What's The Button On The Side Of Your Xbox Series X For?

Have you ever looked at your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S console and wondered what that little black button just next to the lone USB port does? Microsoft calls it the bind button, and if you use wireless controllers, you might think this button serves to pair (or "bind") said controllers and accessories to the console. You would be correct to think that's what the button does, but it actually hides another clever feature.

Many might not be aware that the Xbox Series X and S both contain a hidden IR receiver hidden inside the consoles. If you go looking on either console, you won't find any trace of a traditional IR blaster anywhere because Microsoft sneakily hid it inside of the bind button that is otherwise mostly used for pairing various Bluetooth controllers.

The button serves as host to a hidden IR receiver that is compatible with various accessories, including infrared remotes from the previous generation's Xbox One console. Around the time that the Series X launched, the now former Xbox Live director of programming Larry Hryb stated that the inclusion of the IR sensor was part of Microsoft's commitment to bring existing accessories forward.

On the surface, the bind button might look like any other normal black button, but in order to hide the IR sensor inside of it, the team actually made it slightly transparent — so slightly that you probably never even realized an IR sensor was hiding inside. Microsoft wanted to make the feature as invisible as possible in keeping with the design aesthetic of the console.

This hidden sensor helps the console to be compatible with official Microsoft accessories from the previous console generation that relied on IR, including first- and third-party media remotes. Unfortunately, those still holding onto their Xbox 360 controllers and accessories will be out of luck, unless you use some form of third-party adapter.

And while rumors about the next-generation Xbox run rampant, the Xbox Series X and S are still loved by many fans and might yet hold a couple of fun tricks up their respective sleeves. But with prices on Microsoft's consoles and the Game Pass service seeing increases in recent months, gamers are feeling the strain. So, if you are looking to jump into the current generation of consoles, you might just be better off picking up a PS5 in 2026.