Is Leaving a Disc in an Xbox One Dangerous? Find Out

Almost every single one of you reading this article has made a habit of leaving their discs in their Xbox Ones, and who can blame you? We can end up playing the same game for months at a time, so taking that disc out after every play session can be quite an annoying inconvenience.

Few of us ever stop to think about whether or not leaving a disc in an Xbox One is dangerous, though. With all of the moving parts inside of your disc drive, it seems only natural there would be some danger associated with leaving your games inside of them 24/7.

We’ve all heard the horror stories. That dreaded rattling coming from the disc drive, taking the game out only to see that the console has torn it up or burned it beyond repair. Games are expensive these days, so avoiding damage like this should be priority number one.

We’ve had a look at just what the danger associated with your disc drive is, whether or not it’s okay to leave your disc in your Xbox, and if you can move your console around while your games are running.

So, if you’re worried about damaging your discs by leaving them in your Xbox One, read on.

Is it Okay to Leave a Disc in the Xbox One?

As long as you’re using your Xbox One as intended, it’s completely fine to leave the disc in it. Unlike cartridges, discs do not have metal pins coming into contact with one another, which lets you leave your Xbox One discs in the console without risking any damage to both the disc and the system itself.

99% of gamers out there will leave their discs in their console of choice, be that the Xbox or PlayStation. People have been doing this for years without experiencing any damage as a result of it.

In fact, it’s better to leave your disc in your Xbox One rather than leaving it lying around outside of its case. Your disc will not get scratched or damaged while in your disc drive, provided you don’t move the console around. Leaving discs out, however, exposes them to dust and other hazards that can render them unreadable.

So, don’t worry about leaving your disc in your Xbox One. The only exceptions to this are if you’re going to be moving your Xbox around, especially while it’s in use. Let’s have a look at what happens in that scenario.

What Happens if You Move the Xbox One With a Disc Inside?

If your Xbox One is off while you move it, it’s unlikely that your disc will be damaged. However, if you move the Xbox while it’s in the middle of reading a disc, the disc can rub up against internal components, scratching it and damaging it beyond repair.

Damage like this doesn’t happen too often, but if you make a habit of moving your Xbox One around, then you’re going to experience it sooner or later. Even if you’re only moving the console when it’s turned off, there’s still a risk that your disc hits off something it’s not supposed to and gets scratched.

Admittedly, this isn’t as much of a problem as it used to be. The Xbox One has an HDD, meaning your disc doesn’t need to spin for the console to read it. It stays still 99% of the time after you initially install it. However, that doesn’t mean you can do throwing your console around without a care in the world. Damage can still occur, regardless.

So, long story short, it’s okay to leave your discs in your Xbox One, but not okay to move your Xbox around while that disc is currently running. What about moving the console in general, though?

Is it Bad to Move Your Xbox One A Lot?

Unless the moving involves heavy impact, no. You can lightly move your Xbox One around as much as you like, and it won’t damage it. The only risk you face is if you leave a disc in your Xbox, in which case the system might damage the disc while being moved around.

If you’re not throwing your poor Xbox One out a window or against a wall, there’s no reason to worry about moving it around too much. Despite all the intricate hardware, Xboxes are sturdy machines, so don’t be afraid to reposition them or travel with them if you need to.

If you do need to travel with your Xbox, make sure you’re keeping it well protected. As we said, the only real risk associated with moving your console is hard impacts. You can’t rely on other people to handle your items with care, so make sure you’re accounting for any possible bumps your system might take.

As with leaving discs in it, though, try to only move it around while the system is off. This prevents any possible hardware malfunctions.