If your Windows version is up to date and your controller still won’t connect, you may need to update the controller as well. That means when you update Windows you’re also updating your Xbox controller software. Xbox controller support is a built-in feature of Windows. If you’re using an aftermarket rechargeable pack, switch back to disposable AA batteries to see if that makes a difference. If you’re using AA batteries, try a different set. You should also consider the possibility that there’s something wrong with your batteries. Hopefully this will shake out whatever temporary gremlin is preventing your controller from connecting. You should also pull the batteries from your controller and put them back in, without a USB cable connected. Toggling Bluetooth off and on again in Windows often resolves the problem where you don’t see your controller on the list of available devices. If you plug it in with a known good cable and it still doesn’t work, then either the controller is dead or your computer has a serious issue which is probably fixed most effectively by checking for and repairing corrupt system files. Even if you don’t want to play using USB, it’s a great way to test whether the controller itself is working properly.