xbox elite controller does not show on bluetooth device pair list

Question

I'm attempting to connect an xbox elite controller over bluetooth to Ubuntu 22.04. The controller works on everything except Ubuntu without issue. Press the pair button, it shows on the list, click it, continue.

On Ubuntu I go to the Bluetooth pairing menu:

and I see nothing. The controller never shows up on the list. Is there a trick to pairing on Ubuntu?

Update

I see in journalctl several entries related to a failed bluetooth server, but I haven't got in the weeds as to what these are:

Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop systemd[1]: Starting Bluetooth service...
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Bluetooth daemon 5.64
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop systemd[1]: Started Bluetooth service.
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Starting SDP server
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Bluetooth management interface 1.22 initialized
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/adapter.c:reset_adv_monitors_complete() Failed to reset Adv Monitors: Failed (0x03)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: profiles/audio/avctp.c:avctp_server_socket() setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Failed to clear UUIDs: Failed (0x03)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Failed to add UUID: Failed (0x03)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Failed to add UUID: Failed (0x03)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Failed to add UUID: Failed (0x03)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/profile.c:ext_start_servers() L2CAP server failed for Message Notification: setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/profile.c:ext_start_servers() L2CAP server failed for Message Access: setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/profile.c:ext_start_servers() L2CAP server failed for Phone Book Access: setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/profile.c:ext_start_servers() L2CAP server failed for File Transfer: setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: src/profile.c:ext_start_servers() L2CAP server failed for Object Push: setsockopt(L2CAP_OPTIONS): Invalid argument (22)
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink/sbc
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource/sbc
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink/sbc_xq_453
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource/sbc_xq_453
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink/sbc_xq_512
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource/sbc_xq_512
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink/sbc_xq_552
Apr 12 03:55:08 linux-desktop bluetoothd[1055664]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.43 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource/sbc_xq_552

Grant Curell · Answer 1 · 2024-04-12T08:59:28.417

There is definitely some sort of bug in the Bluetooth module for Ubuntu, but I was able to get the controller running. Here is what I did.

Opened the GUI bluetooth window (this will be important later - you have to have it open)
Ran the bluetooth service with systemctl start bluetooth
Ran bluetoothctl followed by scan on which will start a discovery scan. This will get you a list of MAC addresses for bluetooth devices in the area. That will look like this:

[bluetooth]# scan on
Discovery started
[CHG] Controller XX:XX:XX:3E:42:06 Discovering: yes
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:F1:EC:53 XX:XX:XX:F1:EC:53
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18 XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD 55S450G
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:30:19:66 XX:XX:XX:30:19:66
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD RSSI: -86
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD UUIDs: 0000110a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD UUIDs: 0000110c-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD UUIDs: 0000110e-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD UUIDs: 00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD UUIDs: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:76:ED:CD XX:XX:XX:76:ED:CD
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:7A:CB:27 XX:XX:XX:7A:CB:27
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:98:73:66 XX:XX:XX:98:73:66
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:86:69:72 XX:XX:XX:86:69:72
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:0E:C1:3A XX:XX:XX:0E:C1:3A
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:85:56:65 XX:XX:XX:85:56:65
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:25:65:DE XX:XX:XX:25:65:DE
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:0C:69:AD 55S450G
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:7A:CB:27 XX:XX:XX:7A:CB:27
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:F1:EC:53 XX:XX:XX:F1:EC:53
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18 XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:98:73:66 XX:XX:XX:98:73:66
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:83:AB:0C XX:XX:XX:83:AB:0C
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:76:ED:CD XX:XX:XX:76:ED:CD
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:86:69:72 XX:XX:XX:86:69:72
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:30:19:66 XX:XX:XX:30:19:66
[CHG] Device XX:XX:XX:85:56:65 RSSI: -93
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:98:73:66 XX:XX:XX:98:73:66
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:0E:C1:3A XX:XX:XX:0E:C1:3A
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:25:65:DE XX:XX:XX:25:65:DE
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18 XX:XX:XX:79:EB:18
[DEL] Device XX:XX:XX:83:AB:0C XX:XX:XX:83:AB:0C
[NEW] Device XX:XX:XX:E9:66:A1 XX

I took all the new MAC addresses and dumped them into bulk MAC address identifier and found the one that belonged to Microsoft Corporation
From there I did trust <MAC address> followed by connect <MAC address> That got me:

[bluetooth]# connect A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18
Attempting to connect to A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 Connected: yes
Connection successful
[NEW] Primary Service (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0008
    00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Generic Attribute Profile
[NEW] Primary Service (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0009
    0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Device Information
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0009/char000a
    00002a29-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Manufacturer Name String
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0009/char000c
    00002a50-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    PnP ID
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0009/char000e
    00002a26-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Firmware Revision String
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0009/char0010
    00002a25-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Serial Number String
[NEW] Primary Service (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0012
    0000180f-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Battery Service
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0012/char0013
    00002a19-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Battery Level
[NEW] Descriptor (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service0012/char0013/desc0015
    00002902-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Client Characteristic Configuration
[NEW] Primary Service (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c
    00000001-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char002d
    00000002-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char002f
    00000003-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char0031
    00000004-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char0033
    00000005-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Descriptor (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char0033/desc0035
    00002902-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
    Client Characteristic Configuration
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char0036
    00000006-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[NEW] Characteristic (Handle 0x0000)
    /org/bluez/hci0/dev_A8_8C_3E_79_EB_18/service002c/char0038
    00000008-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
    Vendor specific
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 00000001-5f60-4c4f-9c83-a7953298d40d
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 0000180f-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 UUIDs: 00001812-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 ServicesResolved: yes
[CHG] Device A8:8C:3E:79:EB:18 WakeAllowed: yes

As soon as I entered the connect command I got the below funky connection window. I hit Allow it all worked after that.

xbox elite controller does not show on bluetooth device pair list

Update

1 Answers1