Xbox Wireless Controller

Overview

The Xbox Wireless Controller that Meta sells for Quest is Microsoft's standard Xbox Series X|S gamepad in the Robot White colour. Meta lists it at $64.99 on its US store and pitches it for playing Xbox games on a Quest headset without an Xbox console. On October 31, 2026 the US store showed it as out of stock, with a Notify me button. It is a normal gamepad, not a VR controller: the headset does not track it in 3D, and it does not replace the Touch Plus controllers.

Design and specs

It is the regular Xbox Wireless Controller with a white shell, black sticks and D-pad, and coloured A, B, X and Y buttons. Meta's spec sheet lists dimensions of 152 x 104 x 61 mm. The box holds the controller and two AA batteries. Microsoft rates battery life at up to 40 hours on AA batteries and says this varies a lot with use and attached accessories. The controller connects over Xbox Wireless to Xbox consoles and over Bluetooth to Windows PCs, phones, tablets and headsets such as Quest.

Compatibility

Meta's store lists the Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2. Meta's help center says Quest headsets work with Bluetooth 3.0 Class 2 game controllers such as Xbox Wireless Controllers. To play Xbox games you need the Xbox app from the Meta Horizon Store and a Microsoft account. Meta says most games need an Xbox Game Pass subscription, and Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) needs Game Pass Ultimate. Some free-to-play games, such as Fortnite, work with a free Microsoft account.

Setup and use

Pair the controller from the headset: open Quick controls, go to Settings, then Devices, then Gamepad, and open the Bluetooth settings. Put the controller in pairing mode and select Pair twice. The Xbox app also walks you through pairing the first time you open it. Meta says you can plug the controller into the headset with a USB-C cable for lower input latency. Xbox Cloud Gaming streams games at 1080p and 60 fps to a flat panel that you can resize and place in your room, and Meta's store page talks of a 26-foot virtual screen.

Who it is for

The controller suits Quest owners who want to play Game Pass and other streamed Xbox games, or other gamepad games on a flat screen, inside the headset. It is the same controller Microsoft sells for Xbox and PC, so anyone who already owns a recent Xbox controller can pair that one instead. Meta's help center lists the Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Elite Series 2 and Xbox Adaptive Controller among the pads it has tested. People who want a headset and controller together can look at the limited Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, which launched on June 24, 2025 at $399.99 with a Carbon Black and Velocity Green controller already paired to the headset.