How to Open and Clean an Xbox Series X: Easy DIY Guide

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Keep your console looking pristine and running well with these tips

Written by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: November 12, 2025 Fact Checked

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Cleaning Outside

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Cleaning Inside

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Is your Xbox Series X console getting a bit grimy? Gaming consoles tend to collect dust over time, especially in the vents, fan, and heat sink areas. Too much built-up dust can even cause your console to overheat and run poorly. Whether you want to do a simple exterior cleaning or open your Xbox up and clean out the inside, we can guide you through the process of doing so safely.

Quick Tips to Safely Clean Your Xbox Series X

Wipe the outside of your console with a soft, lint-free cloth dampened in mild soap and water or 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Use an air duster to blow loose dust out of the fan and vent holes.
If there’s lots of dirt built up in your console, you can safely open it up and clean the inside.

Section 1 of 2:

Basic Cleaning

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Power down and unplug your Xbox. Before you do any cleaning, it’s important to remove your Xbox from any power sources. Hold down the power button on the front of the console for about 10 seconds to completely shut it down.^{[1]
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Research source} Unplug your console from the wall and remove any wired accessories as well.^{[2]
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- Xbox Support recommends doing a basic cleaning once every 3-6 months, but you might need to do it more often if your Xbox is extra dusty or grimy.
Grab a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe the outside of the console all over to remove dust and grime. For stubborn dirt, you can dampen the cloth slightly with mild soap and water. You can also use 70% isopropyl alcohol on a cleaning cloth, but don’t clean your Xbox with disinfectant wipes.^{[3]
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Carefully push the swab into the vent openings to remove dust and fuzz. Just be careful not to push the dust further in. You can also use tweezers to carefully pull out dust and hair.
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Blast the fan with compressed air. If you can see dust on the fan through the vents, you might be able to get the worst of it out with compressed air. If you try this, keep the can upright so that you don’t accidentally blow any of the liquid propellant into your Xbox.
- As a safer alternative to compressed air, use an electronic air duster. These typically cost between $15 and $30 and are usually rechargeable, so you can reuse them as much as you want!

Section 2 of 2:

Cleaning Interior Components

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1
Remove the stickers over the back panel screws. If your Xbox is overheating, there may be a buildup of dust and grime inside. To do a thorough cleaning, you’ll need to open your console up so you can access the fan and other internal components. Start by taking off the stickers over the screws on the back of the console.^{[4]
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- First, use tweezers to remove the oval-shaped sticker over the screw near the base, to the right of the “HDMI Out” port. This is a black sticker that blends in with the outer shell of the console, so it might be hard to spot.
- Next, peel off the wide label sticker to the left of the vents and ports. This is the sticker that has your Xbox’s product ID and serial numbers printed on it. You don’t need to peel it off all the way. Just remove it far enough so you can access the screw underneath.
  - It might help to loosen the sticker by gently warming it with a hair dryer. Use tweezers or a utility knife blade to carefully lift up one corner so you can start peeling.
- Don’t worry–removing stickers won’t void your warranty!^{[5]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Federal Trade Commission
  Independent U.S. government agency focused on consumer protection
  
  Go to source} However, take care when cleaning the internal parts of your Xbox, since any resulting damage might not be covered by your warranty.
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Take out the screws with a T8 Torx driver. Make sure to put these screws somewhere safe so you don’t lose them. Since you’ll be removing several screws of different lengths during this process, it might help to put them in a container with a label so you know where they go when it’s time to reassemble.
- The screws from the back panel of the Xbox are 7.4 mm long.
- You’ll need a T8 Torx driver for all the screws in your Xbox.
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Remove the back panel from the Xbox. Insert a spudger or some other flat prying tool into the gap between the outer shell and the back panel of the Xbox, near the left side of the base. Gently pry the back panel up to release it from the locking clips. Repeat this process on the right side of the base. Then:
- Grip the loose end of the panel and gently pull it up and away from the back of the Xbox.
- Once it’s mostly loose, tip the panel up and then slide it down and away from the groove at the top of the shell. This should fully release the back panel from the Xbox.
There are three screws holding the fan in place: two 8.8 mm screws on either side, and a 10.5 mm “pancake screw” in the center. Use your T8 Torx screwdriver to remove all three.
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Disconnect the fan cable. You should see a black cable extending out of the fan. It’s held in place with a white cable connector. Use a pair of tweezers to grasp the cable connector and pull it loose.
- Don’t pull on the cord itself, just the connector. Tugging on the wires could cause them to break.
- The cord is seated in a channel with brackets to help hold it in place. Carefully guide the cable out of this channel to fully release it.
Grasp the edge of the fan and slide it out of its housing.
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Remove loose dust with tweezers and compressed air. If there are big chunks of hair and fuzz clinging to the fan, use tweezers to grab and remove them. You can also blast away loose dust with compressed air or an electric air duster.
- Hold the fan blades still with one finger while you’re blowing away dust. It will be much easier to clean the fan if it isn’t spinning!
Dip a soft, lint-free cloth in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Use it to gently wipe away any dirt that’s still clinging to the fan blades.
You’ll probably find quite a bit of dust inside the panel you removed from the Xbox. Wipe that down with a soft, lint-free cloth. You can dampen the cloth in mild soap and water or 70% isopropyl alcohol to remove stubborn dirt. Clean both the inside and outside of the panel, giving special attention to the vent holes.
The heat sink is another area in the Xbox Series X where dust tends to gather. It’s located on the opposite end of the case from the fan. Use an air duster to blow any loose dust and debris out of the heat sink area.
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Use a soft brush to clean hard-to-reach areas. If you see dirt in other interior parts of your console, you can gently loosen it with a clean, soft-bristled toothbrush or anti-static brush. Use compressed air or an electric air duster to blow out the dust once you get it loose.
- If a lot of dirt has worked its way into the internal components of your Xbox, you can disassemble it completely and give it an even more thorough cleaning. This is unlikely to be necessary, but if it is, follow this guide to safely take your Xbox apart.
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Reassemble your Xbox. Once you’ve finished cleaning your Xbox console, it’s time to put it back together. Follow these steps to reassemble it correctly:
- Slide the fan back into its housing. Make sure the logo of Master Chief on the fan is facing you, or it won’t go back in correctly.
- Guide the fan cable back into its channel and reinsert the cable connector.
- Screw in the three fan screws.
- Guide the top of the back panel into the groove at the top of the case, then push along the sides and base of the panel to snap the locking clips back into place.
- Your Xbox Series X is now clean and ready to play!