Xbox Series X is a powerful gaming console packed with high-end specifications. However, it’s not immune to bugs and errors. It has its fair share of problems users keep complaining about. One of the common problems with Xbox Series X is getting stuck on the loading screen. Despite waiting for hours if your Xbox console remains stuck on the loading screen, the frustration gets even worse. Fortunately, some effective approaches exist to resolve the issue, which I will share in this step-by-step guide.
You power on your Xbox Series X console, and if it stays on the loading screen for a longer period, probably it’s caused by software glitches. Power cycling the device should do the trick. However, if the problem persists, it may have been caused by a failed system update or your console has corrupted data. You should perform an offline system update. As a last resort, factory reset your Xbox Series X to fix all software issues.
Below, we have detailed all the solutions along with all the steps. Just go through them one by one and see which one spells out success for you.
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How to Fix If Xbox Series X Stuck on Xbox Loading Screen
I recommend testing the solutions in the order they are presented below. However, if you are certain about the problem, navigate to the most effective solution. Let’s begin the troubleshooting.
Fix 1: Power Cycle Your Xbox Console
Your Xbox Series X console could be stuck on the loading screen because of software glitches or network issues. Power cycling the console should resolve these issues and get your console back up and running like before.
[Note: Power cycling an Xbox console does not remove any data on the console. So, you can test out the solution without worrying about your installed games and their data.]
Steps to power cycle your Xbox console:
- Press and hold the Xbox button on your console for 10 seconds. It should shut down your Xbox Series X.
- Unplug the power cord from the rear side of the console.
- Wait for a minute. It will clean up residual power left in the motherboard.
- Plug the power cable back into the console.
- Turn on your Xbox console by pressing the Xbox button. You should see the Xbox startup animation.
Don’t be impatient. Allow up to 10 minutes to boot up the console. Even then, if it does not load, the console may have corrupted files. Try performing an offline system update, as mentioned in the next solution.
Fix 2: Perform an Offline System Update
The software update may have failed, resulting in corrupted files on your console. Try performing an offline system update to see if it resolves the stuck-on-loading screen issue.
You need a Windows computer with an internet connection and a USB flash drive with at least 6GB storage formatted as NTFS.
Most USB flash drives, by default, are formatted as FAT32. If you have one of the same format, reformat it to NTFS. Here’s how to do it:
- Plug the USB flash drive into your Windows PC.
- Launch File Explorer.
- Right-click on your USB drive and select Format.
- In the File system dropdown options, select NTFS.
- Select Start to format your USB drive.
Steps to update your console (offline):
- Plug your USB flash drive into your Windows PC.
- Download the Offline System Update file OSU1 by clicking here.
- Right-click on the downloaded file and select Extract all to unzip the file.
- Navigate to the .postcode file and copy the $SystemUpdate file.
- Paste the copied file to the root directory of your USB drive. Apart from this file, there should not be any other files on your USB drive.
- Unplug the USB drive from your computer.
- Turn off your console by holding down the power button for 10 seconds. To ensure the console is completely turned off, disconnect the power cable.
- Plug in the power cable.
- Press and hold the Pair button and press the Xbox button on the console.
- Keep holding the pair button until you hear two beeps. It usually takes around 15 seconds.
- The console will power on and directly take you to the Xbox Startup Troubleshooter screen.
- Plug the USB drive into the USB port on your Xbox console. When you insert the drive, the Offline System Update option becomes active.
- Select Offline system update.
Fix 3: Unplug the External Drive
If the external drive connected to your console is corrupted, it can cause various issues, including loading issues. A quick way to check is by removing the external drive.
First, turn off your Xbox Series X console and unplug the external drive. Then, power on your console to check if it can get past the loading screen.
Fix 4: Reset Your Console
If you have tried the above solutions but to no avail, try factory resetting your Xbox Series X console. It should resolve software issues and corrupted files that could be triggering the loading issues.
- Press the Xbox button on your controller.
- Go to the last tab on the side menu.
- Tap on Settings to see the console settings.
- Click System from the left-side menu.
- Tap on Console info and select Reset console.
- Select RESET AND REMOVE EVERYTHING. It will delete all installed apps and games.
Your console should smoothly boot up without getting stuck on the loading screen.
Fix 5: Replace the Hard Drive
If your console’s hard drive is corrupted, the necessary files required during the bootup process may fail to load, causing the screen to remain stuck. You can either repair the hard drive or replace it.
If everything else fails, contact Xbox support.
Wrapping It Up
Despite being a powerful console, Xbox Series X is not free from errors and issues. Getting stuck on the loading screen is a common problem and it’s very frustrating. However, there’s no need to panic as you should be able to fix it by applying the solutions from this guide.