Skip to Content

How to Fix an Xbox Series X That Keeps Crashing

Since its release in late 2020, the Xbox Series X has become quite popular with gamers worldwide. However, it has occasional glitches and bugs and may unexpectedly freeze or crash. So, what causes your Xbox Series X to crash, and how can you resolve this problem? 

The Xbox Series X may crash due to overheating, or a glitch in a game or the system itself. Usually you can resolve the issue by resetting the console. Try swapping player profiles and deleting/reinstalling game files that seem to trigger the crash.

In rare cases, the problem may be due to a hardware error, and you’ll have to send the console in for repairs. But that’s a worst-case scenario. Let’s take a look at some more common issues and how to solve them, so that you can get back to gaming without interruption.

Why Does My Xbox Series X Keep Freezing and Crashing?

Xbox Series X on green background

There are many possible reasons why your Xbox Series X (on Amazon) keeps crashing. In most cases, it’s caused by a random system bug, but it could also mean the console is overheating or there’s a bug in one of your games. 

Here are the most common reasons why an Xbox Series X may be crashing: 

Software Glitch 

A software glitch may cause your Xbox Series X to freeze or crash. The software issues could be caused by game-related updates or by the Xbox system itself. Most software glitches are minor and can be fixed by a simple restart or hard reboot. 

However, some software glitches can only be resolved by updating the system firmware. If the problem persists after a system update, you may have to reset the Xbox’s system software and delete all your data. 

Random System Bugs 

Many of the issues that will cause your Xbox Series X to freeze or crash are not as serious as a software glitch and can be fixed quite easily. A random system bug is a minor issue that comes and goes from time to time. 

Random system bugs will appear occasionally and are often associated with a particular function or game. In rare cases, the bug may cause your system to crash. They are mostly caused after a system update, and you can fix them by simply restarting or refreshing the system.  

Overheating 

From time to time, Xbox gamers will experience issues with their Xbox due to overheating. If your Xbox Series X keeps on restarting on its own or crashes randomly, overheating is probably the culprit.

This could happen if you’ve been grinding on a game non-stop for hours or if you simply live in a very hot and humid area. 

An overheating problem can be resolved by shutting down the Xbox and giving it some time to cool down. You can also place the console in a well-ventilated area, not on the floor, and ensure the fans receive proper airflow. 

Game Bugs and Related Problems 

We all know that there are many faulty games out there that have bugs and are problematic to the Xbox gaming software. This could be from a new game that you’ve decided to try out or an existing game after an update. 

Game bugs usually aren’t too serious, and you can easily spot that it’s a gaming bug because the Xbox only freezes while playing that specific game.

Unfortunately, the only way to remove many game bugs is to delete and reinstall the game, which could cause you to lose your progress (unless you back up your data on Xbox Cloud). 

What Should You Do if Your Xbox Series X Keeps Crashing?

Unless there’s a serious hardware problem that’s causing your Xbox Series X to keep on crashing, you shouldn’t worry. And even if there is a hardware problem, you should be covered by an Xbox warranty. 

But before you send your console for repair, try some of these simple fixes:

Do a Hard Reset 

  1. Turn off the console by holding down the power button. 
  2. Release the button once the console is off.
  3. Unplug the Xbox’s power cable. 
  4. Wait a minimum of 5-10 minutes.
  5. Plug in the power cable and start the console.

Hard resets will help with minor bugs or game-related bugs but not the major issues. That brings us to the next fix:

Change Your Gaming Profile 

This may sound strange, but your current Xbox profile could be corrupted, which can cause many problems. To fix this, simply try using a different profile, as this will prove whether the problem is profile-related or not. 

  1. Press the Xbox button on the controller.
  2. Choose the option ‘Profile and System.’
  3. Click on ‘Add or Switch.’
  4. Try using one of your friends’ profiles just to test if that is indeed the problem. 
  5. If using a different profile solves the problem, all you need to do is either create a new profile for yourself or remove your original profile from the Xbox and add it again. 

Do a System Reset

The Xbox system can sometimes get corrupted, and to fix this, you’ll need to change the settings back to the factory default setting. Here’s how to do that:

  1. Click on the Xbox button on your controller.
  2. Choose ‘Profile and System,’ then ‘Settings.’
  3. From here, select ‘System’ and ‘Console information.’
  4. There will be three options in front of you, and you should select the one that says ‘Reset and keep my games and apps.’
  5. This will reset the OS and delete all potentially harmful data without deleting your apps or games. However, you may need to choose the option of ‘Reset and remove everything’ if there is a game file that is corrupted.