox One has proper ventilation
The first point to note here is that you should never cover your console with a cloth or sheet while you are using it. Instead, keep it uncovered and give it room to breathe.
Change its position if you feel a wall or other obstruction is too close to the Xbox One. The best position for it is on a table. You shouldn’t face the ventilation system problem if you keep it at a decent height.
Also, make sure that you don’t pack the Xbox One X immediately once you are done gaming. Instead, let it cool down for some time and keep it at its usual place.
Choose the area carefully
It’s easy to follow your convenience while deciding where you want to keep your Xbox One console. However, you have to keep a lot of factors in mind.
First and foremost, avoid direct sunlight on your console. If direct sunlight is falling on it, the heating issue will worsen. Keep your console in a calm and dark place to fix Xbox One overheating problem.
If you live in a city where environmental temperatures are scorching, wait till the sun goes down to begin gaming. Otherwise, use an air conditioner that can significantly decrease the surrounding temperatures in such a situation.
Another point to remember is that you should always keep the power supply on a cold and hard surface. Avoid putting it on soft furniture or stuff like sofas, beds, pillows, etc.
It would help if you also ensured that the Xbox One X console is kept far from other electronic devices that generate heat. These can be laptops, CPUs, speakers, etc.
Clear out some space
When the Xbox’s memory is almost full, the processors need to work harder to ensure decent performance. This leads to more heat. If you don’t want to delete your favorite games, you can delete persistent storage to clear out some space.
Here’s how to do that:
- Press the Xbox button on the controller
- Go to Settings and choose Devices and Connections
- Scroll down to the BLU-RAY options and click on Persistent Storage
- Finally, press: Clear persistent storage
- See if your Xbox is working correctly now
Get a new thermal lubricant
If your Xbox One’s thermal paste has been used up, it will heat up more often. Get a new thermal paste to replace the older one. It’s better to get a professional to replace it for you, but if you want to seek adventure, here’s how you can do it:
- Unplug Xbox One from the power supply
- Remove the console’s cover
- Uncover the processor
- Apply the paste to it
Get a new cooling system
One way to fix Xbox One overheating issue is to replace its cooling system. However, this is a complicated task and can only be done at the service center.
The problem might be in the cooling fan, Xbox One heat sink, or other components. In some cases, the entire cooling system will be replaced.
Once you have a new cooling system, the heat produced should be drastically reduced.
Replace the power supply unit
If the solutions mentioned above don’t work, you might need a new power supply system. Several external factors like voltage fluctuation, current flow, and more contribute to its malfunction.
Summary
We hope the above methods will help you fix Xbox One overheating issue and get back to playing games smoothly.
Regular maintenance is essential to make consoles work correctly and not heat up. Keep your Xbox One clean, use an air conditioner if the environmental temperature turns too high, always keep a check on the heat generated by it, and GAME ON!
