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The short answer: Xbox Design Lab is Microsoft’s own website for designing an Xbox controller. You pick the colors and finishes, and Microsoft builds it and ships it to you in about three to four weeks.

It is the safe way to get a one-of-a-kind controller: it is a real Xbox controller, it works like one, and it carries Microsoft’s warranty. The catch is that a custom order can’t be returned or changed once you place it. Here is how ordering works, and what to know if it’s a gift.

What you can customize

Design Lab now lives at xboxdesignlab.xbox.com. You can build two controllers:

  • The Xbox Wireless Controller, the standard controller that comes with every Xbox. Microsoft says you can pick colors for “the body, thumbsticks, and bumpers” and choose button styles. It also lists upgrades such as metallic triggers and D-pads and rubberized grips.
  • The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, Microsoft’s pro controller. It comes with four back paddles (extra buttons under your fingers), and you can color more of its parts.

Extras such as patterns, rubber grips and engraving have come and gone over the years, and some cost more. The design screen shows what is on offer today, so check it before you promise anything to the person you’re buying for.

How ordering works

  1. Go to xboxdesignlab.xbox.com and pick the standard controller or the Elite Series 2.
  2. Sign in with a Microsoft account to start designing. You can also check out as a guest, but then you can’t save or share the design.
  3. Choose the colors and extras, and look at the design from every side.
  4. Review the order carefully, including the delivery address, because nothing can be changed once you submit it.
  5. Pay and wait for it to be built and shipped.

Standard or Elite?

  • Pick the standard controller for most players, younger players and first gifts. It’s the same controller as the one in the Xbox box, just in your colors.
  • Pick the Elite Series 2 for someone who plays a lot of fast online games. Its paddles repeat other buttons, so they can jump or reload without moving a thumb off the sticks. It costs more, so check the current price in the designer.

If the person cares more about how the controller performs than how it looks, compare it with the other pro Xbox controllers first. Our guide to custom Xbox controllers covers every other option too.

Before you order

Microsoft’s Design Lab FAQ is clear about these:

  • No returns. “Because XBOX Design Lab controllers are customized specifically for you, they can’t be returned.”
  • No changes or cancellations. Building starts soon after you order.
  • The address is final. You can’t change the delivery address after you submit the order.
  • Gift cards don’t work. You can’t pay with an Xbox or Microsoft gift card balance.
  • It takes time. Custom orders arrive in “3-4 weeks,” and the tracking number can take up to three weeks to appear.
  • If it arrives looking wrong, the FAQ says: “If your controller doesn’t match your order, contact XBOX Support for assistance.”

Buying one as a gift

  • Order at least five weeks ahead. Anything ordered within four weeks of a birthday or the holidays may arrive late.
  • Let them design it, then you buy it. Microsoft’s FAQ suggests the person designs the controller, adds it to the cart and sends you a screenshot of the cart details. You then build the same design and pay for it.
  • Or keep it a surprise. Ship it to your own address, not theirs, so they don’t see the package arrive, and pick colors you know they like. The FAQ also points to FedEx Delivery Manager if you’d rather hold the package at a FedEx location.
  • Check the console. It works with Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Windows 10 and 11 PCs, and iPhone and Android phones, though phone support depends on the device.

In a hurry? A ready-made special-edition controller or a few controller add-ons can arrive in days.

Warranty and where it ships

Microsoft’s current hardware warranty for the US and Canada gives Xbox accessories 90 days, except the Elite Series 2, which gets one year. The Design Lab FAQ doesn’t state a separate warranty length, so check the current warranty for your country. You can add Microsoft’s Microsoft Complete protection plan to the Elite Series 2 only. Design Lab warranty swaps are handled online, not in a store. You’ll need the serial number: on the standard controller it’s in the battery compartment, and on the Elite Series 2 it’s on the back, lower center. Xbox Support’s warranty page shows where to find it.

Design Lab came back in August 2025 after a break of several months. Its payment partner, ESW, says it now ships to 27 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and Germany. If you live elsewhere, the site will show whether it delivers to you.

Common questions

How much does a Design Lab controller cost?

It depends on the controller and the extras you choose, and Microsoft only shows the price while you design. Expect to pay more than for a standard controller in a store, and much more for an Elite Series 2. Check the current price in the designer.

Will a custom controller stop stick drift?

Microsoft doesn’t advertise anti-drift sticks for Design Lab controllers; the options are about looks and grip. Stick drift is when the character moves on its own because a worn thumbstick sends a signal you didn’t make. Some licensed controllers from other brands use magnetic sticks that their makers say wear less. We compare them in our pro controller guide.

Is a Design Lab controller allowed in online games?

It’s a Microsoft-made controller with no added features, so it’s treated like a standard Xbox controller. That’s not true of every “custom” or “modded” controller sold online. See whether a modded controller can get you banned.

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