Why does my Xbox One turn on by Itself? Steps to Fix it

Does your Xbox One turn on and then off by itself even in entirely irrelevant situations? That could be super scary and surprising when it happens when you never expected it to. 

Why does my Xbox One turn on by Itself? Steps to Fix This Issue

If your Xbox One randomly turning itself on every once in a while, there are few issues that could be causing this. Here’s how to fix it.

Why does my Xbox One turn on by itself?

Power button sensitivity

The original Xbox One comes with a capacitive power button rather than a physical one. This means that it actually senses your finger to turn on the console instead of a push-button. There are a number of factors that may activate the power button on Xbox One including an accidental touch.

The gaming console can also be activated by dust particles, debris, or other materials. If this is an issue, it should be fixed by simply wiping the front of your console using a microfiber cloth.

Xbox One controller fault

Considering your Xbox One console can be turned out using the controller, it might be activating the console especially if your controller is faulty or malfunctioning.

You can easily test your controllers by removing the batteries for some time to observe whether the issue persists. You should also make sure that the Xbox button on your controller isn’t stuck down.

HDMI controls

HDMI Consumer Electronic Controls (HDMI-CEC) allows a TV set to control HDMI devices including your Xbox One console. Due to this, your gaming console may turn on every time someone turns on the television.

If your television supports the HDMI feature, it is likely that your Xbox One constantly turns on when not required. Fortunately, you can easily fix this issue by disabling the HDMI-CEC feature from your TV’s settings.

If you aren’t sure how to access this setting, you might need to go through the user manual or contact your TV manufacturer. This is because the exact process to change these settings differ for brands.

Cortana could be an issue

Microsoft’s virtual assistant Cortana could be another common reason your Xbox One randomly boots up. So, if you have it enabled on your Xbox, it will likely pick up some random conversation from a room or TV, and think that you have instructed it to turn on the console.

Instant-on mode

If you have instant-on mode enabled on your Xbox-One, the console doesn’t fully shut down. Instead, it enters a low power mode. You can always disable this feature using these steps:

Step 1: Press ‘Guide’ on the controller.

Step 2: Go to ‘System’ and click on the ‘Settings’ option.

Steps 3: Navigate to ‘Power & startup’ and select ‘Power mode’.

Step 4: Click on ‘Energy saving’ and restart your Xbox.

System updates

Your Xbox console may also automatically boot up to download and install the latest system updates. Make sure that your console is always up to date or simply disable automatic updates to avoid the issue.

Read Also: Xbox One Controller Not Working?

How to Fix it

Why does my Xbox One turn on by Itself?

Clean your console: 

Wipe down the front of your console and ensure you do so near the Xbox power toggle. Usually, the Xbox-One is designed in such a way that there is no physical button and the power toggle logo indicates where you turn it from. Thanks to that, the button is triggered even with the slightest touch or static discharge, hence turning your Xbox One on without your knowledge.

Kinect: 

Also if you have a Kinect, then it could be the source of the problem because it is designed in such a way that it detects motion or words related to the X-box One. Therefore, saying words such as “Xbox,” “hey Cortana” or any other words associated with Xbox One, then the Kinect automatically turns on your Xbox as it is designed to do. A Kinect is highly sensitive, and any other words or phrases related to Xbox might cause it turn on your device.

To disable this, visit the settings page, go to

  • Power and startup
  • Next on select power mode & start up and then turn on the disable wake up box by saying Hey Cortana or Xbox on button and you will be good to go

Controller: 

Your Xbox-One controller could also be the problem. Remove the batteries from it and see if the problem persists.

TV Brand:

Some television brands such as Samsung automatically turn your X-box One on if you turn them on. That is thanks to the HDMI-CEC option. If this is the case, all you need to do is turn off this option.

Other Solutions 

  • Try changing your power outlet, for instance, if you have plugged it in on a power extension then change it to the main socket and observe whether you will experience the problem.
  • Reboot your Xbox One by pressing the power button on the front of the device for around ten seconds and then unplug from the power supply for ten more seconds.
  • Ensure you have installed all Xbox updates.

Turning Off Xbox One’s Instant-On Feature

When you turn your Xbox One off, it may seem like it’s actually turning off, but it probably isn’t. By default, the Xbox One is designed to enter a low power mode when you turn it off, which allows it to power back up very quickly. This instant-on feature allows you to turn the console on with voice commands, and it also enables automatic updates.

The problem with the instant-on feature is that sometimes you don’t want your Xbox One to turn on by itself. It also uses a small amount of electricity, even when you aren’t using the console. It isn’t a lot, but leaving this feature on all the time will cost you money over time.

Here’s how to disable the instant-on feature:

  1. Press the Guide button on your controller.

  2. Navigate to System > Settings.

  3. Navigate to Power & startup > Power mode & startup.

  4. Select Power mode.

  5. Select Energy-saving.

  6. Restart your console.

Xbox One Automatic Updates Turning Your Console On

One of the reasons the instant-on feature exists is that it allows your Xbox One to automatically download updates when you aren’t using the console. This can save you a lot of time since updates are already good to go when you turn your console on.

The problem is that having your Xbox One turn on by itself can be more than a little strange, especially when it happens late at night in an otherwise silent house.

Xbox One Automatic Updates Turning Your Console On

It’s even worse if you’re fast asleep in the same room as the console, and the sound of the fan whirring to life causes you to wake up to a room that’s illuminated by the ghostly glow of the X-box One power button.

If you disable the instant-on feature, then your Xbox can’t turn itself on to download automatic updates. So if you don’t care about instant-on, then that’s a good way to prevent automatic updates from turning your console on in the middle of the night.

If you don’t want to disable the instant-on feature, you also have the option to leave it enabled and just turn off automatic updates:

  1. Press the Guide button on your controller.

  2. Navigate to System > Settings.

  3. Select System > Updates & downloads.

  4. Remove the checkmark from the box next to Keep my console up to date.

    Remove the checkmarks from the box next to Keep my games & apps up to date to prevent game updates from turning your console on, and the box next to Allow remote installations to prevent your console from automatically turning on when you queue a download from your computer or phone.

  5. Restart your console.

We are confident that this article contains all the information you need, and we also hope that it serves its purpose of addressing your search intent. Do well to leave a comment if you have any further queries.

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