How to Reset Stadia Controller: A Complete Guide

Stadia is a fun and useful tool for gamers who like to access all their games on the cloud. While it hasn’t lasted as long as we’ve hoped for, you can still use the platform till January 18, 2023.

In the meantime, if you’re facing issues with your controller, it can be quite a bummer. Things like connectivity issues and unreliable response time might require you to reset your Stadia controller.

So let’s go over the steps you need to take, as well as how to troubleshoot some of the problems you might face with your controller.

How To Reset Stadia Controller

You can perform a hardware reset of your Stadia controller by pressing and holding down the Stadia button for 10 seconds, then release it. To perform a full factory reset, press and hold the Google Assistant button and the Capture button for 6 seconds. You will then need to re-enter your WiFi information via the Stadia app.

Why Reset Your Stadia Controller?

Your Stadia controller might need to be reset for the following reasons:

1. If it fails to pair with your display
2. If it becomes unresponsive
3. If you want to connect it to a new wifi network.

Whatever the reason is, there’s a huge chance the issue can be addressed just by resetting the controller. Even if you suspect a more serious problem, it’s advisable to reset your Stadia controller before you look for more intrusive measures.

That said, the steps are pretty easy and straightforward, so let’s go over them real quick.

How to Reset Your Stadia Controller

There are a few methods you can use to reset your Stadia controller and each of them can solve a different set of issues. Starting from the simplest reset option, we’ll go over each one and what problems it can resolve.

Wifi Reset

This method helps you connect to a new WiFi network.

1. Start when your Stadia Controller is off. If it’s still on, press the Stadia button and hold for 4 seconds, this should turn the controller off.
2. Press the Y button and hold.
3. Press the Stadia button at the same time you’re holding the Y button. The device should rumble and the status light should turn on.
4. Release the buttons and wait for the device to rumble and the light to blink orange.
5. You can enter the new WiFi network’s information via the Stadia mobile application.

If the device turns off before the new network setup is complete, it will connect automatically to the previous WiFi network it was connected to.

Hardware Reset

This method usually helps when your Stadia controller becomes unresponsive or faces connectivity issues.

1. Start with the Stadia controller turned on
2. Press the Stadia button and hold it in place for 10 seconds.
3. The device might blink and rumble, just make sure not to release the button until the 10 seconds have elapsed.
4. Release the button.
5. The controller should be turned off at this point. You can turn it on again by pressing the Stadia button until the status light blinks and the device rumbles.

Factory Reset

In cases where the previous two options don’t work, you might need to factory reset your Stadia controller in order to get the internal structure back to square one.

A factory reset means getting the device you have to its condition right out of the box as it came from the manufacturer.

This is a method that solves most problems with the device. However, there’s a downside to it, as your personalized settings and preferences are erased and will need to be reprogrammed into the controller.

That said, it might be your last resort before turning to customer service. Just keep in mind you’ll have to re-enter your WiFi network information again after you’re done with this step.

1. The Stadia controller should be on, if it’s off, press the Stadia button for 2 seconds until the device rumbles and the status light blinks on.
2. Simultaneously press and hold the Google Assistant button and the Capture button for 6 seconds.
3. The controller should rumble again and the status light should blink.
4. To continue playing wirelessly, you should re-enter your WiFi information via the Stadia app. You can also connect the controller to the device you’re playing on via a USB-C cable.

Conclusion

Learning how to reset your Stadia controller is super helpful. It comes in handy when you’re trying to connect to a new WiFi network, when the device becomes unresponsive, or when there are performance issues in the device.

It’s all a matter of either resetting the WiFi network, doing a hardware reset for the Stadia controller, or doing a factory reset if the two previous options fail.

If none of these options comes through and fixes the issue, then you’ll have to contact customer service to get to the bottom of the issue. If the controller is within the warranty period, you should be able to get a replacement.