Xbox 360 Battery Pack Not Working? – Easy Fix Guide

Is your Xbox 360 battery pack not working? Let us share with you the proven solutions we employed to get it working on your controller again.

A rechargeable battery pack for your Xbox 360 controller is certainly a convenient accessory.

We're certain you've encountered this error if you have the battery pack.

Let’s get down to fixing it!

To fix your Xbox 360 battery pack not working, you want to open up the battery compartment and remove it. Cleaning the contacts is a good start, so make sure you do that with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol. You also want to make sure that the cables are securely connected to your controller and console.

Let’s take a closer look at the different sources of this issue with your battery pack.

We can then move on to the fix guide so you can get it working in a matter of minutes.

Why My Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack Not Working

There are a few culprits you can suspect whenever the battery pack of your Xbox 360 controller fails to work.

You want to check the condition of the battery compartment as the contacts can be rusted over.

You also want to check the cables to make sure it’s not loose or damaged.

Here are the problems that you can expect with your Xbox 360 controller battery pack:

1. Loose Battery Contacts

The contacts between the controller and battery pack should be perfect. If they’re not touching each other, your battery pack won’t be able to power up your controller.

2. Dust And Dirt

Dust and dirt inside your controller’s battery compartment can cause disruptions.

Your battery pack can be affected and will not be able to deliver power to your controller.

3. Cables Are Not Working

You need the cables to recharge your battery pack. If they don’t work, it would be impossible to charge your battery pack for future use.

5. Battery Is Discharged

Your battery pack may be completely discharged. If this is the case, you won’t be able to use it until it starts charging again.

These are all the issues that you can expect when the battery pack of your Xbox 360 stops working.

Let’s jump to the full fix guide so you can start using your controller again.

Xbox 360 Controller Battery Pack Fix

Before we go ahead with the solutions, you want to make sure that the issue isn’t temporary.

Restart your Xbox 360 controller to flush out any system issues and errors that can cause it to stop working.

In the case that a quick reboot of your controller does not resolve the issue, let’s go ahead to the rest of the solutions:

Solution #1: Charge Your Controller Overnight

The battery pack could hold at least 30 hours of game time before you need to charge it.

There are instances when it’s plugged in, but it won’t have a charge. It could be contacts or a software issue, but it’s usually temporary.

The best way to deal with this issue is to leave your controller with the battery pack plugged in, charging for an extended time.

A full charge is achieved at around 4 hours.

To make sure that your battery pack is charged up, we recommend leaving it plugged in for 12 hours. Overnight charging is something you want to consider.

Here’s how to properly charge your controller and battery pack:

1. Make sure your battery pack is inside your controller.
2. Connect your cable to the USB port of your controller.
3. Connect the other end to your Xbox.
4. Switch on your Xbox, so it starts charging your controller.

Tip: As soon as your controller lights up orange to indicate it’s charging, you can now turn off your Xbox.

Solution #2: Clean the Battery Contacts of the Battery Pack

Poor contact between your battery pack and the controller can disrupt the charging process.

If this happens, your battery pack can completely discharge and stop working.

To fix this, you can open up our battery compartment and clean the contacts so the power can flow freely.

There are a few ways to clean the contacts, and here’s the best way to do it:

1. Remove the battery pack from your controller.
2. Get a dry cloth or a cotton swab.
3. Dab a bit of isopropyl alcohol on them.
4. Gently wipe the contacts.

Note: We recommend you don’t use water or other chemicals as these can cause more issues.

Solution #3: Attach the Charging Cables Securely

You want to check your cables if it’s not a charging or battery issue. The cable that connects your controller to your console also acts as a charger when plugged in.

It’s possible that the cable is loose or has damage preventing the connection between your controller and console.

You want to look at the cable and securely attach it to the ports on your controller and console.

Here’s how to attach the charging cable securely:

1. Remove the cable from your Xbox and controller.
2. Connect one end to the USB port of your controller.
3. Connect the other end to your console.
4. Give it a little push to secure the connection.
5. Check if your controller light turns orange to indicate it’s charging.

Note: You can also try using a different cable to confirm that you have a damaged cable issue.

Solution #4: Use Different Batteries

Now that you know it’s not a cable issue, you want to make sure that it’s not your controller.

It’s possible that you are looking at a malfunctioning controller that’s preventing your battery pack from working.

The good news with the Xbox controller is that you have an option for batteries that you can use.

Yes, you can use the rechargeable battery pack, but you can also use AA batteries for your controller.

Here’s how to use different batteries to check for a controller malfunction:

1. Get a pair of AA batteries.
2. Open your controller’s battery compartment.
3. Remove the battery pack and replace it with AA batteries.
4. Turn on your controller to test it.
5. You can also try a different battery pack.

Note: If your controller works with a different battery, your controller is not the problem.

Solution #5: Repeatedly Plug In Your Battery Pack into Your Controller

If you have a dead battery pack and charging it overnight does not resolve the issue, you essentially want to shock it back into life.

There’s a method on how you can successfully do this. It will take a bit, but if you do it right, you can get your battery pack to start charging again.

Before performing this step, you want to ensure that your battery pack is in your Xbox 360 controller. You also need to get your cables ready to can plug your controller into your console quickly.

Here’s how to perform this step successfully:

1. Plug your controller into your Xbox via a USB cable.
2. Open the battery compartment of your controller.
3. Switch on your Xbox and wait for the light on your controller to light up orange.
4. If it changes to green, quickly unplug the battery pack from the controller.
5. Plug the battery pack into your controller again.

Pro Tip: You need to repeat this process until the orange light continues to appear and not turn green right away.

Solution #6: Reset Your Battery Pack Using a Paper Clip

There’s another method you can try that will enable you to reset the battery pack’s internal components.

Using a paper clip, you want to short different contacts on the battery pack that will force it to discharge and reset fully.

Here’s how to do the paper clip method:

1. Get a paper clip and connect the 2nd the 5th contacts.
2. Feel the paper clip. It should get hot.
3. If it doesn’t continue to heat up, it means the battery is discharged.
4. Use the paper clip to connect the 1st and 5th contacts.
5. Then connect the 2nd and 6th contacts.

Note: After performing the process, insert the battery pack into your controller and check if it starts to charge.

That’s it! If these steps do not help you resolve your issue, you’ll need to contact Microsoft support for more technical assistance.

It’s possible that your controller is damaged and it will need repair or replacement.

Read Next: Xbox 360 Power Supply Red Light? – Fixed!

Bottom Line

Now that you know the causes of your Xbox 360 battery pack not working, you can attempt to fix it and get it working in no time.

The solutions we detailed above are straightforward so you don’t need any technical expertise to perform them.