Audio makes up half of the excitement when playing video games.
So, if your Astro A50 headset won’t turn ON…
You shouldn’t delay fixing it any longer.
Unless you want to miss out on your gaming experiences.
Lucky you, I’ve got several solutions for this problem up my sleeve.
Continue reading to discover:
- 3 tested fixes you can try if your Astro A50 won’t turn ON.
- How to hard reset your gaming headset and stop this issue.
- The most common reasons your Astro A50 headset won’t turn ON.
- And this is just the beginning…
Why won’t my Astro A50 turn on?
Your Astro A50 won’t turn ON because you may have drained its battery. This issue also happens when your gaming headset glitches. And Astro A50s sometimes won’t turn ON if they’re out of date. Physical damage, faulty battery, and software issues also cause this problem.
Astro A50 not turning on: 3 fixes
#1: Charge your headset
This solution might sound too obvious to be a fix.
But trust me.
Forgetting to charge your gaming headset is a more common scenario than you think.
And, of course, when you try to turn ON an audio device that has fully drained its battery…
Simply speaking, it won’t.
When this happens, the immediate assumption is that your headset won’t turn ON.
But really…
Sometimes you just need to recharge your device so it can power up again.
Now, you most likely already know how to charge your A50.
But I want to help you avoid silly mistakes with this solution.
So, follow these detailed steps to…
Charge your Astro A50 using its base station:
Step 1: Ensure that the base is ON
At the back of your base station…
You’ll find a port named MICRO USB.
So, simply grab the micro-USB cable that came with your headset.
Then, connect the small connector to the mentioned port on your headset’s base station.
After doing so…
Plug the USB connector into a charging adapter.
Then, connect the latter to a power source.
Once you see any of the base’s indicator lights turn ON…
Step 2: Flip up your headset’s microphone
Ensure that it’s completely vertical.
Otherwise, you won’t be able to…
Step 3: Dock your headset to its base station
Make the front side of your base face you.
Then, dock your headset with its vertical microphone to your left.
Now, check your A50’s power indicator.
If it turns orange, that means your headset is currently charging.
So, let it stay docked for an hour or 2 before you try to turn it ON again.
“I don’t see any light on my headset.”
In that case, you’re most likely experiencing a charging issue.
So, you should go ahead and fix your Astro A50 that won’t charge.
“Can I recharge my headset without using its base?”
Yes, you can.
And if you want to, here are the…
Easy steps to charge your headset without its base:
Step 1: Unplug your base station from power
As mentioned earlier…
Your headset’s base receives power through a micro-USB slot.
And similarly, your Astro A50 has the same port built-in for charging.
So, to plug your micro-USB charging cable directly into your headset…
You must first disconnect your base station from the cord (if it’s currently connected).
After doing so…
Step 2: Locate the micro-USB slot on your headset
You’ll find this at the bottom of the device, on the microphone side.
Step 3: Charge your Astro A50
Connect your micro-USB cable to a power adapter if needed.
Then, plug the latter into a functional outlet.
After that, grab the smaller connector of the cable.
And insert it into your headset’s micro-USB port.
Once again, wait for your audio device’s indicator lights to turn orange.
When it does, set a timer for 1-2 hours so your headset can store enough power.
#2: Hard reset your Astro A50
So your headset has enough charge.
But until now, it refuses to turn ON.
Well, don’t worry.
For most people that experienced the same issue…
A hard reset was able to fix their headset’s power problem.
Now, you may be wondering:
“But how can I hard reset a headset that won’t turn ON.”
Well, the A50 was designed to turn ON whenever it’s charging.
So, all you need to do is charge your audio device again before resetting it.
Fret not. I’ll guide you through every step of this process.
Just follow these steps to…
Hard reset your Astro A50:
Step 1: Connect your headset to power
As you already know, you can recharge your audio device in 2 different ways:
- Through its base station.
- Using its micro USB cable.
Now, you may also use any of these methods for this process.
But if you to make this solution as easy as possible…
I recommend charging your headset through its cable.
Because you’ll have a much easier time accessing the buttons you’ll need to press later.
That said, once you see your headset’s indicator lights turn ON…
Step 2: Locate your A50’s Dolby and Game buttons
On the right side of your headset…
You’ll find 3 tactile buttons.
And from those, the middle one is the Dolby key.
Now, the Game button is also placed on the same side of the headset.
But you’ll find it on the outside edge of your device’s ear cup.
And it’s labeled with the name “Game.”
Once know where the 2 buttons are located…
Step 3: Long-press both keys for 20-30 seconds
Once the reset has been successful…
Your headset’s charging indicator light will turn OFF then, turn ON once more.
So, when this happens, try powering your headset up again.
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#3: Update your Astro A50
Like devices such as your phone or PC…
Your Astro A50 also receives regular updates that are responsible for:
- Improving your headset’s performance.
- Adding new features to your audio system.
- Protecting your headset from glitches and bugs.
And unfortunately, if you don’t update your headset regularly enough…
Sometimes, it’ll run into issues. Which include your Astro A50 not turning ON.
Luckily though, updating your headset only take minutes to do.
So without further delay, let’s hop into…
How you can update your A50 Wireless:
Note: A PC/Mac is necessary for this process.
Step 1: Connect your base station to a PC/Mac
Prepare your micro-USB cable.
Then, plug its small connector into the micro-USB port of your headset’s base station.
After that, insert the other end of the cord into any of your PC/Mac’s USB slots.
And once both of your cable’s connectors are connected…
Step 2: Place your headset on its base
As I also advised earlier…
Ensure that your device’s microphone is upwards and on the left side of the base when docked.
Step 3: Switch your base station to PC mode
Besides the input ports at the back of your headset’s base…
You’ll find a toggle.
So, simply flip it towards the side where it says “PC.”
Step 4: Download the Astro Command Center (ACC)
If you’ve had your headset for a while now, you might already have this software.
After all, it’s what allows you to customize and update your A50.
But if you still don’t, no worries.
Just follow the steps to download the ACC below.
Windows:
- Turn ON your PC.
- Click the search bar at the bottom of your screen.
Note: If you can’t find it on your taskbar, click the Windows/Start icon at the bottom of your screen. And you’ll see the search bar at the top of the window that appears.
- Search “Microsoft Store” and launch the app.
- Click the application’s search bar.
- Type “Astro Command Center.”
- Click the official app’s tile.
- Install the app.
Mac:
- Go to Astro’s official website to download its software.
- Find the Astro Command Center section.
- Click the “DOWNLOAD ACC FOR MAC” option.
- Follow further instructions.
Once you have the application installed…
Step 5: Update your A50’s firmware.
Launch the ACC application, and observe the window that appears.
If an update is available for your headset…
You’ll see a pop-up notification inside the ACC app saying:
“Firmware version (number) available.”
Once you spot this, tap the orange “Update Now” button.
Then, click Yes to confirm the action when a new window pops up.
Want a visual guide for this entire update process?
Watch this video:
Note: If you didn’t see any update notification, your headset is already up to date.
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Bonus: Contact professionals
If you still can’t turn ON your A50 headset at this point…
It’s time to contact professionals.
Because your audio device most likely has 1 of these issues:
- Faulty battery.
- Software problems.
- External/internal damage.
And unfortunately, only professionals can fix them.
Now, if your A50 is still under its 1-year free warranty.
I highly recommend contacting Astro’s official support team by:
- Calling them at 1-800-374-7401.
- Submitting a request at their website.
Because the brand will most likely fix your audio device for free.
But if your headset is no longer under a protection plan…
Apart from contacting Astro, you may also reach local technicians near you.
After all, they usually charge less than official brands do.
However, just be extra careful with which local technician you contact.
And ensure that they’re trusted and reliable before letting them fix your A50.
Pro tip: You can double-check if this is the case by talking with locals around you. Or asking around online forums.