Do I need rechargeable battery to use the controller?

Hi, @andreamassone. Lore here.

It’s not recommended to use a swollen battery as it can be dangerous and cause damage to your controller.

To answer your question, you don’t need the battery to use your Xbox controller on a PC with a USB cable. You can connect your controller to your PC using a micro USB cable and use it without a battery. If your controller is not recognized by your PC, try the following steps:

1. Update your drivers. Make sure your PC has the latest updates and drivers installed.
2. Check the USB cable. Ensure that the USB cable is securely connected to your controller and PC. Try using a different USB cable if the issue persists
3. Restart your PC. Sometimes, restarting your PC can help resolve any temporary issues.

If none of the above steps work, there may be a hardware issue with your controller. You can take your controller to a repair shop or contact Xbox support for further assistance.

I hope this helps you resolve the issue with your Xbox controller!

@andreamassone since there were no issues with the controller before, I would suggest that you replace the battery before using it at all. Replace the battery and then connect it either to your PC or your game console. That way no guessing about drivers, cables etc. Start with the parts that are known to be needing to be replaced first. It'll simplify any further troubleshooting if needed.