If you’re planning to sell your Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, or if you’re experiencing technical issues, a factory reset might be the solution. This process will erase all data, including your accounts, saved games, settings, and home Xbox associations. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
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What You’ll Need
- A USB flash drive with a minimum 4 GB of space formatted as NTFS
- A PC with Internet access
- Your Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S console
Step 1: Download the Xbox System Update
- On your PC, go to the Xbox System Update page.
- Click on the link to download the Offline System Update file (OSU1).
- Save the .zip file to your PC.
Step 2: Prepare Your USB Drive
- Plug your USB flash drive into a USB port on your PC.
- Format the USB drive as NTFS.
- Extract the contents of the .zip file to the root directory of your flash drive.
Step 3: Install the Update
- Unplug the network cable if you’re using a wired network connection.
- Power off your console, and then unplug the power cord to ensure that the console is completely powered off.
- Wait 10 seconds.
- Plug the power cord back in.
- Plug the flash drive into a USB port on your Xbox console.
- Press and hold the BIND button and the EJECT button, and then press the Xbox button.
- Continue holding the BIND and EJECT buttons for 10-15 seconds.
- Listen for two “power-up” tones a couple of seconds apart. If you’re using an Xbox Series X/S, which doesn’t have an EJECT button, use the PAIR button instead
- Release the BIND and EJECT buttons after the second power-up tone.
- The console should power up and take you directly to the Xbox Startup Troubleshooter.
Step 4: Reset Your Console
- In the Xbox Startup Troubleshooter, use the D-pad and ‘A’ button on your controller to select “Reset this Xbox”.
- When prompted, select “Remove everything”.
- The console will then go through the factory reset process and restart.
Remember, a factory reset will erase all accounts, saved games, settings, and home Xbox associations. Make sure to back up anything you want to save before you begin.
I hope this guide helps! If you have any questions or run into any issues, don’t hesitate to ask.