Xbox One Not Reading Discs?

The Xbox One game console is a good console that doesn't have a lot of common problems. One problem that it has had though is not reading game discs and Blu-ray movies. This is actually the number one repair we used to performed on these consoles.

The good news is that it's not an expensive fix and, in some cases, you may be able to fix it yourself. Most can be fixed for under $100. So if the disc drive is not taking discs, if you're getting an error code, or if it's just not reading discs or blu-rays then it may be time to repair it. 

The Primary Causes of Disc Drive Problems

There are several common causes of disc drive failure on the Xbox One.

• Faulty Laser. This is the most common cause of disc errors. Sometimes the laser is just dirty but most of the time it needs to be replaced entirely with a new part. Even if the laser is just dirty it's a good idea to replace it as there is a good chance it will go bad in the near future. 
• Failure of Internal Components. The disc drive on the Xbox One is made up of gears, levers, screws, and rollers. If any of these parts break, it would cause the disc drive to not read discs. Unfortunately, the only way to know whether there is a problem with the laser or a problem with one of the other components inside the drive is to disassemble it and physically inspect it.
• Dirt, Hair & Debris. If there are pets in your home or you live in a dirty or dusty environment where hair and/or dust can get into your Blu-ray drive that can cause your disc drive to not work. Also, if your discs have hair or dirt on them when you put the disc into your game console, the disc drive will pick up that hair and dirt and it can cause the rollers to get too dirty to fully pull the disc in and/or can cause the laser to get dirty and make it not able to read the disc.
• Foreign Objects. Here at TronicsFix, we find all kinds of things stuck in disc drives...coins, sticky notes, multiple discs, labels, and lots of other stuff. Unfortunately, when anything gets put into the drive that's not meant to be there, it will usually cause the drive to not read discs. 

How To Get it Fixed

There are a few options you have when looking to get your disc drive fixed:

Warranty Repair

If your Xbox One, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X is still under warranty the best option would be to send it in for warranty repairs or take it back to the store you purchased it from to exchange or return it. 

DIY Repair

One easy thing you can do yourself if your Xbox One is not reading discs is to clean all game and Blu-ray discs. If they are dirty they can cause your console to not read discs. Other than that there aren't many other things that you can do yourself without voiding your warranty.

If your Xbox One is no longer under warranty and you want to try repairing your optical disc drive yourself, iFixit is a great resource with step-by-step guides for lots of different Xbox repairs such as their Xbox One Optical Drive Laser Replacement guide.

Independent Repair Shops

Independent repair shops can be a great choice for third party repairs when your broken PS4 is not under warranty and you've decided that you can't fix it yourself.

You might find a reputable electronic repair shop in your local area so that's a great place to start. There are also some companies offering mail-in repair services.

If you're looking for a mail-in service, we highly recommend checking out ShaneFix. ShaneFix offers optical disc drive repairs for both the Xbox One S and the Xbox One X (but not the Xbox One original).

What If I Don't Get it Fixed?

In most cases, it won't cause any problems at all if you opt to not have your console repaired. In fact, you can even still play games, you would just need to play downloaded content. The disc drive has no effect on downloaded games and movies. You obviously wouldn't be able to play any disc based games or movies but if you are wanting to move to digital games then this would be the time to do that.