Xbox 360 wired and wireless controllers

Controller layout and button names

Press and hold the Guide button to turn the console and controller on or off, and press it to access the Xbox Guide (menu of options) when the console is on.

A light surrounds the Guide button on the controller and the power button on the console. When you connect a controller to the console, a section of the light turns green to show that a controller is connected. For example, when you connect the first controller to a console, the top left section lights up:

You can connect up to four controllers to the console. Each controller is assigned to one of the four lighted sections. The first controller connected is assigned the upper-left section, then the upper-right, lower-left, and finally lower-right sections.

The wired Xbox 360 controller cable has an inline release. The inline release on the controller cord is a safety feature designed to reduce the chance of the Xbox 360 console falling if the cord is pulled. You can reduce this risk further by not allowing the controller cables to become tangled.

The expansion port on the Xbox 360 wireless controller lets you connect optional accessories, such as the Xbox 360 Headset.

The Xbox 360 controller for Windows software lets you use a wired Xbox 360 controller with a computer that is running Microsoft Windows. For information about how to do this, see Set up your Xbox 360 controller for Windows. Refer to your game documentation for information about how to configure the controller for a specific game.