How to get a new Xbox 360 update

How to get a new Xbox 360 update

See these updating tips and steps
The Xbox 360 console software is updated periodically with new features. If you're having one of the following problems, updating your console software might fix it:

Dashboard themes don't appear.
Avatars are missing.
The Kinect sensor doesn't work (flashing green or red sensor light).

Note The version of the console software available here is from 9/17/2015.


Before you start

If you've already tried to install the update and it failed, go to Troubleshoot problems with an update to your Xbox 360 console.

Console software update

How to update

• Install from Xbox Live
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• Install from a game disc
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• Copy to a USB flash drive
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• Burn to a CD or DVD
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• Frequently asked questions
• Install from Xbox Live

The easiest way to update your console software is to connect to Xbox Live. To update your console by using Xbox Live, all you need is an Internet connection.

To connect your Xbox 360 console to the Internet, see the Xbox 360 First-Time Connection Solution.

• Press the Guide button on your controller, go to settings, and then select System Settings.
• Select Network Settings.
• If prompted, select Wired Network or the name of your wireless network.
• Select Test Xbox Live Connection.
• If prompted, select Yes to update the console software.
• If you receive a connection error, try using the Xbox 360 Connection Error Solution.

Console update didn't install successfully?

Install from a game disc

If you haven't connected to Xbox Live in a while, your console software might need updating. If a game disc includes a newer version of the console software than you currently have, the game disc will prompt you to install the update when you start the game.

Note If you choose not to update your console software, you'll receive a prompt to update the next time you start the game. Some Kinect games require a console software update to work properly.

Copy to a USB flash drive

If you can't connect your Xbox 360 console to the Internet, you can copy the console update from your computer to a USB flash drive and then install it on the console.

Note: The USB flash drive must use the FAT32 file system. For information about how to format a USB flash drive, see the “Format a USB flash drive” section of Using USB flash drives with Xbox 360.

• Plug your USB flash drive into a USB port on your computer.
• Download the update file.
• Click Save to save the console update .zip file on your computer.
• Unzip the file. If you're using Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, double-click the .zip file to unzip it.
• Copy the contents of the .zip file to the root directory of your USB flash drive (for example, E:\). Do not copy the contents to another folder on the USB flash drive (for example, E:\Files).
• Unplug the USB flash drive from your computer.
• Plug the flash drive into a USB port on your Xbox 360 console.
• Restart the console.
• When the console restarts, the installation program starts automatically. When prompted, select Yes to update the new console software.
• Burn to a CD or DVD

You can update your Xbox 360 console software by downloading the update to your computer from Xbox.com, burning the update to a CD or DVD, and then installing the update on your console. Here's how:

• On your computer, download the update file.
• Click Save to save the console update .zip file on your computer.
• Unzip the file.
• If you're using Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, double-click the .zip file to unzip it.
• If you're using an earlier version of Windows, you need to use a special software program to unzip the file (for example, WinZip).
• Insert a blank, writeable CD or DVD into your computer.
• Copy the contents of the .zip file to the root directory on your CD or DVD, and then choose to write (burn) the files to the disc.
• Once you burn the files to disc, remove that disc from your computer and insert it into the disc drive on your Xbox 360 console.
• Restart the console.
• When the console restarts, the installation program starts automatically. When prompted, select Yes to update the new console software.