Microsoft is not having a good week with its Xbox firmware updates. Just hours after the latest Xbox Insider update reportedly reverted consoles back to their factory settings, Microsoft has acknowledged that the new firmware for Xbox wireless controllers has caused some problems with Bluetooth connectivity and performance.
In an update on the Xbox support site, Microsoft specifies that the Xbox wireless controllers firmware update is specifically causing some issues with “older non-Xbox devices.” Microsoft’s suggestion is that if players are having trouble with their controller’s Bluetooth connectivity, then they should revert the controllers to a previous firmware. A follow-up message on social media indicates that Xbox Support is looking for a more permanent solution.
We are aware of an issue with the Xbox Wireless Controller 5.23.5.0 firmware update. Our teams are actively working on a solution. In the meantime, players can revert their controller’s firmware by following the steps provided on Xbox Support: https://t.co/JkGBDUCaR8
— Xbox Support (@XboxSupport) March 6, 2025
As annoying as that issue may be, it pales in comparison to the adverse effects of the Xbox Insider update. Users are reporting that the firmware did not erase the games that they had downloaded on their consoles, but everything else was essentially starting over from scratch. Ironically, that Insider update was meant to fix a minor issue regarding the way players view their Xbox profiles. Entirely erasing those profiles was an unintended consequence.
That issue shouldn’t affect players who aren’t a part of the Xbox Insider program. For players who are in the program, they can choose to leave the preview. Presumably the final version of Xbox Insider won’t have the same issues, but the program is still in its testing phase.