We were unable to turn on your console – Xbox error

You can turn Xbox Console on or off remotely by using your smartphone. For this, you have to install the Xbox app on your smartphone from Google Play Store or App Store. While remotely turning on the Xbox Console, some users encountered the “We were unable to turn on your console” error. In this article, we will see how to fix this error.

The complete error message is as follows:

We were unable to turn on your console. Make sure this device is on the same network as your console and your console is set to instant on.

Why won’t my Xbox turn on even though it’s plugged in?

The Xbox Console receives power from the main wall socket via the power supply unit. If the console is not turning on even though it is plugged in, the issue might be associated with your power supply unit. The LED indicator on the power supply unit will tell you if it is damaged or not. If the power supply unit is damaged, replace it. If it is ok but the console is not yet turning on, contact the support center.

If your Xbox Console is not turning on, your power supply unit may have been damaged. You can check this by resetting the power supply unit. To do so, unplug the power supply unit from the wall socket and console, then wait for 10 seconds, and then connect the power supply unit again to the wall socket. Do not connect the unit to the console. Now, monitor the LED on the power supply unit. If it remains off or blinks, it needs to be replaced. If the LED is turned on, connect your Xbox Console to the power supply unit and then turn it on.

Fix We were unable to turn on your console Xbox error

It is clear from the above error message that your smartphone and Xbox Console should be connected to the same network and the Instant on option is turned on in Xbox. Hence, before proceeding, check this. If both the devices are connected to the same network and the Instant on option is turned on, but you are encountering the “We were unable to turn on your console” error, use the fixes provided below.

1. Power Cycle your Xbox Console
2. Power Cycle your router
3. Clear persistent storage on Xbox Console
4. Clear alternate MAC address
5. Remove and add your profile
6. Check your NAT type
7. Disable all virtual ethernet adapters
8. Connect your smartphone and Xbox Console to another network
9. Reset your console to factory default settings

Let’s see all these fixes in detail.

1] Power Cycle your Xbox Console

Power Cycling the Xbox Console clears the bad or corrupted cache. Hence, if the problem is occurring due to the corrupted cache, this method will work. Go through the following instructions:

1. Press and hold the Xbox button on your console to turn it off.
2. Remove the power cord from your console.
3. Wait for a few minutes.
4. Connect the power cord and turn on your console.

Check if the problem persists.

2] Power Cycle your router

You can turn your console on or off by using your smartphone if both devices are connected to the same network. You will also get this error if your network connection is not working fine. Hence, we suggest you power cycle your router and see if it helps. The method to power cycle your router is the same as we have described above.

3] Clear persistent storage on Xbox Console

We also suggest you clear the persistent storage or data. The persistent data is used for DVDs, Blu-rays, etc. The steps for the same are explained below:

• Press the Xbox button on your controller and select Settings.
• Go to “Devices & connections > Blu-ray.”
• Select Persistent storage.
• Now, click Clear persistent storage.

4] Clear alternate MAC address

If clearing the persistent storage did not help, clear the alternate MAC address on your Xbox Console. The following steps will guide you on this:

• Open Xbox Guide and select Settings.
• Go to Network and open Advanced settings.
• Now, select the Alternate MAC address option.
• Click Clear.

After clearing the alternate MAC address, restart your console.

5] Remove and add your profile

This trick has worked for some users. Hence, we also suggest you try this and see if it helps. Remove your profile from your Xbox Console and add it again.

• Press the Xbox button to open the Guide.
• Go to “Profile & system > Settings > Account > Remove accounts.”
• Select your profile and then select Remove.
• Restart your console and add your profile again.

6] Check your NAT type

NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It determines whether you can use multiplayer gaming or party chat on Xbox or not. If the NAT type is set to strict or is unavailable, you will experience connection issues. This may be one of the reasons for the issue you are currently experiencing. Check your NAT type and change it (if required). The following steps will help you with that:

• Open Xbox Guide.
• Go to “Profile & system > Settings > General > Network settings.”
• You will see your NAT type under the Current network status.

If your NAT type is not open, you have to change it. To change your NAT type, clear persistent storage, and alternate MAC address. Restart your console and then check if the NAT is changed or not. If not, you have to change the port. To do so, go through the following instructions:

• Open Xbox Guide.
• Go to “Profile & system > Settings > General > Network settings.”
• Now, go to “Advanced Settings > Alternate port selection.”
• If the port is set to Automatic, change it to Manual.
• Click on the Select port drop-down and select another port.
• Now, check if your NAT is changed to Open or not. If not, select another port and check again.

Read: Fix NAT errors and multiplayer game issues on Xbox.

7] Disable all virtual ethernet adapters

The issue also occurs due to virtual ethernet adapters. If virtual ethernet adapters are installed on your system, disable all of them. This method has fixed the issue for some users. Hence, it should also work for you. You can view all the ethernet adapters in the Control Panel. Follow the steps written below:

• Open the Control Panel.
• Switch the View by mode to Category.
• Now, go to “Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.”
• Click Change adapter settings on the left side.
• Right-click on the virtual ethernet adapters one by one and select Disable.

8] Connect your smartphone and Xbox Console to another network

This will let you know whether the issue is associated with your network or not. Connect your smartphone and Xbox Console to another network (if available) and see if the issue persists. You can also connect your smartphone and Xbox Console to cellular data if another smartphone is available.

9] Reset your console to factory default settings

If none of the above solutions fixed the issue, reset your Xbox Console to the factory default settings. The following steps will help you with that:

• Press the Xbox button to open the Guide.
• Go to “Profile & system > Settings > System > Console info.”
• Select Reset console.
• Now, select the Reset and keep my games & apps option.

The above steps will reset your console without deleting your data. After resetting the console, the issue should get fixed.

I hope this helps.

Read next: Fix Double NAT detected on Xbox One.