How To Mod Xbox One Controller

Customizing controllers is a fashion to non only express your ain creativity and make something unique, information technology's also pretty easy to do and there's no real need to pay someone to practice it for you. The Xbox Blueprint Lab has some amazing options to design your own controller, but like other options, it involves also buying a new controller.

For not a lot of coin, there'southward a whole bunch of things you tin do to create your own custom Xbox One controller. Be that calculation some visual flair or some boosted hardware to improve your gaming feel and even maybe, give you an edge in some of your favorite titles.

What you need

Earlier changing parts on your controller, there are some basic tools you'll need to acquire.

Plastic pry tool (almost $five) (opens in new tab)
Torx T8 screwdriver (about $5) (opens in new tab)

These two items are universal to any piece of work you'll always exercise on your Xbox One controller, then they're worth keeping in your armory. You can as well become a toolkit with both (opens in new tab) for about $x.

How to change the appearance of your controller

At that place are a number of easy modifications you can brand to your stock controller to change how information technology looks. You tin can change basically everything, but the easiest jobs are swapping out thumbsticks and the shell for something with a piddling more razzle-dazzle.

Custom shells

The most visually appealing changes are applied by changing the shell on the controller. Thankfully it's a very easy process that involves little more prising off some plastic and undoing a few screws.

A new faceplate or full shell is but effectually $15 (opens in new tab) and at that place are a lot of unlike designs to choose from, fifty-fifty including soft-touch finishes.

How to add a custom shell to your Xbox Ane controller

Replacement thumbsticks

Y'all might just need to supercede some broken ones, or y'all might want to change the color or blueprint, or peradventure even bandy out the plastic ones for some aluminum. Whatever the reason, a new set of thumbsticks (opens in new tab) tin be had for effectually $10.

Much of the process is the same as changing the shell.

How to supersede Xbox One controller thumbsticks

Colored abode push

You lot don't need to go the tools out to alter the colour of the glowing Xbox logo on your controller. A very quick and very cheap alteration is to just add a transparent colored sticker to information technology. No, really!

For nigh $9 you lot can get a set of 16 dissimilar colors (opens in new tab) to choose from that will project a dissimilar cease when the controller is powered on.

Simple and effective.

More advanced - ABXY buttons

The standard colored ABXY buttons tin can be swapped out for a different look, or fifty-fifty a different style entirely and merely cost about $ten for a new set (opens in new tab). If you lot're feeling wild, there are buttons out there that wait and experience similar brass bullet casings (opens in new tab), for example.

The simply mild drawback is that changing these is a footling more advanced and requires use of a soldering iron. For a full guide on how to do it, bank check out a comprehensive guide to not messing it upward over at iFixit.

Calculation functioning parts

As well irresolute how your controller looks, in that location are also some modifications you can make that will improve your gaming feel and performance while using it.

Things similar trigger stops and paddles are included with the much more expensive Elite Wireless only y'all can add them to whatever regular Xbox One controller, likewise.

Grips

Having a good grip on your controller is of import, and there'southward no shame in albeit your hands get a niggling damp sometimes in the heat of competition. Plastic doesn't afford you the all-time grip in such times, so something you should consider is adding some quality grip panels to the back of your controller.

For around $12 you can go some new ones (opens in new tab) that but snap onto the controller in place of the standard smooth plastic ones. There are dissimilar styles and colors out there, but ultimately all offering the same end performance: A improve hold on your controller.

How to add together new grips to your Xbox One controller

Trigger stops

Trigger stops are great for fans of FPS games because they shorten the travel of each trigger, giving yous a quicker response fourth dimension from the printing to the shot in the game.

Products similar the Bionik Quickshot (opens in new tab) are bachelor to not only add trigger stops to a standard controller, simply to as well add some serious grip, besides, killing two birds with the same stone. You'll simply demand to spend nigh $twenty, as well, and you'll nigh certainly feel an immediate impact on your favorite shooter.

How to add trigger stops to an Xbox One controller for only $20

Paddles

A paddle kit from Collective Minds can do much more than than the paddles you'll find on pre-configured pro-class controllers, and such mods aren't allowed in some competitive games. Yet, the fact remains yous can add together paddles and therefore extra command to your standard controller.

The kit is wired and replaces the standard battery door on the controller. Y'all so connect to the micro USB port on the controller then the paddles will never endure from lag or broken connections. They're effectually the $xxx mark, also, so non overly expensive, and might exist just the thing you've been looking for.

So, that'south a quick guide on building your own custom controller from the i that came in the box with your Xbox Ane. The beauty of doing information technology yourself is that you can exercise equally much or as little as you want, and you lot can spread out the cost over time if you wish.

If you lot have any swell custom controller modifications to share, let the states know in the comments below!

Richard Devine is an Editor at Windows Central. A former Project Director and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore also every bit Windows Key. Currently you'll find him covering all manner of PC hardware and gaming, and y'all tin follow him on Twitter and Instagram.