If your Xbox Series X won't recognise the disc or you keep seeing the Xbox Disc Drive Reading Error, there are steps you can take to fix it.
Inserting a disc into your Xbox Series X doesn't seem to be the hardest task in the world, but users are reporting issues with their consoles not recognising the Disc they've just fed in. If you're Xbox Series X won't recognise discs, we can help. We'll spend some time taking you through the various options you have, and all are relatively simple.
So, if you're suffering from a problem the Xbox Series S will never have, as you can't even use an external disc drive on the Series S, here's what to do.
How To Fix Xbox Disc Drive Reading Error
There are several different troubleshooting steps to take in this particular scenario with the Xbox Disc Drive Reading Error. So let's get down to business.
The first, and perhaps most obvious step, is to make sure that the disc is clean, and doesn't have any major physical damage. If it's badly scratched, chipped or broken, this can be enough to stop the drive from reading it. If you've been using your disc as a beermat, or your friend thought it'd be hilarious to see what happens if it goes in the microwave, that might explain your issue.
Assuming you are someone who takes reasonable care of your discs, the next step is very simple. Eject the disc and restart your console. Once it has finished reloading and brought you back to the home screen, reinsert the disc, and see if this resolves the problem.
Other steps to take are as follows:
- If you are able, test the disc on another Xbox Series X console. This will help to identify whether the issue is with the disc, or potentially a problem with the disc drive itself.
- If you are struggling to play Blu-ray Discs specifically, then you can make sure the Blu-Ray player app has been installed properly. You can get further guidance from Microsoft here.
- Tied to the above, is to make sure that the Blu-Ray or DVD you are trying to play is in the correct regional format.
If none of these steps seems to work, then you may simply need to replace the offending disc. But what if none of your discs seems to be recognised?
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Xbox Series X Won't Recognise Discs
This is a slightly more concerning situation, as it can't be blamed on microwaves or bad disc care habits. There are generally two scenarios in play here. The first is that the power mode can affect some consoles, making them unable to read discs. Alternatively, there is a fundamental hardware problem, which means the disc drive needs to be serviced. To try to diagnose which category your console falls under:
If you use instant-on power mode, change power modes and restart your console. To do this:
- Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
- Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Power mode & start-up.
- Select Power mode, and then select Energy-saving.
- Perform a hard power cycle by holding down the Xbox button on the console for 10 seconds. Once the console has completely shut down, press the Xbox button on the console again to restart it.
- Try your disc again. Wait a few seconds to see if the console recognises it. If the console can now read the disc, you can revert to instant-on power mode.
If this works, then wonderful, your problem has been resolved, and you can bask happily in that knowledge. But if this did not fix your problem, then the most likely scenario is that a repair is required. To do this, contact Microsoft via the Service page. If you're lucky, you may still be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.