Change your Xbox 360 settings

The Xbox 360 Guide lets you access frequently used features, regardless of whether you are playing a game, watching a DVD, or using the Xbox Dashboard.

1. To access the Xbox Guide, press the Guide button on your controller.

2. Now press Y on your controller to go to the Xbox Dashboard. If your Dashboard screen doesn’t look like this, please see Update your Xbox 360 console software.

Note Gameplay may be interrupted if you access the dashboard during a game. After you access the dashboard, you can use the directional pad or the left stick to move through the menu choices that are available.

Set the console language

When you start your Xbox 360 console for the first time, you are prompted to select a language.

To set the default language

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and then select System Settings.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Select Language and Locale.
4. Select Language, and then select the language you want to use.

Set the console locale

To set your locale

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and select System Settings.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Select Language and Locale.
4. Select Locale, and then select the location where you live.

Set the time and date

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and select System Settings.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Select Clock.
4. Change the clock settings.
   

   Note You cannot change the clock settings while you are connected to Xbox LIVE.

   • Date and Time: Set the date and time.
   • Time Format: Choose the 12- or 24-hour clock format.
   • Time Zone: Specify your time zone.
   • Daylight Saving: Choose On if you want your console clock to automatically adjust for Daylight Saving Time.

Change your theme

1. On your console, sign in using your profile.
2. Go to Social, and then select your avatar.
3. Select Change Theme.
4. Select a theme.

Note You can also purchase additional themes from Xbox LIVE. On your console, go to Games, select Browse Games, select Extras, then select Themes.

Select what starts at startup

To choose what starts when you turn on your console

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and select System Settings.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Select Startup and Shutdown.
4. Select Startup.
5. Select from the following startup options:
   
   
   • Disc
     Select Disc if you want the disc in your console to automatically play when you turn on the console.
   • Xbox Dashboard
     Select Xbox Dashboard if you want the dashboard to display when you turn on the console.
   • Windows Media Center
     Select Windows Media Center if you want Windows Media Center to start when you turn on your console.

Turn the console screen saver on or off

When you turn on the screen saver, the screen image becomes darker after 10 minutes of inactivity.

To turn the screen saver on or off

1. Press the Guide button on your controller, go to Settings, and select System Settings.
2. Select Console Settings.
3. Select Display.
4. Select Screen Saver.
5. Select the Enable or Disable.

My dashboard is different than the examples

You might not have the latest version of the console software installed. Please see Update your Xbox 360 console software.

My friends list disappeared

To make your friends list appear

1. Restart your console.
2. Sign in to using Xbox LIVE gamertag.
3. Ask someone from your friends list to delete you from his or her friends list.
4. Send a new friend request to the same person.
5. Sign out of Xbox LIVE, and then sign in to Xbox LIVE again. Your friends list should now appear in the Xbox Dashboard.

The Xbox 360 console lets you customize and manage your family's access to games, movies, and television content. Learn more about the Xbox 360 parental controls.

My console automatically restarts

1. Make sure that the Guide button on the controller and the power button on the console are not pressed, and then restart the console. If these buttons are pressed, they may cause the console to restart.
2. Turn off the console.
3. If you use the Xbox 360 Hard Drive, verify that it is connected correctly. In rare instances, if the Xbox 360 Hard Drive is not attached correctly, the Xbox 360 console may restart over and over for no apparent reason. For more information on how to reseat the Xbox 360 Hard Drive, see Add or remove an Xbox 360 Hard Drive.
4. Restart the console.