Why does my Xbox One keep turning off?

If you’ve been playing your Xbox One, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X for years, you might have noticed some issues with the console. Specifically, your Xbox One might keep turning itself off.

Sometimes it might switch off straight away when you press the power button. Sometimes it’ll let you play a game for a while before turning itself off. And, some days, it will be completely random as to when it turns off.

However it happens, it can be extremely frustrating if your Xbox One keeps shutting off. Now, this might mean you need to talk to Xbox Support, but there are a few things you can try before that.

Why does my Xbox One keep turning off randomly?

Short answer: It’s usually a heat-related problem

If your Xbox One is shutting off soon after turning it on, the first thing to check (as with most hardware issues) is the power cord. Is it plugged in fully, does it have any visible damage, and does it have any bends in it?

If you find anything wrong with it, replace the cable and see if your problems go away. Also, try using a different power socket. The metal springs inside sockets loosen in time, and this could be causing the issue.

If you notice your Xbox One console is shutting off randomly, make sure that there’s enough of an air gap between the top of your console and whatever is above it.

An inch or more is a good amount of space, so if there’s something sitting right on top of the console or if the shelf above is too close – move things around.

The vents for the fan inside your Xbox One are on the top of the console, so anything blocking this can lead to overheating.

READ MORE: Can you install games while your Xbox One is off?

If you get a message on your Xbox saying the console is getting improper ventilation, turn it off, wait one hour, move the console to a well-ventilated area, and turn it on.

Then look for telltale dust build-up around the vents on your Xbox One. If you see some, you’ll have to clean it off, or possibly even replace the fan. Here’s a guide on how to disassemble your Xbox One so you can clean the fan.

If all else fails, you may need to contact Xbox Support

While overheating may be the most common reason why your Xbox One keeps shutting itself off, there are other possible culprits to your problem. There could be corrupted data or your power supply itself might be on the way out.

If none of these options fix your problem, you can check out Xbox’s support page on the topic here. One additional tip provided, is to make sure you don’t have your Xbox set to automatically turn off.

Finally, if your Xbox One is still turning off randomly at this stage, it’s time to talk to Xbox Support, who might ask you to send your console in for repairs.

What do you think? Have you had any issues with your Xbox One turning off? What did you do? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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